
Surf Forecasts:
Hakalau surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, NE swell with 593 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with NE 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 (Sep 08) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a short window of decent waves on Tuesday, September 8th, but honestly, after that, it’s a long, dry stretch. The first real surf is on Tuesday morning at Hakalau. Swell is a clean 5 ft from the NE, with a period of 11 seconds, giving it some good push. The wind is glassy, almost nothing out of the SE at 3 mph, so the surface will be clean. The combined energy is moderate (954), and the water is sitting at a warm 81°, which is right about average for this time of year. Tuesday afternoon is even better – the wind goes completely calm, making it glassy. The swell drops a touch to 5 ft, still from the NE, and the period is a solid 10 seconds. This is the standout. It’s not huge, but it’s clean, and the quality is there for a ripper session.
But that’s the peak. From Wednesday the 9th, the wind turns onshore and chops everything up. We get a solid belt of cross-on winds from the ESE, and the wave heights stay around 3 ft to 4 ft, but the quality is poor. The combined energy drops off fast, and the conditions are just messy. That continues through the whole first week. There’s a brief flicker of a decent swell on Sunday the 13th with 4 ft from the ESE and a 9-second period, but the wind is still onshore, so it’s nothing to get excited about. The second week is more of the same. From the 15th through the 22nd, it’s a grind of small, onshore, choppy conditions. The swell is there, but it’s all blown out. The combined energy is weak to moderate (100 to 400 range), and the wind just won’t give us a break.
The only real flicker of hope in the second week is a long-period pulse late on the 22nd and into the 23rd. A 1 ft swell from the NNW with a 16-second period shows up on Tuesday afternoon, but it’s tiny. The 23rd looks a bit better with a 3 ft swell from the NNW, period of 13 seconds, and a combined energy of 327. The wind is still onshore, though, so it’s a marginal call. For a river mouth like Hakalau, that long-period groundswell could be a bit straight, making it tricky. You’d be hoping for a tide and a miracle.
So, bottom line: Tuesday the 8th is your day. Get in the water early, because the rest of the 16-day window is a washout. The forecast is fairly reliable for the first few days, but the long-range stuff is a long shot. It’s a quiet period, and sometimes that’s just how it goes.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 26°C on Sun morning, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 11 | NE 10 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | ESE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
593 | 388 | 280 | 255 | 190 | 197 | 149 | 168 | 401 | 297 | 240 | 169 | 96 | 90 | 116 | 96 | 99 | 102 | 149 | 132 | 93 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 1:41PM1.01m | 1:40AM0.65m | 2:13PM1.00m | 2:20AM0.74m | 2:41PM0.97m | 2:59AM0.80m | 3:08PM0.91m | 3:37AM0.85m | 3:32PM0.84m | 4:14AM0.87m | 3:53PM0.76m | 4:51AM0.86m | 4:11PM0.69m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:17PM0.23m | 7:30AM0.10m | 8:40PM0.18m | 8:13AM0.12m | 9:03PM0.15m | 8:55AM0.16m | 9:26PM0.12m | 9:35AM0.22m | 9:48PM0.11m | 10:14AM0.28m | 10:11PM0.11m | 10:54AM0.36m | 10:33PM0.13m | ||||||||
6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 6:29 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:23 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 34 | 34 | 33 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 11 | NE 10 | NE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | E 12 | E 11 | ENE 7 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | NE 8 | ESE 7 | E 7 |
593 | 388 | 216 | 126 | 172 | 139 | 93 | 168 | 401 | 297 | 240 | 169 | 96 | 90 | 116 | 96 | 90 | 89 | 149 | 65 | 88 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SE 9 | SE 9 | ENE 11 | SE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 6 | NNE 9 | NE 8 | ESE 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
315 | 297 | 280 | 255 | 190 | 21 | 20 | 102 | 19 | 25 | 32 | 31 | 55 | 84 | 103 | 31 | 99 | 102 | 59 | 69 | 93 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 5 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | NW 10 | NW 10 | SE 9 | NW 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 5 | NW 12 | NE 5 | N 11 |
23 | 17 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 13 | 24 | 24 | 17 | 21 | 20 | 61 | 34 | 59 | 31 | 6 | 18 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | — | E 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 8 | — |
30 | 69 | — | — | — | 197 | 149 | — | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 132 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 0 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 74 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 20 | 158 | 0 | 122 | 156 | 0 | 20 | 20 | 14 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










