Waihee Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. The overall pattern for this stretch is a bit of a grind. Waihee is the only break on offer, but the trade winds are locking in from the east for almost the entire 16-day window, making conditions tricky. The first surf worth talking about is a brief window on the morning of the 21st of August.

The trade wind pattern is pretty solidly set. From Thursday the 20th right through, we’ve got cross or cross-onshore winds, mostly from the ENE. The first couple days are small and messy. The morning of Friday the 21st is the one bit of light. The wind is straight cross from the east, which is better, and there’s some marginal energy. You’re looking at a swell around 3ft from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds. The combined wave energy is moderate (205), but it’s shallow. The break is a reef and point, so it’ll handle that bit of side chop okay, but it’s still a marginal call.

That little glimmer soon gets blown out again. From Friday the 21st afternoon through to the morning of the 31st of August, we’re stuck in a long stretch of moderate to fresh cross-onshore winds and choppy, lumpy seas. The swell stays between 3ft and 6ft but the energy climbs, hitting strong levels by the 23rd (478) right through to the 24th. Don’t let the numbers fool you though; the wind is wrecking the surface. This is a kite-surfing setup more than a paddle-surf one if you ask me. The water temp is about average for this time of year here.

Now, the end of the run is the most interesting, but it’s also the most raw. On the 30th of August, we see a pulse of longer-period groundswell start to build, with a period of 13 seconds. Swell heights start pushing 6ft to 6ft from the ENE. The combined energy is very strong (1147 to 1253), and it keeps building into the 31st, reaching 7ft at 13 seconds (1585 energy). This is a proper, powerful groundswell.

The big caveat here is the wind. The 30th and 31st still have cross-onshore winds, meaning these waves will be lumpy and a bit of a wrestle. It’s not until the 1st and 2nd of September that the wind eases to a gentle breeze, flipping to cross-onshore from the NE. That’s the best chance for a clean wave, but you’re still fighting the cross angle. The swell is big (7ft to 7ft), so this is strictly for the experienced crew. The period (10-12 seconds) is still good for a point break, and doesn’t quite hit the very long threshold that makes beach breaks tricky. It’s a beast of a set, but it’s not going to be glassy perfection.

After that, the window fades out. The swell drops through the 3rd and 4th of September, back into the mediocre range with the wind picking up again.

Overall, the whole 16 days is a tough call. The best bet for any kind of quality is that Friday morning, the 21st of August. It’s the most aligned with the optimum NNE direction for the break. The energy is moderate, the wind is manageable, and it’s a familiar setup for intermediate surfers. A close second is the very end of the run, from the 1st of September onwards, for the big-wave hunters willing to deal with the cross-wind and size. Stick with Waihee, and keep your eyes on that wind.

Rusty.

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