Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 27 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
27.5°C
1.0° 

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


Hakalau surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, E swell with 650 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with NNE 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 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 14s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Sun 30th Aug)2.5ft (0.8m) 7s
Best Surf 2AM (Tue 1st Sep)5ft (1.6m) 8s
Most Powerful11AM (Thu 3rd Sep)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Yo, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the only spot that’s on the radar for the next couple weeks: Hakalau. This is a river mouth setup, exposed to the open ocean, so it can pick up a lot of different swells. But the next few days are looking pretty grim. The wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell is short-period, messy stuff. Honestly, for the rest of August and into early September, you’re not going to find much to get excited about here. It’s a long stretch of poor or marginal surf, with weak energy levels. The water temp is about average for this time of year.

The first real spark of hope shows up on the morning of Saturday, September 5th. We’ve got a 5 ft swell from the ENE, but here’s the kicker – the period jumps to 13 seconds. That’s a groundswell, bringing some real energy. The combined energy climbs to 967 (moderate). The wind is light and onshore, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy, but the raw power is there. The afternoon gets even better, with the swell building to 6 ft from the ENE, period still at 13 seconds, and the energy hitting 1026 (strong). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s rideable, but you’ll want to pick your bank. This is a long-period swell, so at a river mouth, it could set up some nice lines, but might also be a bit straight.

Sunday, September 6th keeps the quality going. Morning brings a 6 ft swell from the ENE, 12-second period, and strong energy (1036). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so again, it’s not glassy, but it’s workable. The afternoon holds steady with similar conditions. This is probably the best run of the whole outlook, but it’s not perfect.

Now, the standout moment. Keep your eyes on Thursday, September 10th. The afternoon session is looking like the pick of the entire 16 days. The swell is 7 ft from the NE with a 10-second period, and the energy is solid at 807 (strong). But the big news is the wind – it’s forecast to be glassy. Dead flat, offshore, no texture. That’s a rare and beautiful thing for Hakalau. This is an expert-level swell size, so it’s not for the beginners. The NE direction is a bit off the optimum ENE, but with glassy conditions, it’s going to be as clean as it gets here. Crowds are possible at this spot, especially on a day like this.

After that, the swell hangs around but the wind turns back onshore for the end of the forecast period. So, in summary, there’s a lot of average days to sit through, but if you’re patient, the first weekend of September and that glassy window on the 10th offer some real potential.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Warm (max 26°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
0
2
0
0
0
1
1
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
E
7
1.3
E
7
0.6
E
14
1.5
ENE
7
0.7
E
12
1.5
ENE
7
1.4
ENE
7
1.4
ENE
7
0.9
NNE
7
0.9
NNE
7
1.4
NE
8
1.6
NE
8
1.6
NE
8
1.6
NE
8
1.5
NE
8
1.6
ENE
8
1.8
ENE
8
1.3
ESE
9
1.6
E
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
161
166
153
181
146
195
168
180
83
88
204
306
306
322
289
292
365
295
380
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
15
ENE
15
E
10
E
10
E
15
E
10
E
15
E
10
ENE
5
SSW
15
ENE
10
NE
5
NE
15
E
10
E
10
ESE
15
E
15
E
10
ENE
Wind State
on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-off
on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
High Tide
2:56AM0.70m
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
Low Tide
9:22PM0.21m
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
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
rain showers
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:03
6:03
6:03
6:03
6:03
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:39
6:38
6:37
6:37
6:36
6:35
6:35
 mm
3
3
2
7
1
3
3
1
1
1
4
5
1
6
Temp °C
25
25
25
25
25
26
25
25
26
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
27
25
Feels °C
27
27
27
27
26
28
27
27
27
27
29
28
29
29
27
30
29
29
27
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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