Waikiki Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a stretched-out period ahead, and honestly, it’s not looking like a classic Hawaiian run. The water is well above normal for this time of year at 70°F, that’s about 9°F warmer than usual—really unusual. But the surf itself? It’s a bit of a grind for the next week or so, with only one small window that might get your heart pumping.

The only break on the menu is Waikiki, a consistent beginner-friendly reef. For the first week, through to about Thursday the 20th, it’s mostly cross-onshore wind and choppy conditions. Swell hangs around 3ft to 5ft from the SSW, with periods that are all over the place—some really long 19-second groundswells (808 energy) on Thursday morning, the 13th, but that wind is just messing it up. The energy is moderate to strong (600 to 1094), but the quality is rated poor. Not much to get excited about, unless you’re just happy to be in the water.

Now, here’s the standout: Thursday morning, the 20th of August. We finally get a shift. Look at that—the wind turns *onshore from the WSW*, but it’s light at just 6 mph. The swell is a solid 6ft from the south with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is 637—moderate. The wind is light enough that it’ll be clean, or at least way cleaner than the choppy stuff we’ve been dealing with. For Waikiki, that’s your best shot. It’s not massive, but it’s rideable and the wind is manageable. Keep in mind, the period is short (9 seconds), so it’s not the most powerful stuff, but it’ll be fun for the longboard crew. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but for a Thursday morning, you should be alright.

After that, Friday the 21st and Saturday the 22nd still have light morning winds (onshore from the SW at 6 mph) with the swell dropping from 4ft to 2ft. The energy drops to low (268-384). It’s marginal.

Then we hit a real gap. From Sunday the 23rd all the way through Wednesday the 27th, it’s back to poor surf conditions with cross-onshore winds and tiny waves (1ft to 3ft). The energy is weak (225-356). That’s a stretch of about 5 days where I wouldn’t bother paddling out unless you’re dead keen.

All in all, the only real green light is on Thursday the 20th. Mark it in your calendar, get an early paddle, and you might score a few clean ones. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game.

- Rusty

Read more