Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, gather 'round. Rusty here, checking the charts for our patch.

First thing you need to know: it’s a bit of a slow burn for the next week to ten days. We’ve got a few windows of clean, small waves, but nothing that’s going to get the heart racing. The real hope is sitting way out there around the 25th of September, but we’ll get to that.

Let’s start with what’s on offer now. Thursday the 10th afternoon is a write-off with a risk of thunderstorms and tiny 2 ft NW swell, so don’t bother. Friday the 11th morning shapes up a little better. We’ve got some cloud cover, a glassy surface with an ENE breeze at 3 mph, and the swell bumps up just a touch to 2 ft from the NNE. It’s still only 8 seconds of period, so it’s weak, but the combined swell energy is 59 (weak) and it’s gonna be smooth. Honestly, it’s just surfable but very ordinary.

The weekend gets interesting for a quick flash on Saturday the 12th morning. The sky is partly cloudy, wind is a light SE at 3 mph making it glassy, and the swell switches to a long-period 2 ft groundswell from the SW. That 16-second period is significant – it’s a proper groundswell – and the combined energy jumps to 206 (moderate). Now, a long period like that can make a beach break sectiony, and Polihale is a sandbar setup. It might line up nicely or close out straight. For a surfer who knows the bank, it’s a standout window for a clean, glassy session on small but organized lines. Water temp is 80°, which is a touch cooler than average for this time of year, about 1° below the norm, so it’s not a big deal.

After that, the next ten days are a grind. From Sunday the 13th all the way through to the 24th, it’s mostly poor surf conditions or very ordinary waves. We get a lot of clean, glassy mornings with tiny NE swell around 3 ft to 3 ft, but the period drops to the 7-9 second range and the energy is weak (usually between 91 and 144). There are a few flat spells with zero energy, like on the 17th and 22nd. The 20th of September offers a tiny 0.9 ft W swell with an 11-second period and glass, but it’s just not enough push. It’s a long, dry stretch of marginal surf.

Then, hang on for Friday the 25th of September. That morning looks promising. Clear skies, a light offshore wind from the SE at 6 mph, and the swell picks up to 2 ft from the NW. The period stretches out to a very long 12 seconds, and the combined energy is 144 (moderate). The afternoon gets even better, with the swell building to 3 ft from the NW, still with a 12-second period, and a light cross-off breeze from the south. Energy hits 195 (moderate). This is the standout of the whole run. We’re looking at clean, lined-up groundswell with offshore wind. It’s still not huge, but after that long gap, it’s the best conditions on offer. Keep an eye on that date – it’s the real hope.

So, bottom line: Saturday the 12th morning is your early call for a glassy, long-period session if you want small waves. Otherwise, sit tight and aim for Friday the 25th of September. That’s the one worth paddling out for.

Rusty, signing off.

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