Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Imperial

Alright, let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks at Polihale are looking pretty grim for paddle surfing. To be honest, there’s nothing that’s really going to get the stoke levels up. We’ve got a long, dry run of flat days and tiny, weak swell coming in. The first real sniff of anything starts around the 15th of August, but even then, it’s a real struggle. For a solid week before that, from the 6th through to the 14th, it’s just flat to knee-high slop with no energy to speak of. The combined swell energy is basically zero (0) for most of those days. The water temp is sitting around 81°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so at least it’s warm for a paddle.

Now, the first bit of swell that shows any life at all will be on Saturday morning, the 15th. We’re looking at a 2ft swell from the West, with a 13-second period giving it a bit of a pulse. The combined energy is 88 (weak), which is better than nothing, but it’s still very ordinary. The cross-offshore wind from the ENE will keep the surface clean, but it’s just not going to be a memorable session. This is more of a "get the cobwebs out" kind of day.

The action picks up a little on Monday the 17th. The swell goes up to 2ft from the West, with a 13-second period, and the combined energy climbs to 126 (moderate). The problem is that the wind goes cross-shore from the NE, and it’s not a clean offshore. It’s going to chop things up a bit. This is a better wave than the weekend, but the wind is going to mess with the quality.

The most interesting day in the whole forecast is Thursday the 20th. The afternoon brings a 2ft swell from the SW, but look at the period: 21 seconds. That’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 251 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-offshore from the East, which will keep the surface clean. This is the standout. Polihale is a sandbar, so with a very long period swell like this, it might be a bit too straight, but the energy and the clean conditions make it the best bet for a sneaky session.

After that, it fades right back down. The rest of the window is a write-off for decent surf. Honestly, if you’re desperate for a paddle, the 15th is your best bet, but don’t get your hopes up. The 20th is the one to watch, but it’s a long way off.

Rusty.

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