Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright crew, Rusty here. Let’s get into what we’ve got for the next couple of weeks.

It’s a classic slow-burn forecast. The first week is pretty much a total washout. We’re talking a long stretch of flat to grim conditions right through until the second weekend. Nothing to get excited about until things start to wake up in the second week.

The real highlight, the one you want to keep an eye on, is the 13th and 14th of August. Polihale (Kauai) is the place to be. Thursday morning, the 13th, we’ve got a clean 2ft swell from the WNW with a long 16-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy is a solid 269 – that’s got some grunt. The wind is light and cross-off, making for clean, lined-up waves. By Thursday afternoon, the swell bumps up to 3ft and the energy hits 369. Still light cross-off wind. This is the pick of the fortnight – clean, quality waves with that long-period push. The water temp is about 80°, which is right where it should be for this time of year.

Now, I do have to flag the 17th of August. It’s a long way out, so it’s a "watch and wait" situation, but the models are showing a solid 7ft NE swell hitting Monday morning. That’s a serious jump. The energy is massive at 738. That’s a strong pulse. But here’s the thing: 7ft is expert-only territory, and with an 8-second period, it’s a short-period wind swell. The wind is cross-off so it’ll be clean, but that size and short period will make it a heavy, powerful, challenging paddle. Definitely not one for the groms or the casual crew.

The first week, from the 2nd through the 8th, is a bust. Mostly glassy mornings with tiny waves – 1ft to 2ft stuff that just doesn’t have any energy. The 9th and 10th see a little bump of 2ft to 3ft W swell, but the energy is low, and the conditions are only “ordinary”. You could get a wave, but you’d be working for it.

So, the takeaway: the 13th and 14th of August are your best bet. Clean, light winds, and real groundswell. The 17th is a wild card for the brave. Everything else? Keep the board in the car, but maybe don’t rush.

Rusty.

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