Polihale Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Polihale. It’s been a bit of a slow start, but we’ve got some action building towards the end of the first week and into the second.

Right now, there’s nothing doing. We’re looking at flat conditions from Tuesday the 1st all the way through Monday the 7th of September. That’s a solid week of no surf to speak of. The wind is light, mostly cross-off or glassy, but without any swell, you’re just staring at a flat ocean. Water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The real show starts to kick off on Monday the 7th in the afternoon. A solid SW groundswell starts to show up at 4ft, and the period is a nice 12 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (393). Wind swings offshore from the SSE, light at 6 mph, so it’s going to be clean. This is the first sign of life.

Tuesday the 8th is where it gets interesting. Overnight the swell builds. Tuesday morning you’ve got 5ft from the SW, period lengthening to 13 seconds, and the energy is strong at 767. Wind is still light offshore from the SSE. This is good, clean, lined-up surf. Tuesday afternoon bumps up to 6ft with the same SW direction, 13-second period, and the energy is pushing very strong at 991. Wind drops to a slight air from the ESE, still offshore. This is the standout of the whole run. For an experienced surfer, this is going to be quality. The swell is getting up there, over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, but it’s not enormous. This is the one to circle.

Wednesday the 9th holds on. Morning has 4ft from the SW, 11-second period, and combined energy of 474. The wind is glassy from the E. It’s clean, punchy, and still very good. Afternoon drops to 3ft, 10 seconds, and energy at 286, but still glassy. A solid follow-up day.

By Thursday the 10th, the swell switches direction. A smaller NNE windswell arrives at 2ft, 8-second period, and energy is weak at 68. Wind is cross-off from the ESE. It’s surfable, but pretty ordinary compared to what we just had.

Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th are poor. Tiny waves, 2ft and then 1ft, short period, and not much energy. Glassy conditions on Friday morning, but the swell is too small to care about.

Sunday the 13th and Monday the 14th morning stay small, with a weak WNW swell at 1ft to 1ft, but the period is climbing back to 12-13 seconds. The energy is still low, though.

Then, Monday the 14th afternoon – hold onto your board. A massive pulse of swell hits. 13ft from the NNE, period 9 seconds, and the combined energy is an enormous 2698. That is very strong. The wind is light offshore from the ESE. This is expert-only territory. This is a big, powerful, raw swell. It’s going to be a beast. For anyone who’s not an experienced surfer, stay on the beach. This is the kind of day that separates the men from the boys.

Tuesday the 15th morning drops back to 6ft from the WNW, 7-second period, with glassy conditions. It’s still good, but a lot more manageable. The afternoon gets messy with cross-shore wind and a drop in quality.

Wednesday the 16th is small again, with 3ft from the NW, 8-second period, and glassy conditions. A quiet end to the run.

The real standout session is Tuesday the 8th of September. That’s the call. Polihale is a sandbar setup, very exposed to the NW, and it’s a fairly consistent spot. Crowds are sometimes an issue, but with that quality of swell and light offshore wind, it’ll be worth putting in the time. The combined energy is strong, the swell direction is right on the money, and the wind is perfect. Get on it.

Rusty.

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