Pyramid Rock Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the surf ahead.

Right now, the ocean’s pretty quiet for us. We’ve got a bit of a lull to start, so don’t rush out. The first real chance to get wet doesn’t come until the Tuesday morning of August 18th. That’s when we see a clean 4ft SW swell with a long 15-second period rolling in. The wind will be light offshore from the NNE, which is exactly what we want to see. Water temps are sitting around 56°, which is just about normal for this time of year. It’s not spectacular, but it’s the first rideable wave on offer, and it’ll be clean.

That window is short-lived, though. By Tuesday afternoon, the wind swings SE and the surf gets messy. After that, we’re looking at a rough patch for a few days. The swell stays small and the wind goes onshore or cross-shore from the north and northwest, making things choppy and junky. It’s not worth your time from the 18th afternoon through to the 21st. The energy is weak, with combined energy values spending time in the low to mid hundreds.

Now, here’s where things start to get interesting. Saturday, August 22nd, we see a pulse of bigger groundswell, pushing 7ft from the SW with a solid 16-second period. But, the wind is cross and cross-onshore, making it lumpy and tricky. It’s a day for the experienced crew only, if anyone’s out there. The combined energy jumps up to a strong 1983 on the morning, so there’s plenty of push, but the quality isn’t there.

However, the standout moment for the first week comes on Sunday afternoon, August 23rd. The wind drops to glass. Absolutely zero wind. The swell is still a solid 6ft from the SW, period of 14 seconds. This is going to be the cleanest, best-shaped surf of the whole window. The energy is moderate at 1091, but glassy conditions on a fairly exposed break like Pyramid Rock (Big Island) with a SW swell are going to be magic. This is the one to clear your calendar for. Expect some crowds as it’s a known spot, but it’ll be worth it.

After that Sunday, the surf quality takes a nosedive again. The wind gets fresh and messy from the 24th through the 26th. There’s still swell in the water, but the onshores from the west and southwest will churn it into a mess. This period looks more interesting for the kite surfers than for us paddle surfers.

We get another well-defined swell pulse around the end of the month. Friday, August 28th, looks promising, with 6ft of SW swell at a 14-second period, but the morning has a moderate cross-shore that chops it up. It’s not the cleanest. The following day, Saturday the 29th, sees strong ENE winds, which isn't great for this spot.

The last week of the forecast is a bit more of a mixed bag, and the long-range stuff is less certain. There’s a raw pulse of energy for Monday, August 31st, with swell over 7ft from the SSW and strong winds. It’s big, it’s powerful, but it’s going to be messy and onshore. That one’s for the die-hards only. After that, the surf fades away, dropping off into September with only weak, short-period leftovers. Nothing to get excited about.

So, to boil it down: the glassy Sunday afternoon on August 23rd is your clear winner. That’s the one true standout. The next best bet is the clean Tuesday morning on the 18th to get your fix early, but it’s small. The bigger swells are there, but the wind just doesn't cooperate until that one perfect day. Keep an eye on the forecast, as things can change.

Rusty, out.

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