Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the surf on the west side.

First off, the first week is a total dud. From Friday the 7th all the way through Thursday the 14th of August, you’re looking at flat, clean conditions with nothing worth paddling out for. The water temp is about normal for the season, so nothing weird there.

The first real sign of life comes on the morning of Saturday the 15th of August. Polihale (Kauai) will see a tiny 0.5ft west swell, with a period of 13 seconds, and a combined energy of just 96 (weak). The wind is light and cross-offshore, so it’ll be clean but very small. It’s surfable, but just barely.

Sunday the 16th is the same story – 0.5ft west swell, period down to 11 seconds, clean but weak. Energy is 66.

Monday the 17th of August is the best of the first real run. The morning shows 0.6ft west swell with a very long 14-second period. The combined energy climbs to 132 (moderate). The wind is light and cross-off, so it’s clean. That long period will make the waves a bit more lined up. The afternoon bumps up to 0.7ft with a 13-second period and energy of 171 – still moderate, and the best of the whole run.

Tuesday the 18th drops back to 0.5ft, so that little window closes.

Then on Wednesday the 19th, we get a jump in size but with a catch. The morning shows a 2ft north-east swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds, and the wind is light cross-shore. The combined energy is 275 (moderate), but it’s listed as marginal. The afternoon drops right back to tiny.

Thursday the 20th of August is the standout. Morning sees a 2ft north-east swell, short 7-second period, with light cross-onshore wind making it marginal. The afternoon, however, has that same 2ft north-east swell, 7-second period, but the wind turns cross-offshore and clean. The combined energy is 302 (moderate). This is the best wave of the whole 16 days. Good size, clean conditions, and the swell direction is right for Polihale. It’s a sandbar break, fairly consistent, so expect some company. The size is okay for a confident intermediate, but the short period keeps it a bit lumpy.

Friday the 21st is similar in size but with onshore wind in the morning, so it’s not as clean.

After that, it fades back to tiny, glassy conditions by Saturday the 22nd.

Bottom line: the best bet is the afternoon of Thursday the 20th of August at Polihale. That 2ft north-east swell with clean, cross-offshore wind is the one to circle. Everything else is small, clean, and not worth rushing for.

Rusty out.

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