Kahului Harbor Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me tell you straight up. The 16-day window ahead for Kahului Harbor is a bit of a rough stretch for a paddle surfer. I've looked over what's coming in, and honestly, for most of the run, you're dealing with tricky winds and crummy conditions for the board. The water is warm at 80°, pretty much dead average for this time of year in these parts.

We start on Friday the 21st. The morning is the best of a bad bunch with a clean, knee-to-waist high 4ft wave, but it's coming from the east with a short period 8 seconds. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it's rideable if you're desperate, but the overall energy is weak (289). By Friday afternoon, that wind picks up to 12 mph and the chop sets in, and that pretty much sets the tone for the next week.

For the whole of the following week, from the 22nd right through to the end of August, the swell does bump up a bit. It fluctuates between 5ft and 6ft, but the wind stays stubbornly cross or cross-onshore from the ENE, blowing at 12 to 15 mph. That's a chop fest. Even when the energy gets moderate, like around 430 on the 23rd, the quality is poor. The water turns into a washing machine.

There is a brief moment on Sunday morning, the 30th of August, where we see a pulse of longer period groundswell. We're talking 6ft from the ENE with a period of 13 seconds, which bumps the energy way up (992). The wind is a lighter cross-shore from the ENE at just 9 mph. It’s about the cleanest thing on the horizon, but it's still marginal and on a tricky reef that prefers NNE. This isn't a winner, just a glimmer of hope in a bleak sea.

Then things get rowdy without getting good. On Monday the 31st, a big swell arrives, with wave heights hitting 10ft to 12ft. The energy goes through the roof (2823), but so does the wind. It's a strong cross-onshore howl. This setup is far too big and messy for a beginner, and honestly, that heavy cross-chop makes it look more fun for a kite surfer than anyone on a paddle board.

The first couple of days of September are a mess. On the 1st, we get a near gale with 31 mph winds blowing straight across the face. That's blown out completely.

Then, finally, on Wednesday the 2nd of September, things settle down. We get a clean 7ft wave with a cross-offshore wind from the ESE. It’s still a bit chunky for the average Joe, and the period is short at 9 seconds, but the wind will keep it tidy. The energy is moderate (615). This is a good window for the advanced crew who know the reef. Thursday the 3rd looks similar with clean 6ft waves and light winds. If I had to call it, Wednesday morning the 2nd of September is your best bet—clean, solid waves for the experts, with the wind finally cooperating.

To be honest, there's not a single standout session here that I'd drive across town for. The good windows are few and far between, and the consistent spots are just not getting the right wind. The conditions are poor for surfers for the majority of the 16 days. The pattern is locked in with this ENE trade wind, and it just doesn’t let up. If you aren't an expert, give it a miss. If you are an expert, point your car towards the harbor on the 2nd of September morning.

Rusty.

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