
Surf Forecasts:
James Kealoha Beach Park surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, E swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 4 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 12s period, ENE swell with 669 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for James Kealoha Beach Park this week:
The surf forecast for James Kealoha Beach Park over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 19s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at James Kealoha Beach Park in the next 16 days are 1.6m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for James Kealoha Beach Park over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks at James Kealoha Beach Park.
Right now, we're looking at a bit of a mixed bag, but there are definitely some windows to get wet. The overall pattern is a lot of choppy, cross-onshore wind, especially through the first week and a half, but it's gonna clean up nicely towards the end.
Let's start with what's coming up. We've got a moderate pulse of swell from the east-northeast arriving Thursday morning, July 30th. The water's sitting at about average for the time of year, so no wetsuit drama. Thursday morning looks like the standout early on – clean 4 ft waves from the ENE with a light cross-offshore breeze and combined wave energy is moderate at 263. That's a good, clean option for a beginner-friendly reef break. The forecast quality is decent, so keep an eye on that session.
Now, Thursday afternoon, the same day, the wind swings a touch more onshore and the swell bumps up to 5 ft. The wave energy jumps to 417 (moderate energy), but the conditions get a bit more crossed up, making it a marginal call. Not the pick of the day.
Then we hit a rough patch. From Friday, July 31st, all the way through to Sunday, August 9th, it's pretty grim. We're looking at persistent cross-onshore winds, with a lot of choppy, poor surf. There's a couple of days with moderate to strong wave energy – like Saturday, August 1st, with swell pushing 7 to 7 ft and wave energy hitting 875 and 924 – but the onshore wind is ruining it. That's more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddler's dream. The swell period is short (around 8 seconds), so it's messy windswell. It's a long, blank stretch of about ten days with no real recommendations.
But then, things turn around nicely. On Tuesday, August 4th, we get a fresh pulse of groundswell. The morning session is the real standout for the entire forecast. Clean, 5 ft waves from the ENE with a 11-second period (longer period, so expect better shaped waves and more energy) and a light cross-offshore breeze. The combined energy is a solid 566 (moderate energy) and the forecast quality is very high. This is the best on offer for the whole sixteen days. The crowds are "sometimes" a thing here, so you might have some company, but for waves this clean at a reef break, it'll be worth it.
After that, we get a string of good, clean mornings through Wednesday, August 5th, and then again on Monday, August 10th and Tuesday, August 11th. These sessions are smaller, around 3 ft to 4 ft, but with light offshore or cross-off winds, they’ll be fun and clean. The wave energy stays in the moderate range (around 260-350). The second week of August (the 12th-13th) looks consistent with clean, cross-off conditions and 4 ft to 4 ft swell, but it's nothing epic – just good, reliable waves at a beginner-friendly spot.
So, to wrap it up: Thursday morning July 30th is a nice clean start, but endure the windy mess of the first week. The big highlight is definitely Tuesday morning, August 4th – that's the one to circle on the calendar. The grind will pay off.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 27°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 27°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 15 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
246 | 207 | 272 | 318 | 362 | 437 | 614 | 621 | 657 | 588 | 516 | 488 | 388 | 336 | 273 | 669 | 560 | 464 | 351 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 3:15AM0.46m | 4:13PM0.87m | 3:55AM0.48m | 4:39PM0.85m | 4:38AM0.51m | 5:05PM0.81m | 5:25AM0.52m | 5:30PM0.74m | 6:21AM0.54m | 5:55PM0.66m | 7:31AM0.57m | 6:21PM0.58m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:21PM0.17m | 9:12AM-0.05m | 10:47PM0.15m | 9:45AM-0.01m | 11:14PM0.12m | 10:21AM0.05m | 11:43PM0.10m | 11:01AM0.14m | 00:12AM0.08m | 11:48AM0.23m | 00:47AM0.06m | 12:53PM0.34m | 1:28AM0.04m | ||||||
— | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
6:58 | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 6 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
246 | 207 | 272 | 318 | 333 | 437 | 460 | 621 | 657 | 588 | 516 | 488 | 388 | 336 | 273 | 669 | 560 | 464 | 351 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 19 | E 17 | E 17 | E 16 | E 15 | E 15 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | N 10 | NNE 10 |
7 | 53 | 137 | 305 | 362 | 339 | 257 | 249 | 264 | 261 | 200 | 173 | 163 | 187 | 186 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | N 7 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | SE 9 | N 11 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | N 7 | SE 9 |
3 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 20 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 614 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 99 | 177 | 99 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 177 | 106 | 2 | 2 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the James Kealoha Beach Park Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for James Kealoha Beach Park provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at James Kealoha Beach Park can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our James Kealoha Beach Park 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 (James Kealoha Beach Park) 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 James Kealoha Beach Park 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.
James Kealoha Beach Park is 7 km (4 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.











