Surf Forecasts:
Ranches surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SW swell with 249 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with NE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Ranches this week:
The surf forecast for Ranches over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Ranches in the next 16 days are 0.6m 18s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 16) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Ranches over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks at Ranches. It’s a bit of a slow burner, to be honest. We’re looking at a lot of small, forgettable days to start, but there’s a proper pulse of energy waiting for us right at the end.
Right out of the gate, Sunday the 16th is a write-off. We’re dealing with a fresh 16 mph cross-offshore wind and a risk of thunderstorms. The swell is 4 ft from the NE, but it’s short-period junk at 8 seconds, and the energy is weak (182). The water’s sitting at 81°, which is pretty much dead average for this time of year. Nothing to get excited about.
Monday the 17th is barely a step up. Morning sees a tiny 3 ft NE swell, but the offshore wind is light and clean. It’s surfable, but very ordinary. The afternoon is more of the same with a cross-off breeze. We’re in the doldrums.
Tuesday the 18th is flat and clean, with a 2 ft swell in the morning dropping to a 1.0 ft long-period (13s) groundswell in the afternoon from the WNW. The energy is pitiful (34), so it’s really just a paddle. Wednesday the 19th offers a moment of calm: glassy conditions in the morning with a 2 ft SW groundswell. The energy is up a little at 162, but the wave size is tiny. The afternoon holds clean offshore wind, but still tiny.
Thursday the 20th morning finally shows a glimmer. We’ve got a 2 ft SW groundswell with a period of 18 seconds, and the energy jumps to 279. The wind is light and variable, so the surf should be clean. It’s the first “good” call in the forecast, but it’s small. Not a stand-out, but a sign of life.
After that, we hit another flat patch. Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd are poor with onshore winds and tiny, weak swell. The combined energy drops to nearly nothing. A gap of several days with nothing worth chasing.
Sunday the 23rd is back to tiny but clean. A 1 ft SW swell in the morning, and a 1 ft WNW groundswell in the afternoon with a moderate offshore. Nothing special.
Monday the 24th picks up a bit with a 3 ft NE short-period swell. The wind is a solid offshore, so it’s clean, but the energy is still low (63). Tuesday the 25th is back to small and forgettable.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. From Wednesday the 26th onward, we start to see a consistent build of NE windswell. The combined energy rises from 103 up through 140 and 149 over the next few days. The waves stay in the 4 ft to 4 ft range, and it remains clean with offshore winds. This is good, consistent fun, but nothing that will blow your mind.
The real standout is Saturday the 29th afternoon. The forecast shows a 4 ft NE swell with a period jumping to 12 seconds, and the combined energy explodes to 521. That is a strong pulse of energy. The wind is a moderate offshore. This is the best window of the whole 16 days. It’s a powerful, clean, mid-late afternoon session.
The energy carries over into Sunday the 30th morning, with a 4 ft NE groundswell at 10 seconds and 226 energy. Still very good. The afternoon drops off as the wind picks up.
And then, as a final gift, Monday the 31st morning brings a 2 ft W groundswell with a period of 17 seconds. That’s a very long period for Ranches, a reef break, which is exactly where this kind of long-period groundswell excels. The combined energy is a massive 415. The wind is a clean offshore. It’s a small wave on paper, but that kind of energy and direction at a reef will produce clean, lined-up walls.
So, to be clear: don’t bother until Thursday the 20th, and even that is just a warm-up. The clear winner is Saturday the 29th afternoon, with Sunday the 30th morning and Monday the 31st morning as the other top-tier sessions. Get in the water for those.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NE 6 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | SW 16 | SW 16 | NNE 6 | SW 18 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
182 | 111 | 64 | 52 | 47 | 26 | 34 | 28 | 129 | 125 | 26 | 249 | 29 | 39 | 42 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 0 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | off |
High Tide | 6:44PM0.42m | 8:14AM0.46m | 7:12PM0.34m | 9:19AM0.48m | 7:36PM0.27m | 10:33AM0.50m | 11:45AM0.53m | 10:31PM0.18m | 12:45PM0.56m | 00:28AM0.18m | 1:32PM0.60m | 1:26AM0.20m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:16AM0.06m | 2:17PM0.25m | 1:45AM0.08m | 4:14PM0.27m | 2:19AM0.10m | 3:05AM0.12m | 8:45PM0.20m | 8:59PM0.17m | 5:24AM0.12m | 9:18PM0.16m | ||||||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:58 | — | |
mm | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 24 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | SSE 7 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | NE 7 |
182 | 91 | 338 | 260 | 225 | 165 | 162 | 161 | 33 | 26 | 26 | 249 | 200 | 278 | 291 | 261 | 322 | 326 | 251 | 44 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | NE 8 | NE 7 | S 6 | SW 6 | NE 6 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | S 12 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | SSE 12 | SW 16 |
163 | 111 | 64 | 21 | 11 | 26 | 123 | 79 | 103 | 125 | 175 | 30 | 29 | 39 | 42 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 50 | 245 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 14 | S 6 | WSW 7 | SSW 5 | SSW 17 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | SW 16 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | SSE 12 |
183 | 239 | 34 | 19 | 5 | 115 | 34 | 28 | 129 | 44 | 45 | 39 | 39 | 21 | 21 | 14 | 14 | 70 | 43 | 49 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | — | — | NE 7 | NE 6 | — | NE 5 | ENE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | — |
298 | — | — | 52 | 47 | — | 18 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 44 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oahu | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Ranches Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Ranches provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Ranches can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Ranches 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 (Ranches) 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 Ranches 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.
Ranches is 22 km (14 miles) from Wahiawa. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wahiawa. Wahiawa has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











