Surf Forecasts:
Polihale surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period, WNW swell with 393 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s 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 1.2m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Polihale over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here. Let’s be real about the next couple of weeks. We’re looking at a pretty slow start, but there’s a definite pulse of energy coming down the line. Don’t get too excited about the first few days; the ocean is gonna be a bit sleepy.
Right off the bat, the water temp at Polihale is sitting at 80°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so nothing weird going on there. We’ve got a patch of tiny, short-period swell rolling in for the 19th and 20th, with the energy reading at a weak 70. The wind is mostly light and cross-shore, which won’t help the already poor conditions. Thursday the 20th is glassy but still tiny at 3ft and the period is a weak 7 seconds, so don’t paddle out expecting much.
Now, keep an eye on the 21st. We get a shift as a longer-period, 11-second W swell fills in under a glassy sky. It’s still small, around 2ft, and the energy is only moderate at 149, but it’s a step in the right direction. Friday afternoon cleans up with light offshore ESE winds and glassy conditions, but you'll still be hunting for the ripple.
Here’s where things start to get interesting. The real window is the 22nd of August. The swell builds to 3ft on Saturday morning, with that WNW direction and a period of 11 seconds. The energy jumps up to a moderate 278. But the standout is Saturday afternoon. The swell pushes to 4ft from the WNW, with a 12-second period, and the energy is kicking at a strong 416. The winds go offshore from the ESE and it’s clean. This is the best surf of the first week. Get some.
After that flash, it backs off again. The 23rd through the 25th see the swell drop back under 3ft, with cross and cross-off winds messing with the shape. Energy drops back down to weak numbers. The 26th through the 31st is a real dead zone. We’re talking no swell – a solid blank run of about six days where there is nothing worth paddling out for. The models show zilch, which can happen, but it’s a bit of a bummer.
Now, for the second week, we have a couple of long-range promises, but keep your expectations in check. The first one jumps out on the 1st of September. It’s a Tuesday, and the afternoon looks like it could be fun. A new swell pushes in at 5ft from the NE, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit crumbly. The energy is moderate at 200, and with light glassy winds, it could be a fun, punchy session.
But the one that has my attention is the 3rd of September. There’s a more powerful SW groundswell showing up, with a solid 13-second period. Thursday morning sees 4ft, and the afternoon builds to 4ft. The energy is strong at 545, and with light cross-off SSE winds, it’s looking like the cleanest, most powerful swell of the whole outlook. Remember, it's over a week out, so we treat this as promising, not a guarantee.
So, to wrap it up, if you want a wave, your best bets are Saturday the 22nd for clean, fun waves, and the long-range window on the 3rd of September for something with a bit more push. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 7 | NE 6 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
46 | 54 | 63 | 64 | 82 | 110 | 106 | 104 | 278 | 393 | 239 | 183 | 121 | 123 | 121 | 73 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 38 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:26AM0.53m | 12:23PM0.57m | 1:05PM0.59m | 11:49PM0.22m | 1:40PM0.62m | 00:48AM0.24m | 2:10PM0.64m | 1:30AM0.27m | 2:37PM0.65m | 2:08AM0.30m | ||||||||||
Low Tide | 1:44AM0.13m | 2:53AM0.14m | 4:19AM0.13m | 9:37PM0.21m | 5:28AM0.11m | 9:26PM0.20m | 6:20AM0.09m | 9:31PM0.19m | 7:04AM0.07m | 9:41PM0.18m | ||||||||||
— | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | |
7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | NE 6 | NE 7 | E 8 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | E 7 | WNW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | NW 11 | WNW 10 | ENE 8 | S 16 | E 8 | SSW 14 |
52 | 54 | 63 | 31 | 142 | 52 | 88 | 77 | 278 | 393 | 131 | 183 | 121 | 123 | 121 | 73 | 169 | 131 | 157 | 165 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | E 8 | E 8 | W 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | ENE 7 | SSW 16 | WNW 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | NW 10 | NW 10 | S 16 | WNW 10 |
69 | 33 | 46 | 48 | 82 | 110 | 106 | 104 | 79 | 166 | 239 | 150 | 123 | 138 | 107 | 102 | 50 | 50 | 127 | 38 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | S 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | NE 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 9 | SSW 16 | SSE 13 | S 11 | SE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | NW 10 | SSW 18 |
24 | 69 | 123 | 119 | 181 | 39 | 173 | 171 | 173 | 23 | 162 | 60 | 22 | 51 | 33 | 29 | 89 | 58 | 50 | 110 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | — | — | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | — | E 8 | — | ENE 8 |
46 | — | — | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | 113 | 206 | 191 | 210 | 200 | 188 | 154 | — | 186 | — | 159 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 162 | 8 | 162 |
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










