Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
27.0° C
0.6° 

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


Hakalau surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 9s period, ESE swell with 901 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 2PM. 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 10s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Thu 20th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 7s
Best Surf 8AM (Thu 20th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 7s
Most Powerful 2PM (Sun 23rd Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, the start is pretty grim. We’re looking at a stretch where the wind and the conditions are just going to fight us. But there are a couple of windows where things could line up if you’re patient.

The swell energy stays moderate for most of the first week, sitting in that triple-digit zone, with a tiny bump on the 22nd. But that's all gonna be pretty junky. Water temp at Hakalau is a normal 80.6°, so that’s about par for the course.

For the first few days, from Tuesday the 18th through to Thursday the 20th, it’s looking poor. We've got small, short-period swell, 3.3ft to 4.3ft, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or just on it. There’s a brief moment Thursday afternoon where it goes glassy, but the swell is tiny, only 2.6ft. It’s surfable, but you’ll be scratching for any sort of shape. The period is only 7-8 seconds, so it’s weak and messy.

Friday and Saturday, the 21st and 22nd, the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, making things properly choppy. Swell builds a bit, hitting 5.2ft to 6.2ft on Saturday, and the energy jumps up into the moderate zone. But with that cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a washing machine out there. Not worth the paddle.

Sunday the 23rd through to Thursday the 28th is more of the same. The swell hangs around 6.2ft to 6.9ft, and the energy climbs even higher. But the wind stays cross-onshore, and we've got rain showers and even a thunderstorm risk by the end of the week. It’s all poor to marginal. The period is still short, mostly 8-9 seconds, so there’s no real punch to it. This whole stretch is pretty much a write-off for a clean surf.

Now, here’s where things get interesting. The first real standout in the whole forecast is Saturday the 29th of August. The swell jumps to 8.2ft in the morning and pushes up to 9.8ft by the afternoon. The energy is strong. It’s still cross-onshore, which is a drag, but the sheer size is a different beast. At that size, and with the east-southeast swell, this is only for experienced surfers who don’t mind a scrap. It’s not going to be clean, but there will be a lot of water moving.

Following that, Sunday the 30th stays big, with 8.2ft waves and strong energy. Still cross-onshore, still tricky. Then it backs off slightly to that 6.9ft to 7.2ft range for the first couple days of September. The period finally starts to stretch out, hitting 10 and even 11 seconds by Wednesday the 2nd. That’s a better sign, but the wind turns cross-shore from the north, which isn't ideal for this spot.

That Wednesday morning, September 2nd, might be the best bet for a cleaner session. You get 6.9ft of east-northeast swell with that 11-second period, and the energy is up there. The cross-shore wind will still be a factor, but it’s not as nasty as the onshore junk we’ve been dealing with. It’s a long-range call, so don't book the day off yet, but it’s got the potential to be the most organized swell in the whole window.

The takeaway? There’s surf, but you’re going to have to work for it. The early weeks are full of wind-affected, short-period slop. The real juice arrives on the 29th, but it’s less about quality and more about size. Keep your eyes on that September 2nd window for something a little cleaner.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 26°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 27°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
1
2
0
0
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
E
8
1.2
ENE
8
1.1
E
8
1.3
ENE
8
1.3
ENE
8
1.3
ENE
7
0.9
E
7
0.8
NNE
7
0.8
E
7
1.1
ENE
7
1.1
ESE
8
1.6
ESE
8
1.6
ESE
9
1.9
E
9
2.1
E
9
2.3
ESE
9
2
ESE
9
2
E
9
2
E
9
2.1
E
8
2.1
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
122
202
160
223
212
181
86
62
58
111
153
302
394
562
792
863
669
635
586
610
601
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
15
ENE
10
ENE
10
ENE
15
NE
5
N
5
NE
5
E
20
SE
25
SE
20
ESE
15
SE
20
ESE
20
E
10
SE
15
ESE
15
ESE
15
SE
25
ESE
25
ESE
15
ESE
Wind State
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
5:22PM0.62m
8:33AM0.70m
4:21PM0.56m
10:31AM0.72m
11:55AM0.77m
12:41PM0.82m
11:36PM0.43m
1:15PM0.88m
00:32AM0.48m
1:44PM0.92m
1:11AM0.53m
Low Tide
12:47PM0.51m
00:34AM0.22m
3:12PM0.56m
1:17AM0.24m
2:34AM0.27m
4:18AM0.26m
8:21PM0.39m
5:31AM0.21m
8:20PM0.36m
6:22AM0.17m
8:30PM0.32m
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:03
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:46
6:45
6:45
6:44
6:44
6:43
6:42
 mm
1
1
1
2
4
Temp °C
26
26
25
26
26
26
26
26
26
27
27
26
27
27
26
27
27
27
27
27
25
Feels °C
28
28
27
30
30
29
30
30
30
27
27
27
27
27
27
28
27
29
27
27
26
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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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