
Surf Forecasts:
Honokohau Harbour surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period, SSW swell with 280 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 14s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Honokohau Harbour this week:
The surf forecast for Honokohau Harbour over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Honokohau Harbour in the next 16 days are 0.8m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 13s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Honokohau Harbour over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s happening at Honokohau Harbour.
First up, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for paddle surfers. This is a consistent reef break, but the swell window is just not cooperating. From Monday 27 July right through the first week, it’s mostly poor or marginal surf. The swell is tiny – 0.8 ft to 3 ft – mostly from the SSW, with short periods around 13 to 14 seconds. That’s short-period junk, not a real groundswell. The wind is light, but it’s cross-onshore, so the surface is messy with wind ripples. The combined wave energy is weak, mostly under 300 (354 on Monday 27 July afternoon, then dropping into the 200s and 100s). On Wednesday 30 July afternoon, there’s a 2 ft swell from the SW at 18 seconds – longer period, more push – but the wind is still cross-onshore and choppy. Not great.
Then we hit a dead zone. From Sunday 2 August morning through to Saturday 9 August morning, the energy drops into double digits (87, 115, 53, 12, 50, 70, 100) – that’s weak. The swell is 1 ft to 3 ft, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. The only half-decent moment is Thursday 6 August morning – glassy conditions, a 1 ft swell from the SW at 15 seconds, energy 100. It’s surfable but very ordinary. Don’t get excited.
The standout window is around Sunday 9 August and Monday 10 August. That’s when the long-range energy shows up. On Sunday 9 August morning, we’ve got a 3 ft swell from the SSW at 21 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell. The combined energy spikes to 799 (strong). The wind is light and onshore from the WSW, not ideal, but it’s light. Sunday afternoon sees a 3 ft SSW swell at 19 seconds, energy 974. Monday 10 August morning is a 4 ft SSW swell at 17 seconds, energy 903, but the wind picks up to 9 mph from the WNW, cross-onshore, making it choppy. Monday afternoon is better – 4 ft, 17 seconds, 749 energy, and light cross-onshore wind from the SW. This is the best energy of the whole period – strong, long-period groundswell. This reef break will handle that long period well. The water temp is about average for the time of year, around 81°F, with a small anomaly of 1°F warmer – nothing unusual.
For the second week, it’s more marginal. Tuesday 11 August has a 3 ft SSW swell at 15 seconds (756 energy) and a 3 ft SSW at 18 seconds (819 energy) – still moderate energy, but the wind is cross-onshore or onshore. It’s not going to be a classic.
Honokohau Harbour can get crowded sometimes, but with this small, onshore stuff, it’ll be quiet. The optimum swell direction is WNW, but we’re getting mostly SSW and SW – a mismatch, so the waves won’t be lining up cleanly. For beginners, the swell is under 5 ft, so it’s not too big, but the wind and period aren’t making it easy. For experts, it’s not worth it.
If you’re a kite surfer, the setup from 9 August onwards – with stronger energy, onshore wind, and a beach-and-reef layout – looks more interesting than paddle surfing. The waves are small and messy, but there’s enough wind and swell to get a kite session in.
So, if you’re really keen, target Sunday 9 August or Monday 10 August – that’s your best shot. The first few days are a write-off, and there’s a gap from 2 August to 8 August with nothing worth paddling for. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough run.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | SW 13 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
280 | 210 | 195 | 204 | 247 | 137 | 222 | 225 | 165 | 152 | 129 | 169 | 183 | 144 | 123 | 91 | 99 | 44 | 88 | 74 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 3:05PM0.73m | 2:51AM0.25m | 3:36PM0.73m | 3:30AM0.27m | 4:06PM0.73m | 4:09AM0.29m | 4:35PM0.70m | 4:51AM0.32m | 5:04PM0.66m | 5:36AM0.36m | 5:34PM0.60m | 6:27AM0.40m | 6:05PM0.54m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:23PM0.10m | 8:13AM0.01m | 10:49PM0.09m | 8:51AM0.02m | 11:14PM0.08m | 9:29AM0.04m | 11:38PM0.07m | 10:10AM0.07m | 00:02AM0.06m | 10:55AM0.11m | 00:27AM0.05m | 11:50AM0.16m | 00:55AM0.04m | |||||||
— | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 29 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | NNE 9 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | NNE 7 | SSW 13 | S 13 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 5 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 |
280 | 121 | 195 | 204 | 247 | 137 | 222 | 68 | 165 | 219 | 33 | 44 | 60 | 99 | 56 | 88 | 99 | 42 | 88 | 74 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | SSW 14 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | NNE 6 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | S 13 | SW 13 |
74 | 210 | 71 | 68 | 61 | 61 | 43 | 225 | 154 | 49 | 163 | 112 | 183 | 144 | 123 | 91 | 89 | 44 | 89 | 42 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 9 | NE 14 | NE 12 | NE 10 | SSW 15 | S 16 | SW 19 | S 15 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 13 | SSW 13 |
8 | 7 | 47 | 69 | 52 | 75 | 77 | 58 | 67 | 152 | 129 | 169 | 104 | 69 | 39 | 39 | 37 | 20 | 27 | 34 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 9 | W 9 | SW 9 | N 5 | WSW 8 | — | W 8 | SSW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 9 | S 2 | — | NW 4 | — | WNW 13 |
— | — | — | — | — | 13 | 14 | 19 | 12 | 13 | — | 12 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 34 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 0 | 111 | 25 | 2 | 67 | 67 | 6 | 111 | 7 | 0 | 113 | 14 | 99 | 104 | 104 | 0 | 104 | 113 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Honokohau Harbour Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Honokohau Harbour provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Honokohau Harbour can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Honokohau Harbour 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 (Honokohau Harbour) 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 Honokohau Harbour 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.
Honokohau Harbour is 99 km (61 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.










