Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 14 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
27.1° C
0.7° 

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


Hakalau surf forecast from 14 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 11s period, ESE swell with 8,608 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period with E 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 Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 6.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 15) 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 0.7m 13s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 2PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 8s
Best Surf 8PM (Tue 18th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 8s
Most Powerful 8PM (Sat 15th Aug)20ft (6.0m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty, and I gotta be straight with you – the next two weeks at Hakalau look like a real mixed bag, and honestly, mostly a letdown. We’ve got a lot of wind and slop to work through before we see any real potential.

The first real bit of hope doesn’t show up until Friday the 27th of August. Before that, it’s a long stretch of poor conditions. From the 14th through the 26th, we’re looking at a solid run of onshore and cross-onshore winds, with a lot of heavy rain and even thunderstorms in the mix. The swell is there, but it’s blown out. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong, hitting 10893 on the 15th, but it’s all for nothing because the wind is just trashing it. That’s a week and a half of frustration.

So, let’s talk about the light at the end of the tunnel. The standout window is Friday the 27th of August into the weekend. On Thursday the 27th afternoon, we start to see the shift. The wind finally goes light offshore from the ENE at 12 mph, and the swell jumps up to 12 ft from the ESE with a period of 11 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell with real energy (3239). The combined energy is strong, and that long period means the waves will have some punch, but at a river mouth like Hakalau, that long period can make things a bit straight and fast. Still, it’s a damn sight better than anything else.

Then Friday the 28th of August morning is your best bet. You’ve got a 10 ft swell from the E at 10 seconds, with a light offshore breeze from the ENE at 6 mph. That’s glassy conditions, and the wave energy is still strong (2120). The wind will be clean, and the swell is still solid. For intermediate surfers, this is the one to aim for. It’s a big swell, over 8 ft, so it’s for experienced heads only. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

The crowds at Hakalau are a factor, and with a decent window like this, you can expect plenty of company. It’s a fairly consistent spot, but this is the only real game in town for a while.

Saturday the 29th of August morning sees the swell drop right off to 3 ft, but with a very long period of 14 seconds. That’s a tiny, long-period groundswell. It’ll be clean with the light offshore wind, but you’ll be scratching for a wave. The combined energy is weak (513), so it’s more of a longboard or a cruise than a proper session.

To sum it up: the first two weeks are a write-off. Don’t bother. The only real hope is the window from Thursday the 27th afternoon through Friday the 28th morning. That’s your shot. The rest is just waiting for the wind to sort itself out.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 237mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Fri morning, gales from the ESE by Sat night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
14
Saturday
15
Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
2
0
0
1
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)
2.1
E
11
3.5
E
12
4
E
12
5
E
12
5
ESE
11
4
ESE
9
2.5
E
8
2.2
E
8
1.9
E
8
1.7
E
7
1.5
E
7
1.3
ENE
8
1
E
8
1.2
ENE
8
1.1
E
8
1.1
E
8
1
E
8
1
E
8
1
E
8
0.9
E
8
0.8
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1026
3553
4107
7219
5875
2692
836
609
413
320
251
212
138
207
156
157
124
111
124
108
86
Wind (km/h)
20
NE
20
NE
25
NE
35
E
60
E
45
SSE
35
SE
30
SE
15
SE
15
E
10
E
10
E
10
ENE
5
E
5
SSE
15
E
10
ENE
5
E
10
E
10
E
10
SE
Wind State
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
cross-on
High Tide
4:17PM0.96m
4:38AM0.74m
4:41PM0.88m
5:23AM0.75m
5:02PM0.78m
6:12AM0.74m
5:17PM0.70m
7:10AM0.72m
5:22PM0.62m
8:33AM0.70m
4:21PM0.56m
10:31AM0.72m
Low Tide
9:44AM0.13m
10:44PM0.17m
10:25AM0.22m
11:10PM0.17m
11:06AM0.32m
11:36PM0.17m
11:50AM0.42m
00:03AM0.19m
12:47PM0.51m
00:34AM0.22m
3:12PM0.56m
1:17AM0.24m
2:34AM0.27m
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:49
6:49
6:47
6:46
6:46
6:45
6:45
 mm
3
8
35
23
70
91
4
1
2
5
1
2
4
Temp °C
26
26
26
26
26
26
27
28
26
25
26
25
25
25
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
Feels °C
28
28
28
26
21
21
26
27
27
27
29
27
27
27
28
28
28
30
29
29
30
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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