Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 21 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
26.5° C
0.5° 

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, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 15s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, E swell with 1,835 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m 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 2.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) 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 0.3m 13s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Sun 26th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 15s
Best Surf 5AM (Sun 26th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 15s
Most Powerful11AM (Mon 27th Jul)7ft (2.1m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, for the most part, it's a bit of a struggle. We've got a long stretch of really average, messy conditions to wade through before we see any real magic. The good news is, there's a pulse of proper swell coming in the back half of the window, but you'll need to be patient.

Looking at the data, the first real standout isn't until Sunday, July 26th. The whole week before that is pretty much a write-off for anything decent. The waves are small, the wind is messy, and it's just not coming together. There's a slight improvement on Friday the 24th with a bit more size, but it's still on the wrong side of the wind.

The real action kicks off on Sunday, July 26th at Hakalau (Hawaii). The water temp is sitting at a very comfortable 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no worries there. You'll be looking at chest-to-head-high sets, around 6 ft, coming from the east. The real kicker is the period—it's a solid 16 seconds, which is proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is a massive 1754, so you’ll feel the power. With the wind looking light and offshore from the ENE, the conditions should be clean. That 6 ft is a great size for a confident intermediate, not too big, not too small. The only thing to keep in mind with that long period is that it can make the wave break a bit straight on a beach break, but Hakalau is a river mouth, so it should handle that energy nicely. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have a few others out, but it shouldn't be a zoo.

The swell hangs in there through Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th, still pushing 7 ft from the east with a long period, though the wind starts to get a bit more cross-on. The energy stays high (around 2000 on Monday morning), so it's still very much on. But by then, the wind is a bit more of a factor, so Sunday the 26th is your best bet for the cleanest conditions.

After that, the swell starts to fade as we head into the end of July and early August. There's a little bump in size again on the weekend of August 1st and 2nd, with waves around 7 ft to 8 ft, but the period drops to 8-9 seconds, and the wind is either onshore or cross-on, so it's going to be a choppy, wind-affected mess. That's a no-go for a good paddle session.

So, to wrap it up: if you're looking for a session, your target is Sunday, July 26th at Hakalau. The set-up is solid, the energy is there, and the wind plays ball. The rest of the window is mostly a waiting game. Don't hold your breath for the first week, but that one Sunday is a proper little standout.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 26°C on Tue morning, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

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

Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
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
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
0
1
0
3
2
2
2
3
2
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
E
7
1.2
E
7
0.7
E
12
1.2
E
12
1.1
E
12
1.3
E
11
1.4
E
7
1.3
ENE
7
1.5
ENE
7
1.3
E
7
1.7
ENE
8
1.7
ENE
7
1.5
NE
8
1.3
NNE
8
1.3
E
15
1.7
E
16
1.7
E
15
2
E
15
2.1
E
14
2.1
E
14
2.1
E
13
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
135
143
132
389
344
411
179
161
187
167
336
297
264
198
766
1384
1309
1718
1835
1804
1609
Wind (km/h)
20
SE
20
ESE
15
ESE
15
E
15
E
10
SE
15
ESE
15
E
15
SE
15
E
15
ENE
15
E
10
E
15
ENE
5
ESE
10
ENE
15
NE
10
NE
10
NNE
15
NNE
10
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
9:44AM0.68m
6:51PM0.60m
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
3:17PM0.56m
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
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
rain showers
clear
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:52
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
3
1
1
4
1
3
1
Temp °C
26
26
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
25
Feels °C
26
26
27
27
26
26
25
26
26
25
26
26
26
25
26
27
26
27
26
27
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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