Waimea Bay/Pinballs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get into it. We're looking at the North Shore, specifically Waimea Bay/Pinballs (United States). I'll be straight with you – this 16-day stretch is a tough one. There's a long, quiet, frustrating gap at the start, so don't bother paddling out just yet.

From Monday the 17th all the way through to Thursday the 27th of August, it’s pretty much flat. We're looking at tiny ankle-snappers, mostly around 0.7ft to 1ft. The combined energy is weak, sitting in the single or low double digits for days (like 30, 13, 15). You won't need your wetsuit, you'll need a lounge chair. The wind is blowing offshore or cross-off from the East, keeping the water smooth, but there's simply no power behind it. It's going to be a long, quiet spell, and honestly, for this area, a blank run like that is pretty normal during this time of year. The water temp is about average for late summer, so nothing weird there.

Now, the first glimmer of anything surfable pops up on Friday, August 28th. The early morning shows a jump to a 6ft swell from the North-Northeast, pushing some moderate energy through (384). But here's the catch – that period is a short 7 seconds. It's going to be a bit of a junky, short-period windswell. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll be clean-looking, but the waves will lack the punch of a proper groundswell. The height is over 5ft, so it’s getting a little heavy for beginners. It's rated as a "marginal" call, so it’s the best we have, but honestly, don't get your hopes up for perfection.

The real standout, and the only one I’d actually circle on the calendar, is early Sunday morning, August 30th. We see a 5ft North-Northeast swell, but with only a 7-second period again. It’s the same story: clean trades from the East-Northeast (16 mph), but it’s a short-period swell for a break like this. The combined energy is strong though, hitting 396. Because of the short period, the waves will be a bit sectiony and might close out at this exposed beach/reef setup. The size is solid, right on the edge of being too big for beginners but manageable for intermediate to advanced crew.

The real kicker? There’s no long-period groundswell on the horizon in this window. Nothing with that deep-ocean energy. For the North Shore, that’s the kiss of death for quality. If you’re itching for a paddle and the wind is glassing it off, you might find a couple of waves, but this isn't the week to wake up at 4am.

Stay patient. The forecasts can shift, but for now, it's looking like a long stretch of small, weak surf. Just keep an eye on the sky.

Stay wet,
Rusty

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