Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ down the line for Polihale. It’s a bit of a slow start, but there’s some promise later on.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 78°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year – no surprises there.

The outlook kicks off on Wednesday, 8th July, but honestly, you can leave the board in the truck. We’re talking tiny, gutless waves – 0.3ft from the west on a 16-second period, which is a long-period groundswell, but there’s just no energy behind it. The combined energy reading is a weak 5. The wind is a cross-offshore from the east at 9 mph, which would normally be clean, but with nothing to surf, it’s a write-off. Thursday and Friday are much the same story – little dribbles of swell, nothing worth paddling out for.

Saturday morning, 11th July, still looks ordinary. But then Saturday afternoon, something changes. The swell bumps up to 2ft from the southwest, with a very long 18-second period. The energy jumps to 206 (moderate), and the forecast says “expect good surf conditions.” The wind stays light and cross-off, so it’ll be clean. It’s not big, but those long-period lines from the SW will wrap in nicely. This is a standout for the first week.

Sunday morning, 12th July, builds on that. Swell hits 2ft from the SW, 16-second period, and the energy is up to 320. Winds are light from the east – clean conditions. This is the best bet of the early run. The size is small, but the quality should be there for a longboard or a fun board.

Sunday afternoon, the swell direction swings to the northeast, and the period drops to 8 seconds. The height jumps to 5ft, but that short-period, windswelly stuff is less appealing. It’s still surfable, but it won’t have the same push as the morning.

Monday 13th July morning holds 5ft from the NE with a short period (8 seconds), and the energy is 402 – moderate to strong. The wind is light cross-off, so it’ll be clean. It’s a bit of a mushy beachbreak setup with that short period, but there’ll be waves. Afternoon goes back to a smaller, longer-period west swell.

From Tuesday 14th through to Thursday 16th July, we get a consistent run of west swell, 3ft to 3ft, with 15-16 second periods and combined energy readings in the 300-400 range. Winds are light to gentle and cross-off. This is a solid stretch of clean, rideable surf. The swell direction is from the west, which is the optimum direction for Polihale on the northwest exposure. This is the best period of the entire outlook. The water is calm, the lines will have proper shape, and it’s not too big – perfect for all levels.

Friday 17th July starts to fade a little, and by Saturday 18th, we’re back to small, weak conditions. Sunday 19th and Monday 20th are flat, with no swell energy at all.

Now, there’s a bit of a wildcard on Tuesday 21st July. The swell comes back from the northeast at 5ft, but it’s an 8-second period and the wind is cross-shore, not clean offshore. The energy is moderate at 314, but the conditions are described as marginal. The wind will bump the surface up, so it’s more of a choppy, messy option. Not the best.

The last few days, 22nd and 23rd July, show 4ft to 5ft from the NE with a short 7-second period and cross-off or cross winds. The energy is around 150-190, which is moderate. The surf is surfable but ordinary. For a beachbreak like Polihale, that short period with a bit of onshore wind isn’t going to give you much shape.

The Best on Offer: The standout window is absolutely Tuesday 14th through Thursday 16th July. The west swell, clean offshore winds, and moderate energy will give you the best chance at a really fun session. Saturday morning, 12th July, is also a gem for clean, long-period waves, even if it’s a little smaller. Beyond that, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty out.

Read more