
Surf Forecasts:
Hakalau surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period, NE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 14s period, E swell with 1,957 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 1.4m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.2m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) 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 0.2m 14s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Hakalau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's get into it.
Right off the bat, this 16-day window for the Hakalau area looks pretty grim. We're starting on Friday, September 4th, and there's really nothing good to chase. The swell is there, but the wind is messy and the conditions are just not lining up. A real "wait and see" kind of stretch.
First up, Friday, September 4th:
We’ve got some solid energy coming in – a combined swell energy of (1957) is pumping, with a 7 ft swell from the east at a long 14-second period. That's plenty of water. But the wind is a cross-onshore from the east at 9 mph, and it's described as "gentle cross-onshore and fairly choppy." The morning gets a rating of 1/10, and the afternoon bumps up to a 3/10, but the "marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions" keeps it from being any fun. This is not the day to paddle out at Hakalau (United States). The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Saturday, September 5th:
Pretty much the same story. A 7 ft to 8 ft east-northeast swell with a 13-second period and a combined energy of (1686) and (1810). The wind is still a cross-onshore easterly at 6 to 9 mph. It's just choppy and messy. Scores of 2/10. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Sunday, September 6th to Monday, September 7th:
The swell dips slightly, and the wind picks up. Sunday sees a cross-onshore ESE breeze at 9 to 12 mph (moderate breeze, choppy). Monday is worse, with a stronger cross-onshore SE wind at 16 mph and "poor surf conditions." Scores drop to zero. The 7 ft to 7 ft swell from ENE is out of the question.
Tuesday, September 8th onwards:
The swell drops right off to 3 ft on Tuesday and Wednesday, with combined energy dropping to (599) and then (437). Still cross-onshore or onshore winds. The window stays completely flat or poor until about Friday, September 11th, when we see a small pulse come in at 5 ft from the ENE, but it's still a "poor surf conditions" call on the morning, and "marginal" in the afternoon (1/10). There’s a long gap here of about four days with absolutely nothing worth mentioning.
The Second Week (from around September 14th):
The swell tries to build again a bit, with 8 ft on Monday, September 14th, and combined energy hitting (1051). Still, the wind is onshore or cross-onshore from the ENE to NE, and the wave comment stays either "poor" or "marginal." The period drops to 10 seconds. It's just not coming together. The water temp remains about average.
Honestly, there isn't a single standout in this whole forecast. Don’t bother checking the buoys; this is a two-week stretch to save the petrol and maybe work on your pop-up. The break is a river mouth, so when it's ugly, it's really ugly. It’s a blank run, and that’s pretty normal for this area when the trades lock in like this.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 26°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Wed afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 11 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
452 | 1957 | 1617 | 1387 | 1610 | 1739 | 1497 | 1231 | 1211 | 1247 | 1269 | 1044 | 593 | 311 | 324 | 405 | 290 | 282 | 202 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | on |
High Tide | 9:58AM0.81m | 11:26AM0.87m | 10:20PM0.42m | 12:22PM0.94m | 11:59PM0.48m | 1:05PM0.99m | 00:55AM0.57m | 1:41PM1.01m | 1:40AM0.65m | 2:13PM1.00m | 2:20AM0.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:05AM0.18m | 2:41AM0.20m | 7:30PM0.39m | 4:27AM0.19m | 7:35PM0.33m | 5:44AM0.15m | 7:54PM0.28m | 6:41AM0.11m | 8:17PM0.23m | 7:30AM0.10m | 8:40PM0.18m | ||||||||
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
6:34 | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:28 | — | |
mm | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 11 | NE 9 | NE 8 | E 14 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
292 | 1957 | 1617 | 1387 | 1610 | 1739 | 1497 | 1231 | 1211 | 1247 | 1269 | 1044 | 593 | 235 | 136 | 405 | 125 | 192 | 154 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | S 14 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | N 9 | N 11 | SE 10 | SSE 9 | N 9 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | NE 8 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 |
452 | 14 | 28 | 36 | 37 | 37 | 42 | 59 | 24 | 35 | 14 | 142 | 239 | 311 | 324 | 62 | 290 | 282 | 202 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | S 16 | S 13 | N 12 | NNE 11 | NNE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | N 8 | N 10 | S 19 | N 8 | N 8 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | N 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 9 |
27 | 5 | 14 | 11 | 39 | 34 | 37 | 36 | 11 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 32 | 22 | 24 | 22 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | SE 5 | SSE 5 | SE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 99 | 78 | 67 | 39 | 61 | 28 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 20 | 160 | 95 | 14 | 20 | 20 | 2 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 76 | 16 | 85 | 18 | 14 | 158 | 95 | 95 |
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.










