Waimea Bay/Pinballs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. Looking at the entire 16-day window, it’s a pretty flat and quiet stretch for the North Shore. There’s no real swell on the horizon, and we’re looking at a whole lot of small, weak surf. Honestly, the first surf that’s even worth talking about doesn’t show up until much later.

The first real blip on the radar is on Wednesday, August 19th. We’ve got a small bump of energy showing up, but it’s a bit of a tease. Waimea Bay/Pinballs is the only spot on the list, and it’s a heavy, expert-only reef. The swell is still tiny, coming from the NE with a short 7-second period and only 3ft. The wave energy is still weak, sitting at 92. The winds are light and cross-offshore, which will keep the surface clean, but there’s just not enough push to make it worth the paddle out. It’s a morning to watch, not necessarily one to charge.

After that little bump, the surf drops right back off and we go into a long, flat spell. From August 20th all the way through to August 28th, the swell stays small, generally 0.7ft to 2ft, with periods that are mostly short and weak. The energy readings are low, often in the single or low double digits. Winds are mostly cross-offshore, keeping the ocean surface clean, but it’s just flat. You’d be fighting for ankle-biters at a spot that needs real size.

Finally, on the last day of the forecast, Saturday, August 29th, we see a slight change in the wind direction and swell orientation. It’s still small—1ft—but the direction shifts around to the NW with an 11-second period, which is a little more promising. The energy reading bumps up to 31, which is still weak, but it’s the best we’ve seen in over a week. The morning winds are moderate from the ENE, but it’s cross-off, so the surface should be clean. Still, 1ft at Waimea is nothing. This isn't a situation where you're going to be getting barrelled. It's a far cry from the big winter swells this place is famous for.

The water temperature doesn't have a notable anomaly for this time of year, so it's about average. Remember, the first good surf recommendation isn't until the 19th, and then there’s a big gap with next to nothing until the 29th. If you’re desperate, the conditions will be clean but small. Don’t expect any magic.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the forecast. Things can change.

Rusty.

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