Surf Forecasts:
Hakalau surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, E swell with 2,414 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 7s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Hakalau this week:
The surf forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 3.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 13s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking at Hakalau over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first week is a bit of a write-off. From Friday the 28th right through to the end of August, it’s looking rough. The swell is there, but it’s mostly short-period windswell coming from the east and east-northeast, and the wind is blowing straight onshore. The water’s warm, sitting at 82°, which is about a degree warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only highlight. The combined energy is weak to moderate (329-452) and the wave comment is “poor surf conditions” across the board. Not the start we wanted.
We get a bit of a tease on Sunday the 30th afternoon. The sun comes out, the wind drops to a light breeze, and the swell drops to 4ft from the east, but the score is still just marginal. It’s a small, short-period wave (7 seconds) with energy of 248. It’s not going to be pretty, but it’s the first hint of something less than terrible.
The pattern continues into the first week of September. The swell starts to build, but the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore, and the quality remains poor. By Wednesday the 2nd, we see the energy jump to 735 and then 1007, but the period is still short (9-10 seconds) and the wind is on. A 7ft wave on Wednesday afternoon with a light breeze and clear skies is the best of a bad bunch, but it’s still marginal.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. The second week sees the real energy arrive, but it comes with a catch. From Thursday the 3rd of September through to Saturday the 6th, the swell pumps up to 8ft to 10ft, with combined energy readings in the thousands (1421 to 2500). The period jumps to 12-13 seconds, so we’re talking proper groundswell from the east. But here’s the rub: the wind is consistently cross-onshore, coming from the north-northeast. It’s light enough on the 4th and 5th mornings, but it’s still messing up the surface. For experienced surfers, this is the window. The 8ft to 10ft east swell with a 12-13 second period has serious power. A 10ft, 12-second swell on Friday the 4th afternoon (energy 2114) is a standout for size, but the cross-onshore wind means you’ll be battling some chop. This is big, powerful stuff – over 8ft, so it’s for experts only. The direction (E) is a bit off the optimum (ENE) for Hakalau, but it’s close enough to get waves.
The latter part of the second week, from the 7th onwards, gets messy. The swell stays big (8ft to 12ft) but the wind picks up strong from the southeast, turning the whole setup into a choppy, cross-shore mess. The combined energy hits 4180 on Tuesday the 8th afternoon, which is massive, but with a 30 km/h cross-shore wind and only a 9-second period, it’s a washing machine. Honestly, with that much wind and that kind of swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The very last days, from the 10th to the 12th, the swell drops back down, but the wind stays nasty, with “poor surf conditions” all the way.
The call: If you’re a seasoned local who can handle a bit of chop, the standout is the couple of days from Thursday the 3rd to Saturday the 6th of September. The 8ft to 10ft east swell with a solid 12-13 second period is the real deal in terms of energy, but the wind will keep it from being perfect. It’s not a glassy, offshore day, but it’s the best we’ve got. For everyone else, it’s a week of waiting and hoping the wind shifts.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 26°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 26°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 14 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | NNE 7 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
168 | 153 | 195 | 187 | 192 | 183 | 229 | 110 | 93 | 283 | 339 | 408 | 469 | 428 | 363 | 423 | 715 | 1652 | 2141 | 2282 | 2119 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:20PM0.95m | 3:32AM0.75m | 3:43PM0.91m | 4:10AM0.79m | 4:05PM0.84m | 4:52AM0.81m | 4:27PM0.77m | 5:40AM0.81m | 4:48PM0.69m | 6:40AM0.80m | 5:04PM0.62m | 8:05AM0.79m | 4:48PM0.54m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:48AM0.13m | 9:42PM0.18m | 9:24AM0.17m | 10:04PM0.15m | 10:02AM0.24m | 10:29PM0.13m | 10:43AM0.31m | 10:56PM0.12m | 11:32AM0.40m | 11:27PM0.12m | 12:38PM0.49m | 00:07AM0.15m | 3:14PM0.54m | 1:05AM0.18m | |||||||
6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
— | 6:38 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:34 | — | |
mm | 2 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | 5 | 3 | — | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | ESE 7 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | NNE 7 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | E 10 | E 9 | E 12 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 |
168 | 86 | 173 | 146 | 192 | 183 | 229 | 110 | 93 | 283 | 339 | 408 | 469 | 428 | 363 | 423 | 715 | 1652 | 2141 | 2282 | 2119 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | NE 5 | S 13 | S 13 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | NNE 7 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ESE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | ESE 12 | NE 8 | SE 12 | E 13 | S 15 | S 14 | N 6 |
161 | 23 | 31 | 31 | 144 | 94 | 61 | 84 | 49 | 27 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 28 | 245 | 152 | 125 | 17 | 16 | 30 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | E 14 | NW 8 | W 8 | S 13 | NNE 7 | ESE 10 | E 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 9 | SE 12 | E 15 | E 14 | S 18 | E 15 | E 14 | S 15 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 11 |
37 | 153 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 27 | 9 | 54 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 25 | 67 | 140 | 17 | 2 | 9 | 21 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | — | — | E 7 | — | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 139 | 195 | 187 | — | — | 153 | — | 72 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 158 | 158 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 95 | 14 | 95 | 158 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Hakalau Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Hakalau provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Hakalau can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Hakalau 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 (Hakalau) 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 Hakalau 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.
Hakalau is 21 km (13 miles) from Hilo. If you plan a vacation in Big Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Hilo. Hilo has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











