Kalihiwai Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, switching to Imperial for the mainland crew. Let's break down the Kauai picture.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks are grim. Kalihiwai is going to be a tough watch for a long stretch. For the first week and a half, we are looking at steady cross-shore winds, often blowing 12 to 15 mph, with a small and short-period swell that just can't hold a face. The weekend of the 12th and 13th of July sees chest-high to head-high waves (around 6 ft to 6 ft), but that Easterly wind is tearing across the lineup, making it choppy and hard work. That setup is far more interesting for a kite than a paddle board.

On Wednesday the 15th of July, the wind backs off a hair and turns cross-offshore for the morning. The problem is the swell drops to a knee-high 3 ft, with a very long 15-second period from the West. That kind of groundswell tends to slide right through the deep water around a reef and not show much on the surface, so expect it to be flat and slow. The wave energy is a moderate 472.

We get another spike in energy around Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd of July. The period is back up to 16 seconds from the East, but the wave height is still tiny at barely 3 ft. The winds are still cross and moderate, so even with wave energy climbing into the 640-to-715 range, the conditions just aren't there.

The only true glimmer of hope is on Sunday the 26th of July. It is the best of a pretty average bunch. The swell picks up to a solid 6 ft from the East-Northeast, though with a short and fat 7-second period. The wind finally eases back to a gentle 9 mph breeze from the East, leaving only a slight lump. The combined energy is a solid moderate 595. It won't be the most organized day on the reef with that short period, and crowds are likely because Kalihiwai is a well-known spot, but for the advanced surfers that have been waiting, this Sunday morning is the clear standout of the entire two weeks.

Don't get your hopes up before then. The long gap is normal for the area. But if you have to pick a time, it is that Sunday.

Rusty.

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