Tennis Courts Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. The forecast for the Tennis Courts (Big Island) is a bit of a slow burn for the next week or so, but there’s a serious pulse coming that you’ll want to keep an eye on.

Right out of the gate, the surf is small and the wind is working against us. The ENE breeze is blowing cross-off, which keeps the surface clean, but it’s fresh and doesn’t leave much power in the waves. We’re looking at chest-high stuff around 5ft on Sunday the 9th with a short 7-second period, so it’s going to be a bit weak and crumbly. There’s not much push behind it, and the energy is only moderate (526). It’s going to be a frustrating paddle for not a lot of reward.

Monday and Tuesday stay in that same rut. The swell stays around 5ft but the period is still short, and the wind stays fresh. The water temp is a touch above average at 81°, so it’s warm, but the waves are just not cooperating. You’re better off waiting for something better.

Then, on Tuesday afternoon, things start to shift. The swell drops in size, but the period jumps up to 14 seconds. It’s a new S swell starting to fill in, and the energy bumps up (552). Still, the size is small, only around 3ft, so it’s not something to get too excited about. But you can feel the ocean trying to wake up.

Wednesday through Friday (the 12th to the 14th), we’ve got that S swell running. The period is long, 15-18 seconds, but the size stays pretty modest, around 3ft to 4ft. The good news is the Reef is exposed to this direction and it’s a fairly consistent break, but the wind is still that fresh ENE cross-off. It’s clean, but the waves are just small. The energy is moderate (over 800), but it’s not doing much for us.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Friday afternoon, we see a new ENE swell start to mix in, and the size jumps to 6ft. The period is short, only 8 seconds, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy and unorganized. But it’s a sign of things to come.

Saturday the 15th, things start to ramp up. The ENE swell builds to 8ft in the morning and 8ft by the afternoon. The period is 11 seconds, so there’s some decent energy behind it. The combined energy is getting strong (1532 and 2145). This is getting more serious, but the wind is still fresh and cross-off from the NE. It’s going to be a bit wild out there, but there will be some waves to be had.

And then, Sunday the 16th. That’s the day. The swell jumps to a solid 10ft with a 13-second period in the morning. The wind switches to a true offshore from the NNE at 12-15 mph. The conditions are going to be clean, glassy, and organized. The combined energy is powerful (4938). This is a standout day. This is the one you’ve been waiting for. However, at 10ft, this is expert territory. It’s going to be big, powerful, and not for the faint of heart. The direction is ENE, which is just off the optimum for this spot, but the quality of the swell and the light offshore wind will make it a memorable session.

After that big day, the surf drops off quickly. Monday the 17th brings rain and a cross-shore wind, and the swell fades to under 3ft. The rest of that week is pretty poor. The energy drops, the swell gets inconsistent, and it looks like a blank run. The wind stays cross-off from the ENE, but there’s just no size. The waves are small, around 1ft to 2ft for most of the week. It’s not looking good.

The good news is, towards the end of the window, around the 22nd and 23rd, there’s another pulse of ENE swell coming. It looks like it’s going to build back up to 8ft to 10ft, but the period is short, only 8 seconds. That means it’s going to be a windswell, not the clean groundswell we had on Sunday. It could be messy, but there will be waves. The wind will still be that cross-off, which helps keep it clean, but it might not have the same punch.

So, the standout is clearly Sunday the 16th. That’s your big, clean groundswell day. The other days are either too small, too short-period, or just dumping energy poorly. The second week is a bit of a gamble, but there’s potential around the 22nd and 23rd.

Keep it real, and be ready for that Sunday.

Rusty

Read more