Kiholo Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, grab your sticks. Rusty here, taking a long hard look at what Kiholo Bay has cookin' for the next couple of weeks. I've gotta be straight with you, it's been a tough stretch, and honestly, it's a bit of a wait-and-see situation for the most part.

Let’s start with the big picture. The water's sitting at 82°, about a degree and a half warmer than usual for this time of year – a touch of tropical bathwater, which is nice on the skin but doesn't do much for the wave quality. The problem is, we are looking at a whole lot of days with very minimal, weak swell. The combined swell energy is in the dumps, barely cracking double digits for the first week. For instance, Thursday afternoon the 13th only has a combined energy of 25 on a tiny 1.0ft W swell. That’s not surf; that’s a wobbly mess.

Friday the 14th is even worse, with the swell dropping to 0.7ft and energy at 10. Saturday the 15th sees some clean conditions with that light E and NE cross-offshore breeze, but on a 0.7ft swell with 11-second period, it’s just not enough to push a rideable wave. We’re looking at a real flat spell here for the first four or five days.

Now, there’s a little window around the 17th and 18th where things get glassy. Monday the 17th morning has zero wind – glassy as a mirror – and a 1.0ft WNW swell, but the energy is still only 25. We get the same glassy conditions Tuesday the 18th morning with a 1.0ft WNW swell (energy 24). It’s pretty, but you’re scratching for anything rideable. Wednesday the 19th afternoon finally sees the swell bump to 1ft from the WNW with a 12-second period and a combined energy of 90, paired with glassy conditions. At last, a session that’s *surfable* but still very ordinary. Thursday the 20th afternoon gives us a hint of something with a 1.0ft SW groundswell (period of 18 seconds) and glassy wind, but the energy is only 70. That long period won't help much at a beach setup; it’ll just wrap in weird and fat.

We then hit another dead zone from the 21st through the 24th, with mostly flat conditions and no swell energy at all for days on end. The 25th sees a return of glassy conditions but on a tiny 0.7ft W swell.

Finally, we start to see some real promise around the very end of the month. Wednesday the 26th afternoon brings a 1ft W swell with a nice long 16-second period and combined energy of 81, with glassy conditions. That is a standout moment. If that holds, it'll be a clean, patient, long-period groundswell. Then on Thursday the 27th afternoon we get our best chance: a 2ft W swell (13-second period) and a combined energy of 86, under glassy skies. That’s the pick of the bunch – a little push, clean face, and glassy. Friday the 28th morning shows 2ft from the WNW but the wind is onshore, so it’s messy.

So, best bet on offer? Thursday, August 27th afternoon. That 2ft W swell with glassy conditions is your only real standout. The 26th afternoon is also a solid secondary call. Get out there if you can, because the rest of the window is mainly flat with a few ordinary, albeit clean, moments.

The crowds at Kiholo Bay? The guidance says it can get crowded *sometimes*, so for that clean window later in the month, expect company. It’s a consistent spot when there’s swell, but remember it’s exposed to the WNW swell and prefers WNW direction, so that W swell on the 27th is bang on.

For the first week, honestly, if you're looking at a beach and point setup with barely any swell and light winds, it's more of a kiteboarding scene than a paddle-in session.

Stay patient, that last week of August has a flicker of hope.

Rusty.

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