Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, this is Rusty. Alright, let’s be straight with it—looking at Polihale over the next couple of weeks, we’ve got a pretty flat and quiet run ahead. The first week especially is a write-off for any kind of decent paddle surfing. This exposed sandbar setup needs a solid pulse of NW swell and clean winds to fire, and for days on end, we’re just not seeing it. There’s a long gap with no proper recommendations right through the middle of the period, so don’t hold your breath.

The first sniff of anything worth mentioning comes on Wednesday the 19th in the afternoon. We get a tiny 2 ft swell from the NE with a short, junky 7-second period. Combined wave energy is weak at 73, and the water’s around 81°F with basically no temperature anomaly—average for this time of year. Winds go glassy though, which is a nice look, but the waves themselves are ordinary. Not enough push for a proper session.

Things stay small and mediocre through to the end of the week. Friday the 21st afternoon shows a little more hope with some swell building to 3 ft from the NE, period still short at 7 seconds, energy at 79, and again glassy winds. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Now, the one standout in this entire outlook lands on Monday the 24th. Morning brings a 3 ft swell from the WNW with a period bumping up to 11 seconds—a proper groundswell pulse. Combined energy hits 204, which is moderate. The wind is glassy, making for clean conditions. That’s the best on offer over the whole 16 days. For a sandbar like Polihale, long-period WNW groundswell can sometimes run straight, but with these small heights, it should offer tidy, rideable lines. Still, the swell direction is NW, which is the optimum for this spot, so it lines up nicely. Expect crowds sometimes, as it’s fairly consistent and the locals will be out for this one.

After that, Tuesday the 25th is messy with cross-shore winds and dropping energy. Then Wednesday the 26th afternoon shows another pulse: 3 ft from the NNW, 11-second period, and energy up to 250—moderate and punchy. Winds are clean, cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. This is a solid secondary window. Might be worth a look if you missed Monday.

Beyond that, from Friday the 28th onward, we’re back to weak ankle-biters: 2 ft from the N at 10 seconds, energy dropping into the double digits. Winds stay light and mostly clean, but the swell just isn’t there. The last few days of August and into the 31st are more of the same—small, sleepy, and not going to get your heart racing.

If you’re chasing clean lines and a bit of punch, aim for Monday the 24th morning. The 26th afternoon is the backup. Otherwise, it’s a long flat spell in between. For now, I’d say keep an eye on the forecasts, because this kind of quiet run can turn around quick.
– Rusty

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