Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell to sit through. The first few days are a write-off, with tiny, weak, messy windswell and poor conditions. It’s not until Friday morning, the 21st of August, that we finally see a pulse of life. A new long-period groundswell starts to fill in, with a period of 11 seconds from the west-northwest, but it’s still small at 2ft. However, the wind goes glassy, and the energy picks up to 110 (moderate), so it’s a start. By Friday afternoon, that same swell drops in a bit of rain but the easterly wind stays glassy, the energy jumps to 205 (moderate), and the conditions are good. That’s the first real sign of life.

Saturday the 22nd of August is where we start to get excited. That morning, the swell is a clean 3ft from the west-northwest with a 12-second period, glassy wind, and the energy is pumping at 293 (moderate). It’s still a small wave, but it’s clean and building. The afternoon sees it nudge up to 4ft, but the wind goes cross-shore and the score drops off, so get it in the morning.

Now, for the standout window. Sunday morning, the 23rd of August, is the pick of the bunch. Head to Polihale – a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent. The swell is 3ft from the west-northwest, but the period is 11 seconds, and the energy is solid at 207 (moderate). The wind is from the east-northeast at 6 mph, which is a clean, cross-offshore breeze. That’s the magic combo. The water temperature is about average for this time of year with no unusual anomaly. The waves will be clean, shaped, and the long-period groundswell will give them some push. It’s not a big wave, but for a small, clean, glassy morning, it’s the best on offer. Keep in mind, crowds can be a factor here sometimes, so get there early.

After that, the swell fades fast. The rest of the run is mostly small, weak, and not worth a paddle. You’ll see a few knee-high bumps from the 30th of August into the first week of September, but the wind is never on your side, and the energy is weak (values like 63, 44, 49). There’s a tiny pulse on the 3rd of September with a 2ft, 14-second swell from the west, but the energy is only 198 (moderate) and the wind is cross-offshore. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

So, the long and short of it: Hit it hard on Sunday the 23rd of August. That’s your window. The rest is a waiting game.

Rusty.

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