Surf Forecasts:
Hakalau surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, ENE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 12s period, ENE swell with 1,369 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 12 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s 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 Saturday (Sep 12) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m 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 2.2m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 12th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.
First up, we’re looking at a pretty bleak run for the next couple of weeks. There’s a lot of chop and cross-onshore wind messing things up at Hakalau. The water is sitting at 81° right now, which is about average for the time of year, so nothing wild there.
The first real chance to even think about paddling out is on Friday, September 11th. The morning has some light E wind, mostly offshore, with a 5ft swell from the ENE. That’s a short period of 7 seconds, so not much push, but it’s a start. The afternoon is where it gets a little more interesting. On Friday afternoon, the swell picks up to 5ft from the ENE with a period of 11 seconds, giving it some proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is 1026 (moderate), and the wind is light and offshore from the ENE. That’s the cleanest window we get. Hakalau is a river mouth, and with that long period, it could shape up nicely, but it’s also a spot that’s fairly consistent and can get crowded *sometimes*, so keep your eyes open.
Now, the following week has a few windows worth a look, but they’re far from guaranteed. Monday, September 14th, is mostly a write-off with moderate cross-onshore winds. The Wednesday, September 16th afternoon has a 7ft swell from the E with a short 8-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the ENE, so it’ll be clean, but that short period means it’ll be a bit dumpy and fast. The combined energy is 505 (moderate). This is a bigger swell, over 5ft, so it’s not for beginners, and it’s pushing into the head-high range.
Thursday, September 17th, has a similar story – 7ft from the E, 8-second period, with light cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is 554 (moderate). It’s a bit of a gamble, but the swell is consistent.
Looking further out, Monday, September 21st, the morning has a 6ft swell from the E with a 9-second period and a light SE cross-on breeze. The combined energy is 565 (moderate). The wind is light, so it might clean up, but it’s still a cross-on.
Honestly, the standout is Friday, September 11th afternoon. That’s the only time you get a decent size, a long-period groundswell that’s actually clean, and the right direction. The rest of the period is mostly chopped out or too short-period to be worth the paddle. If you’re a beginner, stay away from the 7ft days. For the experienced crew, keep an eye on the 16th and 17th, but don’t get your hopes up too high.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Sun afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 27°C on Wed morning, min 24°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | NE 10 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1347 | 1180 | 1138 | 1190 | 844 | 713 | 488 | 307 | 280 | 255 | 190 | 162 | 181 | 140 | 569 | 513 | 571 | 291 | 186 | 166 | 186 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 12:22PM0.94m | 11:59PM0.48m | 1:05PM0.99m | 00:55AM0.57m | 1:41PM1.01m | 1:40AM0.65m | 2:13PM1.00m | 2:20AM0.74m | 2:41PM0.97m | 2:59AM0.80m | 3:08PM0.91m | 3:37AM0.85m | 3:32PM0.84m | 4:14AM0.87m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:35PM0.33m | 5:44AM0.15m | 7:54PM0.28m | 6:41AM0.11m | 8:17PM0.23m | 7:30AM0.10m | 8:40PM0.18m | 8:13AM0.12m | 9:03PM0.15m | 8:55AM0.16m | 9:26PM0.12m | 9:35AM0.22m | 9:48PM0.11m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — |
mm | — | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | NE 10 | NE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 7 | E 12 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 1347 | 1180 | 1138 | 1190 | 844 | 713 | 488 | 307 | 212 | 120 | 104 | 139 | 181 | 140 | 569 | 513 | 373 | 291 | 186 | 166 | 186 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | SE 9 | E 11 | ENE 11 | SE 9 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 |
| kJ | 37 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 153 | 243 | 315 | 297 | 280 | 255 | 190 | 21 | 91 | 130 | 26 | 31 | 59 | 56 | 105 | 94 | 157 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | N 8 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | NNW 12 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | NW 11 | SE 9 | SE 9 | WNW 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 6 | SE 8 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 36 | 11 | 17 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 22 | 29 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 8 | 24 | 23 | 30 | 9 | 28 | 40 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | E 4 | — | — | ENE 7 | — | — | — | — | ENE 11 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 43 | 35 | 39 | 27 | 16 | — | — | 162 | — | — | — | — | 571 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 20 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 72 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 74 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 14 | 20 | 95 | 0 |
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.
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