Waihee Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, surfers, let's get into what we've got coming up here. I'm looking at Waihee, a reef and point setup that's fairly consistent. The water's sitting at 80°, which is about normal for this time of year.

Honestly, the outlook is a bit of a struggle for a couple of weeks. We're kicking off with a long stretch of nothing special. From Tuesday, the 18th of August, right through to the end of the month, it's a real mixed bag of cross-onshore winds and pretty poor surf conditions. The swell is mostly small, coming in from the east-northeast with short periods around 7-8 seconds, and the combined energy is generally weak to moderate, but it's all a bit messy. The wind is the main culprit here, blowing from the ENE at 12-19 mph, keeping things choppy and uninviting. The waves are there, but they're not clean.

There's a slight glimmer towards the end of the first week and into the second. You'll see a bit of a bump in swell size, but it's still battling the same onshore winds. The energy picks up to moderate levels, but it's not what you'd call good surf. It's more of a "if you're desperate" kind of situation.

Now, the real standout is looking like the tail end of the forecast. On the 29th and 30th of August, we start to see a significant increase in the swell. We're talking 7 ft to 10 ft out of the east, with periods lengthening to 10 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the strong range. The problem is, the wind is still blowing cross-onshore from the ENE at 16 mph. That's a lot of raw power, but it's going to be blown out and lumpy. For expert surfers only at that size, and even then, it's going to be a battle. The direction is ENE, and the guidance says the optimum swell direction is NNE, so it's not ideal.

The best option on offer, if you can call it that, is the first few days of September. By the 1st of September, the wind drops back to a gentler 9 mph cross-onshore, and the swell settles to a more manageable 7 ft. The guidance rates it as marginal. It's not perfect, but it's the most likely chance for a surfable wave. The morning of the 1st looks the cleanest, with a light breeze. The swell is still coming from the east, so it's not the optimal direction, but it's the best of a tough bunch. Crowds are likely at Waihee, so keep that in mind.

To sum it up: the next two weeks are mostly a write-off for clean, quality waves. The big swell at the end of August is for experts only, and it'll be messy. The first days of September offer the best chance for a mediocre session.

Rusty.

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