Waimanalo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m gonna level with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty ordinary for the Waimanalo stretch. The wind is gonna be a proper pain in the neck, mostly blowing onshore or cross-onshore from the ENE, and that ENE swell direction is not what this spot really wants. The optimum swell direction is from the NE, so we’re getting a lot of this energy at a poor angle. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing special to report there.

The first real window of surf kicks off on Thursday, 13th August. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the ENE, but it’s a short period of 6 seconds and the wind is already a fresh 35 km/h from the NE right onshore. The wave energy is weak (208) and the whole setup is just poor surf conditions. Honestly, that stays the same through Friday, 14th August, with the swell building to 7ft, period slowly coming up to 7 seconds, but the wind is still 35 km/h from the ENE onshore. The energy jumps up to moderate (474) but it’s messy as anything.

Saturday, 15th August, is where it gets a bit wilder but not in a good way for paddling. The swell hits 10ft from the E with a 9-second period, and combined energy is strong (1443 in the morning, 1600 in the afternoon). But the wind is a near gale at 50 km/h onshore. That’s more of a kite surfer’s setup than a surfer’s dream. Too big for beginners for sure, and the onshore gale is gonna make it a washing machine.

Sunday, 16th August, holds that 10ft swell but the period drops to 8 seconds and the wind stays up at 50 km/h from the ENE onshore. Plus, there’s a risk of thunderstorms. It’s a no-go. The afternoon eases a bit to 8ft but the wind turns cross-onshore at 40 km/h, making it a strong cross-onshore and messy – still no good.

Monday, 17th August, the swell drops to 6ft, period 7 seconds, but the wind is still a fresh 30 km/h cross-onshore from the E. It’s lumpy and poor. This trend of onshore to cross-onshore wind and marginal swell just continues all the way through the rest of the month. The swell stays between about 3ft and 5ft for most of the second week, periods mostly 6 to 8 seconds, and energy is consistently weak to moderate (130 to 360). The wind is always there, always onshore or cross-onshore, around 20 to 35 km/h.

Even into the final days of August, like Thursday, 28th August, we see a bit of a pulse to 6ft from the ENE, 7-second period, energy around 360, but the wind is again fresh cross-onshore and lumpy. There isn’t a single standout day in this whole 16-day window. The forecast is pretty reliable on the near-term being poor, and the long-range doesn’t look like it’s going to save us either. It’s a blank run, plain and simple.

For a fairly consistent spot like Waimanalo, this is a frustrating stretch. Keep an eye on it, because forecasts can change, but right now, there’s nothing to get excited about.

Rusty

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