Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's cookin' over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it's a bit of a slow start. The first few days are pretty much a write-off for any real surf. We've got a gap from now until Tuesday the 8th of September where there's just nothing worth paddling out for. Hold your horses.

The first real action kicks off Tuesday the 8th of September at Polihale (Kauai). This is an exposed sandbar break that's fairly consistent, and it's about to light up. We're looking at a solid 7ft of swell coming from the W, wrapping in with a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is strong (808), so there's plenty of grunt behind it. The morning starts with rain showers and a cross-off breeze, but by the afternoon it clears up with a gentle cross-off wind. This is a big one, and with chest-to-head high waves, it's for the advanced crew only. The water temperature is pretty standard for this time of year, nothing unusual to report.

Wednesday the 9th of September is the standout. The morning is absolutely glassy – zero wind, calm as a lake. The swell drops a touch to 4ft from the NW, still with a 10-second period, and moderate energy (273). This is clean, perfect, overhead surf. The crowd factor is "sometimes" here, so you might have a few friends out, but with conditions this good, it's a no-brainer. Get a dawn patrol session in.

After that, Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th see the swell drop off dramatically. The 2ft to 2ft waves are just not enough to get excited about, even if the wind is light. There's a long-period (15-16 second) groundswell showing on Friday and Saturday the 11th and 12th of September, but it's tiny (2ft), so it's just a tease. That long period will make the little waves stand up a bit, but it's not going to be a proper session.

From the 13th of September through the 20th, it's a pretty sad run. The swell stays tiny, mostly under 3ft, with poor conditions and cross-off winds. There's a brief moment on the afternoon of the 16th with a 4ft NE swell and a glassy surface, but at 7 seconds period, it's weak and messy (140 energy). It's surfable, but just barely.

The bottom line: the first week holds the gold. That window from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday is your best bet. After that, it's a long, flat stretch. Don't hold your breath for the second week.

Rusty.

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