Kapaniah Surf Forecast and Surf Reports

(Big Island, USA)

Forecast
- Hourly Forecast
- 16 Day Forecast
Maps
Live
Weather State
Spot Information

Kapaniah Surf Guide

Kapaniah in Big Island is an exposed reef break that is usually a safe bet and works all around the year. The best wind direction is from the southwest. Tends to receive distant groundswells and the best swell direction is from the northeast. The quality of the surf isn't affected by the tide. Even when the surf is up, crowds are unknown. Take care of - Urchins - Rocks.

Kapaniah Spot Info

Type:	Rating:	Reliability:	Todays Sea Temp*:
Reef	2	very consistent	25.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite

Surfing Kapaniah:

The best conditions reported for surf at Kapaniah occur when a Northeast swell combines with an offshore wind direction from the Southwest.

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

What's the best time of year to surf Kapaniah (for consistent clean waves)?

marchBest Season: spring

The best time of year for surfing Kapaniah with consistent clean waves (rideable swell with light / offshore winds) is during Spring and most often the month of March. Clean surfable waves are typically found 4% of the time in March while 50% of the time it tends to be blown out. For the remaining 46% of the time it is considered too small by most surfers but may still be OK for beginners and groms at times.

clean

Surfable waves that hold up well for longer rides in prevailing cross-offshore, offshore or light wind conditions.

blown out

50%

Surfable sized waves that are of poorer quality due to prevailing onshore, cross-onshore or windy conditions (may be preferable for kitesurfing).

too small

46%

Waves usually considered too small for good surf. Some wave-magnet breaks may still work though if conditions are right (on occasion).

Explore Kapaniah Location Map

Interactive Kapaniah surf break location map. View information about nearby surf breaks, their wave consistency and rating compared to other spots in the region. Current swell conditions from local buoys are shown along with live wind speed and direction from nearby weather stations. Click icons on the map for more detail. The closest passenger airport to Kapaniah is Upolu (Opolu) Airport (UPP) in USA, 12 km (7 miles) away (directly). The second nearest airport to Kapaniah is Waimea Kohala (Kamuela) Airport (MUE) in Usa Hawaii Isl., 27 km (17 miles) away.

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)

Please note that some surf spot locations are approximate to protect their exact location while others are not shown at close zoom level.

Kapaniah Surf Forecasts:

Hourly Forecast

16 Day Forecast

Todays Surf Summary
Tuesday, 5 May 2026, 20:13 Local Time

m, °C	Tuesday 05			Wed
ft, °F	5PM	8PM	11PM	2AM
Wave (m)	E	E	E	E
Period (s)	6	7	8	8
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on

What does Kapaniah look like?

Latest photos from Kapaniah. Upload your own or view all photos on the gallery page.

Credit: seth knappe

Tides at Kapaniah

Current tide and informaton

For Honokane Bay, 6 km from Kapaniah.

Next High Water: 03:27am | 0.43m

Next Low Water: 01:24am | 0.42m

NEXT	IS AT (local time)	remaining
high tide
low tide

Kapaniah Sea Temperature

Sunny with very warm air temperatures, feeling like 25.0 °C once we account for any wind. Sea temperatures (25.5 °C) very warm too. Staying comfortable in the water at Kapaniah won't be a problem, but wear at least a rash-vest to keep the UV off.

Today, many surfers would wear a rashvest wetsuit.

Current Temp*: 25.5°C*ocean temperature recorded from satellite