Kahului Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk about what’s going on. For the next 16 days, the only spot that’s been in the mix is Kahului Harbor (Maui), and it’s been a rough ride. The water’s about 80°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no big deal there.

Right now, the swell is coming from the ENE at about 5ft, but the period is short – just 6 seconds – and the wind is a cross-on from the NE at 12 mph. The combined energy is weak at 163, and the surf is poor. It’s choppy, messy, and not worth paddling out for. This is a reef break, but with that short period and onshore wind, it’s just not holding any shape.

We’ve got a long stretch of nothing. From Wednesday afternoon all the way through to the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September, it’s the same story: small swell, cross or cross-on winds, and poor conditions. The scores are all zeros, and the wave comment says it all – “poor surf conditions.” The combined energy does bump up a bit around the 29th of August (309-319), but it’s still weak to moderate, and the wind is still messing things up.

Then, from the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September through to the end of the forecast, we get a slight improvement. The scores go from 0 to 1, and the comments change to “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The swell drops off a bit, with heights around 4ft to 5ft, and the period stretches to 8 seconds. The wind eases off to a light breeze, mostly cross-shore, which is a big step up. The combined energy stays moderate (261-338). But it’s still not clean. It’s a marginal window, and the wave quality is still a question mark.

The best of the bunch would be the morning of Friday the 4th of September. Swell is 5ft from the ENE, period 8 seconds, and the wind is light and cross-shore from the ENE at 6 mph. The combined energy is 318. It’s not great, but it’s the least bad option. The direction is close to the optimum NNE, but not quite. Still, for a reef break, that period and light wind might give you a few workable waves. Expect crowds to be possible, as it’s a known spot.

But honestly, if you’re looking for a proper surf, this isn’t it. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the cross-on wind and short period.

Hang tight, the forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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