Kewalos Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's talk about what's coming up for Kewalos.

The water temp is sitting right about 81°, which is basically average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there.

Look, I gotta be straight with you – the next week and a half is a bit of a grind. We've got a massive gap with no real quality surf to speak of. From now through to about the 19th of August, it's a whole lot of nothing special. The swell is mostly short-period, onshore-ish junk, and even when the height gets up, the quality is just not there. That big jump in size around the 14th and 15th of August – with swell hitting 6.0m to 7.5m (that's about 20ft to 25ft) – sounds epic, but the wind is howling at 28 to 31 mph and the combined energy is absolutely nuts (8,102 and 15,054). That's way too much for a paddle session; it’s more of a big-wave tow or kite show. The swell direction is also ENE, which is not the optimum SSE for this reef. The models are saying it's just too big for this break.

So, where’s the light? Hang in there until Thursday the 20th of August.

That’s your window. Thursday morning and afternoon at Kewalos finally look like the real deal. We’re looking at a clean 1.6m to 1.8m (about 5ft to 6ft) of ENE swell, but the wind drops right out to a light breeze at only 6 mph. That cross-off flow will groom the reef perfectly. The combined energy is a solid moderate 595-625, and the period is a workable 8 seconds. It won't be a groundswell, but for this spot, with those clean conditions, that’s the standout. The score for that morning is a "very good" call.

Friday the 21st is also a decent follow-up with a bit more size (2.1m / 7ft) but a touch more wind, so it’s a good runner-up.

The main takeaway? The first 12 days are mostly a write-off for quality surfing. Don't waste your energy. Save it for that Thursday the 20th. That's the one to circle on the calendar. Crowds are often a thing here, so get out early.

- Rusty

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