Pohoiki Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, and it’s not the most exciting time for the Big Island's east side. We're looking at a long stretch where Pohoiki is the only game in town, and honestly, it's a bit of a struggle. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year.

We kick things off on Wednesday the 9th with rain showers and a moderate breeze blowing onshore from the ESE at 12 mph. The swell is a weak 3 ft from the ENE with a long period of 12 seconds, but the combined energy is weak (355). It's choppy and messy, and we get a score of zero for a reason. The conditions just look ugly.

The rest of that first week doesn't get much better. Thursday the 10th brings a bit more size, around 5 ft, but the period drops to a short 7 seconds and the wind stays cross-onshore or cross. That's a recipe for lumpy, weak waves. Friday and Saturday are similar stories—cross-shore winds, weak to moderate energy levels (379 on Friday morning), and poor surf conditions. The best we can say is that by Friday afternoon, the wind eases to a gentle breeze and the sky clears, but the surf is still a questionable 4 ft and the comment is "marginal."

There is a glimmer of hope as we head into the second week. On Sunday the 14th, we see a bit more consistency with clear skies and a cross-offshore wind from the north at 12 mph. The swell is a small 4 ft from the NNE with a short period of 8 seconds, but the wind is clean. The wave comment bumps up to "marginal" and scores a 1. It’s surfable, but small. Monday the 15th is probably the best window in this whole outlook. Tuesday morning is clean with a light breeze and by Tuesday afternoon it goes dead glassy, with the wind dropping to just 3 mph from the NNE. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the NNE with a period of 7 seconds and weak energy (141). It's not going to be big, but if you want a longboard or a foiler and you’re desperate for a clean surface, that Tuesday afternoon is your one and only standout.

After that, things get sour again. From Wednesday the 16th onwards through the rest of the month, the wind swings back onshore from the ENE and strengthens, with a storm risk kicking in by the 17th. The swell does build, hitting 6 ft on the 18th, 19th, and 20th, and the combined energy gets into the moderate range (521 on Friday the 18th morning), but it's all cross-onshore junk. The wave comment stays at "poor surf conditions" with scores of zero. There’s a period of onshore wind that would make this beach-and-reef setup look more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The long-range forecast for the last week of September is pretty bleak, with the swell dropping back to under 3 ft and the wind staying messy.

Overall, it’s a pretty flat period. Don't get your hopes up. The one moment to keep an eye on is that glassy Tuesday afternoon on the 15th for a tiny, clean session. The rest of it is a tough watch for surfers.

Rusty.

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