Surf Forecasts:
Honokohau surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, E swell with 741 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 8s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Honokohau this week:
The surf forecast for Honokohau over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Honokohau in the next 16 days are 2.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Honokohau over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the Big Island side of things.
Honokohau (Big Island) is the only spot on the radar, and honestly, it’s a tough stretch. The forecast is a long, grinding run of cross-shore winds that just won't let up. We’re looking at a solid 13 days of poor surf conditions, starting from Monday morning, August 17th, right through to the end of the month. The wind is hammering out of the ENE, mostly in the 12 to 22 mph range, which is just going to chop up anything that comes through. The swell is there, but it’s a short-period, wind-driven E swell with a period of only 7 to 8 seconds – real weak sauce with no shape to it.
The combined wave energy starts around 373 (moderate) on Monday the 17th, but with that cross-chop, it’s a mess. The energy builds through the week, hitting 674 (moderate) by Sunday the 23rd, and then it really starts to pump up. By Wednesday the 26th of August, we see the energy jump to 1267 (strong), and swell heights are at 10 ft. But the wind is still a solid 25 mph cross-shore, making it a full-on lumpy, messy situation. The period is still short, so it’s all wind-affected junk.
The only real standout window, and even it’s a risky one, shows up on Thursday, August 27th. The swell hits 12 ft from the east, with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is a massive 1598 (strong to very strong). The conditions are still cross-shore fresh breeze, but the forecast nudges up to “marginal” instead of just poor. This is big, powerful, and messy. It’s a setup for experts only at that size, and the wind is still going to be a battle. The period is only 9 seconds, so it’s not a clean groundswell. The water temperature is sitting at a pleasant 80°F, which is about average for the time of year.
After that, the energy stays high, hitting 1684 (very strong) on Tuesday, September 1st, with an 8 ft, 11-second swell. But again, the wind is relentless. This is a long run of waiting for a break. The wind just never goes light or offshore here. For a reef and point break like Honokohau, we need clean conditions to make it work, and we just don't get them. With this much wind and messy swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The blank run is real. There are no proper standouts in the 16-day window. The conditions are too consistent in their abuse.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 25°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Thu night, fresh winds from the ENE by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 348 | 245 | 245 | 233 | 191 | 234 | 202 | 197 | 148 | 88 | 68 | 47 | 143 | 157 | 167 | 246 | 371 | 488 | 549 | 554 | 627 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 4:55PM0.58m | 7:23AM0.60m | 4:40PM0.53m | 9:04AM0.61m | 11:01AM0.64m | 12:06PM0.68m | 12:46PM0.73m | 11:07PM0.34m | 1:17PM0.77m | 00:14AM0.37m | |||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:41AM0.40m | 11:55PM0.17m | 12:48PM0.48m | 00:24AM0.18m | 1:05AM0.20m | 2:20AM0.21m | 4:03AM0.21m | 9:02PM0.33m | 5:16AM0.17m | 8:40PM0.32m | |||||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:50 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 25 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SW 18 | NNE 7 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | NNE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 |
| kJ | 3 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 28 | 14 | 34 | 88 | 68 | 47 | 71 | 41 | 64 | 40 | 39 | 102 | 125 | 107 | 78 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 13 | WSW 6 | W 11 | SW 17 | W 13 | WNW 12 | WSW 16 | WSW 16 | W 11 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 16 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 25 | 26 | 9 | 36 | 38 | 35 | 5 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 38 | 36 | 34 | 33 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | N 7 | W 6 | W 6 | NW 11 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 16 | SW 18 | SW 17 | NE 7 | W 10 | SW 8 | SW 9 | WSW 10 | WNW 16 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | SW 9 | SW 19 |
| kJ | 9 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 49 | 47 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 26 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 15 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | — | — | — | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
| kJ | 348 | 245 | 245 | 233 | 191 | 234 | 202 | 197 | 148 | — | — | — | 143 | 157 | 167 | 246 | 371 | 488 | 549 | 554 | 627 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Maui | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Honokohau Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Honokohau provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Honokohau can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Honokohau 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) 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 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 is 20 km (12 miles) from Wailuku. If you plan a vacation in Maui, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wailuku. Wailuku has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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