Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The surf’s been pretty flat out here for a while, and honestly, the first week of this stretch is looking like a whole lot of nothing. We’ve got a real dry spell from Monday, the 3rd, all the way through to the start of the next week. You’re looking at glassy mornings and clean afternoons, but with no swell to speak of. It’s the kind of quiet that has you checking your board for dings just to pass the time. This is a solid week-long gap where you’re better off tuning up your gear or finding a pool.

Then, come Tuesday, the 11th, we finally see a pulse. It’s not going to be a world-beater, but there’s a little bit of life. The morning brings a weak 3ft windswell from the northeast, just enough to flatten the surface but nothing that’ll have you scrambling for your wetsuit. It’s surfable but pretty ordinary. The afternoon though, that’s where it gets interesting. A new groundswell starts to fill in from the west-northwest with a long 15-second period. Wave energy is still modest at 125, but the tide and the winds are looking clean. This is the first sign that things might be turning.

Wednesday the 12th goes a bit flat again, but don’t let that fool you. The ocean is just loading up.

Then, Thursday the 13th, it’s on. We’ve got a proper groundswell arriving from the west-northwest, with a long period of 18 seconds in the morning and 17 seconds in the afternoon. The wave energy is jumping up to 246, which is solid, and it’s building all day. This is the kind of swell that Polihale (Kauai) is made for. The direction is perfect, right on the nose for the break, and with just a light cross-offshore breeze, the face is going to be clean and lined up. This is a standout. The water is sitting at 81°, which is about 0.9° above the usual for this time of year, so nothing crazy, but still warm enough.

Friday the 14th keeps the run going. The swell stays consistent from the west-northwest, and the energy has built even more, hitting 399 in the morning. The height is only around 2ft, but that long period is giving it some real push and shape. Light winds again mean it’s going to be clean from first light. This is your window.

Saturday the 15th is still good. The swell backs off slightly but is still a solid 3ft from the west. The energy is still well up there at 298. Morning looks the pick of it, with lighter winds. The afternoon is a bit more marginal— a stronger breeze kicks up and could put a bit of chop on the face.

Sunday the 16th and the start of the following week on Monday the 17th continue to see that west-northwest swell running. It’s not as strong as Thursday and Friday, but still has energy in the 200s. Morning sessions on both days are worth your time, but Sunday afternoon has a chop risk as the wind swings onshore. Monday afternoon is looking firmer with the wind holding and the swell direction still good.

But the real highlight? The standout is Tuesday, the 18th. The data is showing a new pulse of energy that kicks the combined energy up to a strong 567 in the afternoon. The swell is hanging around 2ft from the west with a 16-second period. With the light wind and clear conditions, this is looking like the cleanest, most powerful surf of the whole window. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the party just yet, but all the signs are pointing to a proper session. That’s the one to mark on the calendar.

Rusty.

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