Honokohau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about Honokohau. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but it ain't looking pretty at the start. I’ll walk you through it day by day.

Overall, the pattern is dominated by a persistent cross-shore wind from the ENE, blowing all through the period. That onshore wind is going to keep things lumpy and choppy pretty much non-stop. The swell energy is moderate across the board, with values mostly in the 300s and 400s, but with that wind, it’s going to be a messy affair.

Kicking off on Friday, July 3rd, through to Sunday, July 5th, we’ve got wind speeds at 16 to 19 mph from the ENE, and the swell is sitting around 5 ft to 7 ft, coming from the ENE with a short period of 7 to 8 seconds. Water temperature is a warm 79°F (0.7°F anomaly), so about average for this time of year. But the report says “poor surf conditions” across the board. It’s a write-off for paddle surfing. The combined swell energy is moderate, hitting between 331 and 447, but with that fresh cross-shore wind creating a lumpy cross-chop, it’s more of a kite-surfing setup than something we’d want to paddle into.

Moving into the week of Monday, July 6th through Thursday, July 9th, the wind stays locked in from the ENE, 19 mph, and the swell height bumps up slightly to 6 ft to 7 ft. Period stays short at 7 to 8 seconds. The energy picks up a little, with values between 355 and 485, but it’s still all “poor surf conditions.” The cross-chop is going to be frustrating.

Friday, July 10th through Monday, July 13th, we see a slight drop in swell height, coming down to 3 ft to 5 ft. The wind eases a little, dropping to 12 to 16 mph from the ENE, but it’s still cross-shore. On Monday the 13th, we finally get a “gentle breeze” for the afternoon, with wind at 9 mph, and the swell period stretches to 9 seconds from the E on the morning session. Even so, the rating is still poor. The combined energy drops to as low as 135 on the 12th, so it’s weak.

Now, on Tuesday, July 14th, we get a weird one. Swell height drops right off to 2 ft, but the period jumps to 16 seconds from the west. That’s a very long-period groundswell, and those long gaps between sets could make paddling easier, but at reef and point breaks like Honokohau, a very long period swell from the west might line up okay. However, the wind is still a moderate cross-shore at 12 mph, and the report still says “poor surf conditions.” The energy is moderate at 343. Not a standout.

Wednesday, July 15th through Saturday, July 18th, the swell builds back up to 6 ft to 7 ft from the east and ENE, with short periods of 6 to 8 seconds. The wind stays ENE at 12 to 16 mph. Energy climbs to a high of 640 on Thursday the 16th, which is a solid moderate energy, but the cross-shore wind keeps it messy.

The best on offer: Honestly, there isn’t a true standout session in this entire 16-day forecast for Honokohau. The persistent cross-shore wind ruins every window. If you had to pick the lesser evil, I’d say look at Monday, July 13th afternoon. The wind drops to a gentle breeze at 9 mph, which will make the cross-chop at least slighter, and the swell is a waist-to-chest high 4 ft from the E with an 8-second period. The combined energy is moderate (277). It’s still a cross-shore wind, so don’t expect perfection, but it’s the cleanest we get in the whole outlook. However, with consistent crowds at Honokohau being “often”, you won’t be alone.

For the rest of the second week, those moderate to fresh cross-shore winds and short-period east swells just don’t give us anything to get excited about. It’s a long stretch of messy conditions.

Alright, that’s the bad news from Honokohau. Hoping the forecasts change for the better.

Rusty.

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