Cliffs Surf Break

Lat Long: 21.26° N 157.80° W

Cliffs Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 26 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cliffs sea temperature is
27.3°C
0.5° 

Cliffs surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cliffs surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 17s period, S swell with 716 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cliffs this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Cliffs in the next 16 days are 1.1m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 8s period and expected on Monday (Aug 31) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful11AM (Thu 27th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 17s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cliffs over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, listen up. Rusty here. This is a tough one to call. The Cliffs (Cliffs) is the only spot on the radar, and honestly, it's a bit of a waiting game. The water temperature is sitting at 81°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The whole 16-day outlook is a real grind. There's a massive gap at the start with no real surf to speak of, and the pattern doesn't really change. The main issue is the wind. It's a constant cross-off shore breeze, which keeps the surface clean, but the swell is just too small and weak to get excited about. The combined wave energy is moderate for some of the bigger swells, peaking at 716 on Thursday the 27th, but it's all for nothing with the wave comment screaming "poor surf conditions."

Let's be honest, the best of a bad bunch is Thursday the 27th of August, morning session. You've got a 4ft S swell packing a 17 second period, which gives it a bit of grunt. The energy is moderate (716). The wind is a fresh cross-off at 22 mph, keeping the face clean. It's a proper groundswell, so it'll have some shape, but it's still a small wave. The cliffs might offer a bit of shelter, but it's not a classic set-up.

After that, it's a slow fade. The swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft, and the period varies. The wind stays strong and cross-off for most of it, keeping the surface clean but the waves weak. By the second week, the wind backs off a bit, but the swell is still tiny. The 7th of September, Monday afternoon, is the only other moment that stands out, with a 3ft SSW swell and a 15-second period, giving a moderate energy reading of 504. The wind is a light cross-shore, which is the best wind we see for the whole run. It's still a marginal call, but it's the cleanest of the bunch.

Honestly, if you're a kitesurfer or a foil enthusiast, the consistent cross-off winds and clean, small waves might be more interesting than for paddle surfing. For a surfer, it's a long wait for very little reward.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Wed afternoon). Mainly strong winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Mainly strong winds.

Wed
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
S
18
0.7
S
19
1.1
S
17
0.9
S
16
1
S
16
0.8
S
14
0.9
S
14
0.8
S
13
0.6
E
13
0.6
E
12
0.6
SSW
17
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
14
0.5
S
19
0.7
SSW
18
0.6
S
18
0.7
S
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
307
351
716
427
482
260
329
229
126
110
186
171
162
199
144
138
192
329
230
273
Wind (km/h)
30
ENE
35
ENE
35
ENE
30
ENE
25
ENE
35
ENE
35
ENE
35
ENE
40
ENE
40
ENE
35
ENE
40
ENE
35
ENE
35
ENE
35
ENE
35
NE
25
ENE
30
ENE
30
ENE
30
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
3:24PM0.68m
3:31AM0.37m
3:53PM0.66m
4:08AM0.41m
4:20PM0.62m
4:47AM0.46m
4:49PM0.57m
5:30AM0.50m
5:18PM0.51m
6:18AM0.53m
5:48PM0.44m
7:14AM0.56m
6:20PM0.36m
Low Tide
10:12PM0.10m
9:05AM0.06m
10:32PM0.08m
9:46AM0.07m
10:54PM0.07m
10:31AM0.10m
11:17PM0.05m
11:22AM0.14m
11:42PM0.05m
12:22PM0.19m
00:10AM0.05m
1:40PM0.23m
00:43AM0.05m
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:13
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:52
6:51
6:51
6:50
6:49
6:47
6:46
 mm
1
Temp °C
26
25
26
26
25
26
26
25
26
26
25
26
26
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
Feels °C
22
22
23
23
23
23
23
22
23
23
22
22
23
23
24
24
25
26
24
26
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
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Information about the Cliffs Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cliffs provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cliffs can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cliffs surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Cliffs) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).

Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Cliffs may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.

Cliffs is 8 km (5 miles) from Honolulu. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in Honolulu. Honolulu has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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