Waimanalo Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this is a tough one for the island. We’re looking at a 16-day window that’s almost entirely a write-off for anything worth paddling out for. The pattern is locked in: strong, onshore ENE winds, short-period chop, and just messy, poor surf conditions day after day. The water is sitting at 81° which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The situation at Waimanalo is grim. From Saturday, August 29th right through the first week of September, it’s a solid block of no-go. The swell is on the small side, 5 ft to 7 ft, but it’s all wind-driven with a short period around 6 to 8 seconds, and the combined energy is mostly weak to moderate (between 298 and 475). The wind is either onshore or cross-onshore, blowing 18 to 25 mph, making it choppy and ugly. The forecast says "poor surf conditions" for every single session. There’s nothing to recommend. This is a long stretch with zero decent options.

We do see a spike in size around September 5th and 6th, with swell heights hitting 10 ft to 16 ft, and the combined energy ramping way up into the strong range (1014 to 5766). But don’t get excited. The swell direction swings to the E, with a slightly longer period of 9 to 11 seconds, but it’s still blowing strong cross-onshore winds at 18 to 28 mph. The energy is there, but it’s a total mess. For a beginner spot like Waimanalo, that’s way too big, and for experts, the wind is just going to tear it apart. Honestly, with that much wind and size, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The second week, from September 8th to the 13th, the same story continues. The swell drops back to 5 ft to 8 ft, periods are short to moderate (7 to 9 seconds), and the wind is still onshore or cross-onshore from the ENE or E. The combined energy ranges from 397 to 1170, so moderate to strong, but it’s all wind-affected. Again, "poor surf conditions" across the board. There’s not a single standout session in this entire outlook.

To sum it up: there’s no surf worth chasing here. The whole 16-day run is a blank. It’s a real bummer, but in this part of the world, when the trade winds lock in like this, these flat, windy stretches are pretty normal. Keep your board in the bag, maybe check the forecast in a few days—things can change. But for now, it’s a no-go.

Rusty.

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