Hakalau Surf Break

Lat Long: 19.90° N 155.13° W

Hakalau Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 03 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Hakalau sea temperature is
27.3°C
0.7° 

Hakalau surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Hakalau surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 13s period, E swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 14s period, ENE swell with 1,819 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 13s 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Hakalau in the next 16 days are 2.3m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 10s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Sat 5th Sep)6ft (1.9m) 13s
Best Surf 5AM (Sat 5th Sep)6ft (1.9m) 13s
Most Powerful 2PM (Sat 5th Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get stuck into the next 16 days for this little corner of the world.

Right off the bat, it's not looking like a classic stretch. The surf is on the table, but it's going to be a grind. The wind is a major pain for most of the opening week, and we're dealing with a lot of "marginal" days. The water temp is sitting at 81°F, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

Hakalau is the only spot on the cards. The swell direction is mostly out of the ENE, which is what the spot wants to see, but the wind is a constant issue. The first few days from Thursday the 3rd right through to the start of the following week are a write-off – mostly cross-onshore wind making a mess of things. The combined swell energy is moderate (743) on Thursday morning, but it doesn't matter when the wind is junk.

Friday morning the 4th sees a bit more size, with 7ft of ENE swell, but the 14-second period gives it some push. The energy jumps up (1784), but it's still cross-on. The weekend is a similar story – Saturday the 5th has 7ft to 8ft swell with a 13-14 second period and light wind, but it's still a cross-on. The real issue is the quality. These are all marked as marginal, which means the tide or the texture is just off.

The best chance to actually get a clean one looks like it comes in the second week. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th are a wash – the wind swings onshore and the period drops to 8 seconds, making it short-period, choppy junk. Not worth it.

The standout window is Wednesday the 16th and into Thursday the 17th. On Wednesday, we've got 7ft of swell from the ESE with a 12-second period and a light onshore wind that's actually just "on" – light and straight. The energy is strong (1442). The afternoon gets even better: 6ft of swell, still 12 seconds, and the wind drops to near glassy (5 km/h). That's the cleanest the window gets. It's a marginal call, but with that glassy wind, it's the one to aim for. The swell is a bit much for beginners, but for intermediate and above, that's a session.

The 12-second period is a solid groundswell, which means the waves will have some shape, but at a river break like this, it can sometimes be a bit straight. Still, with the wind that light, it's the best we've got.

Honestly, for the first week and a half, it's a battle. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on those cross-wind days. The wind is just too messy. Hold out for that Wednesday the 16th. That's the one.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Sun morning, fresh winds from the SE by Mon afternoon).

Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
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
1
2
3
2
3
3
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
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)
1.6
ENE
7
1
E
14
1.1
E
14
2.1
E
14
2
E
14
1.9
ENE
14
2.2
ENE
14
2.3
ENE
14
2.3
ENE
13
2.2
ENE
12
2.1
ENE
12
2.2
ENE
13
2.1
ENE
12
2
ENE
12
1.5
NE
10
0.8
E
13
0.9
E
14
0.9
E
13
0.9
E
13
1.7
ENE
8
1.7
ENE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
292
390
452
1784
1645
1387
1791
1819
1671
1369
1268
1525
1227
1009
468
229
324
284
280
310
310
Wind (km/h)
20
E
15
ENE
15
E
20
E
10
E
5
ESE
10
ENE
10
ENE
10
SE
20
ESE
20
ESE
15
SE
35
SE
30
SE
15
SSE
25
ESE
20
SE
15
ESE
15
E
20
NE
10
ENE
Wind State
on
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
High Tide
8:05AM0.79m
4:48PM0.54m
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
3:14PM0.54m
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
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
clear
clear
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:05
6:05
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:34
6:32
6:31
6:30
6:30
6:29
6:28
 mm
4
1
1
3
6
5
1
1
2
Temp °C
26
26
25
25
25
24
26
26
26
27
27
26
28
29
27
28
27
27
26
26
25
Feels °C
27
27
26
26
26
26
28
28
29
29
29
28
27
27
29
29
28
30
29
28
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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