Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 12 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
27.2°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 13 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period, E swell with 1,048 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m 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 2.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) 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 0.1m 14s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Sun 13th Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 8s
Best Surf11PM (Mon 14th Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 8s
Most Powerful11AM (Thu 17th Sep)8ft (2.4m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks at Hakalau. It's a river mouth setup, exposed to the swell, and it's been fairly consistent lately, but we've got a bit of a slow start before things get interesting.

Right now, we're looking at a bit of a flat spell. The first few days, from Sunday the 13th through Tuesday the 15th, are pretty quiet. We've got some small, weak swells coming in, but they're not really doing anything for us. The wave energy is low, around 120 to 221 on the scale, and the winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making for messy, poor-quality surf. It's not worth paddling out for.

Things start to change mid-week. By Wednesday the 16th, we see a pulse of energy come through, with swell heights around 4 ft to 5 ft from the E-ENE. The combined energy jumps to 363-423, so there's a bit more push, but the wind is still onshore, keeping conditions poor. Thursday the 17th sees a bigger jump in size, with swell hitting 8 ft from the East, and the energy skyrockets to over 1000 (1058). That's some serious power, but the wind is still cross-onshore and we've got a risk of thunderstorms. It's not the cleanest, but for the experienced crew, there could be some raw, powerful waves. For beginners, that 8 ft is going to be too much.

From Friday the 18th through to about Monday the 21st, we settle into a pattern of moderate-sized swell, around 5 ft to 7 ft, mostly from the E-ENE. The energy is solid, in the 400-500 range, but the winds stay cross-onshore, keeping the surface a bit bumpy. It's surfable, but not a standout.

Now, the real highlight of this forecast looks like it could be Tuesday the 22nd of September. We're looking at a solid 8 ft to 8 ft swell from the ENE, with combined energy hitting 1107-1252. That's strong wave energy. The winds are light and onshore in the morning, which could actually clean it up nicely if it holds. This is for the experienced surfers only, as 8 ft is a serious size. The period is around 10 seconds, so it's a decent groundswell, which can offer some good shape at the river mouth. It's a bit of a long-range call, so keep an eye on it, but it's the most promising day on the board.

After that, the swell drops back a bit through the end of the month, with heights around 4 ft to 7 ft, and the winds start to shift more cross-shore, which could offer slightly cleaner conditions. The energy remains moderate, but nothing that screams "drop everything and go."

For the best on offer, I'd say keep your eyes on Tuesday the 22nd. That's the standout for size and potential, but only for the experienced crew. The rest of the period is a mixed bag of onshore winds and moderate swell, so pick your windows when the wind looks lightest.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 40mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 27°C on Wed morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
1
2
0
1
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)
0.9
NNE
9
0.9
NNE
9
0.9
NNE
9
1
NE
8
0.7
NE
8
0.7
NE
8
1
NE
8
0.6
E
11
0.6
E
11
1.1
E
10
1.3
E
10
1.4
ENE
10
2
ENE
8
2.4
E
10
2.3
E
9
2.2
E
9
2
E
8
1.9
E
8
1.9
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
121
119
121
138
70
67
114
89
84
244
320
386
534
1048
866
732
546
493
493
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
10
ENE
10
NNE
5
NE
10
ENE
10
NE
5
ESE
20
ESE
10
E
0
NE
15
ENE
15
NE
10
NE
15
ESE
25
SE
20
SE
25
ESE
20
ESE
15
SSE
Wind State
on
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
High Tide
4:14AM0.87m
3:53PM0.76m
4:51AM0.86m
4:11PM0.69m
5:32AM0.83m
4:23PM0.62m
6:19AM0.78m
4:21PM0.56m
7:27AM0.73m
9:21AM0.71m
Low Tide
9:48PM0.11m
10:14AM0.28m
10:11PM0.11m
10:54AM0.36m
10:33PM0.13m
11:37AM0.43m
10:56PM0.16m
12:34PM0.50m
11:23PM0.20m
11:57PM0.25m
1:07AM0.29m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:25
6:24
6:23
6:22
6:22
6:21
6:20
 mm
2
1
2
3
14
6
4
6
2
2
Temp °C
25
25
25
25
27
27
26
27
27
26
27
27
26
26
27
26
26
26
26
Feels °C
27
27
27
28
30
30
30
29
29
30
30
30
29
30
28
27
27
26
27
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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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