Surf Forecasts:
Polihale surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 31 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, NE swell with 381 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Polihale this week:
The surf forecast for Polihale over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Polihale in the next 16 days are 1.7m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Polihale over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty checking in with the outlook for our local waters.
Honestly, it's a tough start and a real long dry spell. We've got next to nothing on the cards for the next week or so. The first whisper of anything rideable doesn't show up until September 4th, and even then it's a sad little 2ft from the NE at a short period of 7 seconds – just enough to mess with your head more than anything. There’s a long gap of almost dead flat conditions before that, from the 29th of August all the way through to the 3rd of September. You can see bits of glassy water, but there's zero energy in the water (0 combined energy).
The wait finally seems to pay off a little around September 7th. We get a little bump late in the day, but the real standout is shaping up for September 9th (Wednesday morning). That’s where we finally see a pulse of something real. Polihale is the go-to here. It's an exposed sandbar, and it’s the one spot in the mix worth paddling out at. This morning session has a clean 5ft of NE swell, driven by a light offshore breeze from the E. It’s a proper sandbar setup, so even though the period is a shorter 8 seconds, the combined energy is a solid moderate 367 – that’s the most energy we’ve seen in the whole 16-day run. The water is a warm 81°F, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
Because that swell is a touch over 5ft, this one is really for the more experienced crew. Beginners might find it a bit much, especially at a sandbar where things can shift. Keep in mind the optimum swell direction for Polihale is NW, and this is coming from the NE, so it won't be perfect, but it's the best we've got. The crowds can be an issue here *sometimes*, but with the wind being that clean and offshore for the morning session, it’s worth risking the company. The early glass-off on the 10th of September (Thursday) offers a smaller, cleaner 3ft from the NNE with 168 combined energy, making it a decent follow-up session for a smaller board.
So the call is simple: sit tight through this blank run. It’s a long one, nearly a week with zero options. But once we hit the second week, there’s a glimmer. The 9th of September morning is your best bet by a long shot.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | S 13 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | S 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
21 | 20 | 11 | 23 | 15 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 338 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:26PM0.63m | 3:27AM0.39m | 3:48PM0.59m | 4:09AM0.43m | 4:09PM0.55m | 4:54AM0.47m | 4:28PM0.49m | 5:44AM0.50m | 4:43PM0.43m | 6:43AM0.52m | 4:48PM0.38m | 7:57AM0.54m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 8:24AM0.09m | 10:08PM0.16m | 9:05AM0.12m | 10:23PM0.14m | 9:48AM0.16m | 10:41PM0.12m | 10:36AM0.21m | 11:00PM0.10m | 11:32AM0.27m | 11:23PM0.09m | 12:52PM0.32m | 11:51PM0.08m | 00:29AM0.08m | ||||||||
6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 |
Feels °C | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | ENE 7 | S 12 | S 12 | ENE 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | S 16 | S 16 | ENE 8 |
347 | 342 | 362 | 267 | 188 | 236 | 168 | 162 | 158 | 69 | 69 | 185 | 123 | 116 | 356 | 428 | 383 | 338 | 334 | 251 | 238 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | E 13 | E 13 | S 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 11 | S 11 | S 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | S 17 | S 11 | E 16 | S 15 |
72 | 73 | 10 | 23 | 15 | 22 | 89 | 87 | 105 | 100 | 97 | 126 | 58 | 57 | 273 | 333 | 329 | 290 | 37 | 77 | 279 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 8 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | E 14 | SSW 18 | SW 17 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | S 12 | E 10 | SSW 19 | S 10 | S 10 | S 12 | S 10 | E 16 | S 11 | E 14 |
21 | 20 | 11 | 39 | 21 | 66 | 62 | 75 | 73 | 44 | 39 | 66 | 18 | 123 | 33 | 31 | 44 | 32 | 46 | 38 | 148 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | — | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | NE 8 | ENE 8 | — |
75 | 73 | 73 | 70 | 93 | 70 | 117 | 153 | 225 | 228 | 222 | — | 191 | 330 | — | — | — | — | 408 | 354 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Kaua'i | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Polihale Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Polihale provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Polihale can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Polihale surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Polihale) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Polihale may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a vacation in Kaua'i? If you are looking for accommodation near Polihale, camping, hotels and condos and appartments in Kaua'i, consider staying in Nawiliwili which is 43 km (27 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Lihue - Kauai which is 45 km (28 miles) away










