Surf Forecasts:
Hakalau surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period, E swell with 1,048 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Hakalau this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 12s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
Straight up, the first week or so is pretty grim. We’ve got a long stretch of poor surf, with only a few days that might be worth a look if you’re desperate. The first real chance of anything decent doesn’t pop up until Thursday the 27th of August, and even then it’s marginal. The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is about normal for this time of year around Hakalau.
The early part of the forecast, from Friday the 21st through to Wednesday the 26th, is all cross-onshore wind and messy, choppy conditions. Swell is small and weak, with combined energy values ranging from 159 to 457, so that’s weak to moderate wave energy at best. Saturday the 22nd sees a bit more size – 5ft to 6ft – but the wind is still cross-on, making it sloppy. Not worth paddling out for.
Then on Thursday the 27th, we get a bit of a shift. The wind goes onshore but lighter, and the swell period jumps to 15–16 seconds, which is a proper long-period groundswell. Swell size is only 3ft to 3ft, but the combined energy climbs to 618. That’s moderate. The wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions,” which means it’s touch and go. This is the first window where you might get a few clean-ish waves if the tide lines up, but don’t expect much.
Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th are similar: 4ft to 4ft, long period (14 seconds), and light winds. The energy is still moderate (627 to 783). Again, marginal. The best of this stretch might be Saturday morning the 29th with light onshore winds and a 4ft swell from the east. It’s not great, but it’s the best of a bad lot this week.
Now, Sunday the 30th of August is where things get a bit more interesting. Swell size bumps to 6ft, period still long at 13 seconds, and the combined energy hits 1019, which is strong. Wind is light onshore in the morning, so it could be clean. Still marginal according to the forecast, but this is the standout of the first 10 days. If you’re going to pick a session, Sunday morning the 30th is your best bet for Hakalau.
Then we jump to Monday the 31st of August. This is the big one. Swell jumps to 13ft from the ENE with an 11-second period. The combined energy is a massive 5310 – that’s very strong wave energy. But the wind is cross-shore at 12 mph in the morning, then 19 mph in the afternoon. That’s a fresh breeze, which will make it lumpy and choppy. This size is only for experts – 13ft is too big for beginners and most intermediates. The wave comment says marginal, likely due to the wind and tide. Still, if you’re an experienced surfer and can handle big, messy conditions, Monday morning might have some power.
After that, Tuesday the 1st of September drops to 8ft, still from the ENE, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore. Combined energy is 1243 – strong. But the wave state is poor, so it’s not a recommendation.
From Wednesday the 2nd through to the end of the forecast on Saturday the 5th of September, it’s back to poor surf with cross-onshore winds and dropping swell. Nothing worth chasing.
So, the standout window is Sunday the 30th of August morning for a cleaner, smaller groundswell, and Monday the 31st of August morning for the biggest swell if you’re an expert and don’t mind the wind. The rest of the 16 days is mostly a write-off for Hakalau, with a gap of poor surf from the 21st to the 26th, then a few marginal days, then a drop-off again after the 1st of September.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Mon morning. Warm (max 26°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 16 | E 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
55 | 149 | 378 | 408 | 664 | 904 | 710 | 493 | 396 | 432 | 386 | 417 | 329 | 314 | 258 | 220 | 191 | 183 | 155 | 181 | 219 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on |
High Tide | 11:55AM0.77m | 12:41PM0.82m | 11:36PM0.43m | 1:15PM0.88m | 00:32AM0.48m | 1:44PM0.92m | 1:11AM0.53m | 2:10PM0.96m | 1:46AM0.59m | 2:34PM0.97m | 2:21AM0.65m | 2:57PM0.97m | 2:56AM0.70m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:18AM0.26m | 8:21PM0.39m | 5:31AM0.21m | 8:20PM0.36m | 6:22AM0.17m | 8:30PM0.32m | 7:02AM0.13m | 8:46PM0.29m | 7:39AM0.11m | 9:03PM0.25m | 8:13AM0.11m | 9:22PM0.21m | |||||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
— | 6:44 | — | — | 6:44 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:42 | — | — | 6:40 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 7 | — | 3 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 |
55 | 149 | 232 | 408 | 664 | 904 | 710 | 493 | 396 | 432 | 386 | 417 | 329 | 314 | 258 | 220 | 191 | 183 | 155 | 147 | 154 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | NNE 6 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | S 12 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | E 17 | E 16 | E 15 |
44 | 35 | 61 | 63 | 21 | 40 | 35 | 15 | 34 | 29 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 8 | 23 | 33 | 23 | 86 | 181 | 219 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | NNE 7 | S 14 | SSE 15 | S 12 | W 10 | NW 12 | SSE 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | NW 10 | NW 11 | NW 11 | S 21 | S 20 | S 18 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 |
24 | 16 | 14 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 35 | 67 | 60 | 97 | 46 | 44 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | — | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
34 | — | 378 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 251 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 20 | 74 | 14 | 20 | 74 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 158 | 160 | 95 | 20 | 20 | 95 | 158 | 158 | 158 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











