Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 21 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
26.4° C
0.4° 

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


Hakalau surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 15s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 14s period, E swell with 1,553 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 15s 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Sun 26th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 15s
Best Surf 8AM (Sun 26th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 15s
Most Powerful 8PM (Mon 27th Jul)6.5ft (2.0m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. I’ve been staring at the charts for our little stretch of coast, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough start. We’re kicking off with a few days of real slop. The wind is pinned onshore right from the get-go, and the combination of swell direction and wind is just making a mess of things. It’s a waiting game.

Let’s look at the only break on the menu: Hakalau. This is a river mouth setup, so it’s a funny beast. It’s fairly consistent, which is a good sign, but we’re not seeing any real quality for a while. The first real glimmer of hope comes on Sunday, July 26th. We get a jump in the combined swell energy (1290) as a long-period groundswell from the East pushes in. The swell is around 5 ft, and the period is a very long 15 seconds. That’s proper energy, but it’s a tricky one. That long period at a river mouth can make it break a bit too straight and fat. Plus, the wind is still onshore, so it’s only a marginal call. Not great, not terrible.

The next few days are a slow burn. Monday the 27th through Wednesday the 29th see the swell holding around 7 ft, with the energy staying strong (1561 at its peak on Tuesday). The wind is still cross-onshore, but it’s light, so the surface won’t be total junk. It’s still just ‘marginal’ though – the quality isn’t quite there for a standout call.

The real standout window, if you’re patient, is looking like the first week of August. We’ve got a pulse on Monday, August 3rd and Tuesday, August 4th. The swell size drops to a more manageable 4 ft to 4 ft, but the period is still very long (14-16 seconds). The combined energy is still high (1275 on Monday), meaning there’s a lot of water moving. The wind is light onshore, and on Tuesday it’s a light cross-onshore. The water temps are about average for the time of year, so no drama there. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best we’ve got. The optimum swell direction for Hakalau is ENE, and that’s exactly what we’re seeing. This is the moment to look for a clean-ish wave, even if it’s a bit fat from the long period. It’s a promising but less certain long-range bet.

To be honest, this whole 16-day window is a grind. There’s no single, screaming session. The wind is our enemy for most of it. The best advice I can give is to keep your eye on those first few days of August. That’s our window for a decent, if tricky, river mouth wave.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 25°C on Fri night, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
2
2
1
4
2
3
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
E
7
1.2
E
12
1.2
E
12
1.3
E
11
1.3
E
11
1.2
E
7
1.5
ENE
7
1.4
E
7
1.5
ENE
7
1.4
NE
8
1.2
E
8
1.2
NE
8
1.1
E
16
1.5
E
15
1.5
E
15
1.8
E
14
1.9
E
14
1.9
E
14
2
E
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
187
387
407
416
387
124
181
206
249
227
171
169
585
979
953
1299
1451
1343
1419
Wind (km/h)
15
ESE
15
E
15
E
10
SSE
15
E
15
E
15
E
10
E
15
ENE
10
ESE
10
ENE
15
ENE
10
ESE
15
ENE
15
NE
0
NW
10
NE
10
NE
5
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
11:15AM0.74m
12:18PM0.79m
1:02PM0.85m
11:21PM0.45m
1:39PM0.90m
00:29AM0.47m
2:11PM0.94m
1:15AM0.49m
2:41PM0.97m
1:54AM0.53m
Low Tide
2:48AM0.23m
3:47AM0.22m
4:51AM0.21m
8:36PM0.42m
5:48AM0.17m
8:48PM0.39m
6:36AM0.13m
9:06PM0.36m
7:17AM0.10m
9:27PM0.34m
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:00
7:00
7:00
7:00
7:00
7:00
6:59
 mm
2
2
1
2
1
1
Temp °C
25
25
26
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
24
25
25
24
Feels °C
27
26
27
26
26
25
26
27
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
25
26
26
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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