Kahului Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the outlook for Kahului Harbor is a long, tough stretch. The overall pattern is persistent cross and cross-onshore ENE winds, which are just going to keep the surface messy and the waves mostly choppy and uninviting for a traditional paddle session. We’re looking at a solid 8-day gap before anything even gets close to a "marginal" call, and even then, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.

The first real chance of something that might be worth a look doesn’t pop up until Sunday, August 16th. Through the entire first week, from Friday August 7th right through to Saturday August 15th, the wave quality is consistently rated as poor. The winds are a steady NE to ENE at 9-16 mph, keeping the water chopped up. The swell is there, but it's short-period windswell, mostly 7-8 seconds, with combined energy building from a weak 89 up to a moderate 564 by the 15th. It’s all wrong for clean surfing.

On Sunday, August 16th, the conditions finally bump up to a 'marginal' status. The swell is 7 ft from the ENE, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 708 – that’s a lot of water moving around. But it’s still a cross-shore wind, and the forecast mentions questionable tide conditions. For a reef break that demands an advanced skill level, this is more of a "watch and wait" situation than a green light. It’s big enough (over 8 ft) that it’s really only for experts, and the short period will make it sectiony and unpredictable.

The following week, from August 17th to the 22nd, the pattern doesn't really change. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell height stays around 4 ft to 6 ft. The combined energy stays moderate, but the quality is poor through to the end. The 21st and 22nd of August do see a slight drop in wind speed to a light breeze (6 mph), but the wind is still cross-onshore, which will keep the surface bumpy. The swell direction shifts slightly to straight NE, which is closer to the optimum, but with the short period and constant wind, it’s still not a goer.

Bottom line: there’s no standout session here. The only break on offer, Kahului Harbor, is a consistent, exposed reef that needs the right conditions. Right now, the wind is the enemy. If you’re desperate, the best chance is probably the early mornings on August 21st or 22nd when the wind is lightest, but don’t expect anything magical. For the next 16 days, this forecast is a write-off for a quality paddle. The setup is honestly more interesting for a kite surfer with that solid cross-shore wind and consistent swell.

Stay patient, and check back in a week.

Rusty.

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