Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.05° N 155.84° W

Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 11 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Kawaihae Breakwater sea temperature is
27.7°C
0.9° 

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


Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 21s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SW swell with 152 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 21s period with SW swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kawaihae Breakwater this week:

The surf forecast for Kawaihae Breakwater over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 21s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Kawaihae Breakwater in the next 16 days are 0.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)1ft (0.3m) 21s
Best Surf 5AM (Tue 15th Sep)1ft (0.3m) 21s
Most Powerful 5PM (Wed 16th Sep)1.5ft (0.5m) 18s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a good, long look at what we've got coming down the pike for Kawaihae Breakwater, a reef setup over on the west side. We're staring at a 16-day window that starts quiet and stays stubbornly small.

The Big Picture

Honestly, the opening stretch from September 11th right through to the 14th is a write-off. Critical isn’t the word; the swell is tiny, coming in at a measly 1 ft, and the "combined energy" is barely registering a pulse, sitting at a weak 57. The water is warm, sitting at 82°F, which is about average for this time of year, but that’s small comfort when you’re bobbing around on a lake. It’s just poor surf, plain and simple. We've got a four-day gap of absolutely nothing worth paddling out for at the start.

Things get *slightly* less ordinary from Tuesday, September 15th. We start seeing some "surfable but very ordinary" conditions. The swell nudges up to 1 ft, still from the southwest, and we're finally seeing a bit of life in the wave energy, hitting a moderate 98. The surface is clean with glassy conditions and offshore winds, but you’d have to be a local to get excited about this.

On Wednesday, September 16th, we see a bit of a spike in the afternoon. The swell bumps to 2 ft from the southwest with a period of 18 seconds—that's a proper groundswell window. The combined energy climbs to a moderate 152, which is the highest we see for a while. The winds are offshore and clean. It’s still tiny, but if you’re desperate and can read a reef, the afternoon session might give you a few waist-high runners.

The pattern holds steady for the rest of the week and into the next. The swell stays locked in that 1.0 ft to 2 ft range with the energy bouncing around. Thursday the 18th offers a similar vibe with 2 ft waves and glassy conditions. The crowd profile is "sometimes", so you might share the reef with a few others, but at this size, it’s not going to be a zoo.

By September 26th, that Saturday, there’s a tiny shift. The swell comes from the NNW at 1 ft, with the combined energy still in the moderate territory at 146. The early morning window looks glassy, but the afternoon gets messy with a cross-onshore wind and small wind ripples. The wave quality drops right back to "poor."

The Standout

Honestly, there isn't a true stand-out session in this window. If I had to single something out, it would be the Wednesday, September 16th afternoon. That 2 ft southwest groundswell (18-second period) pushing against a NE offshore breeze gives you the cleanest, most lined-up waves on offer. The energy (152) is the highest we see. But let’s be real, it’s still small, and this reef break might be more interesting for a longboard or a funboard than a shortboard.

For the long range, there's a whisper of something on September 25th with a 2 ft SW swell and good energy (122), but that's over a week away and these things are never a sure bet.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Fri
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
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)
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.3
SW
14
0.3
SW
14
0.2
SSW
15
0.2
SSW
15
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
W
10
0.2
SSW
22
0.2
SSW
21
0.4
SW
20
0.4
SW
19
0.4
SW
19
0.4
SW
18
0.5
SW
18
0.4
SW
17
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.5
SW
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
57
57
60
29
29
22
21
20
8
46
45
98
96
94
79
152
75
65
64
148
Wind (km/h)
5
NE
5
ENE
5
N
0
NNW
5
ENE
10
NNE
10
NE
10
ENE
5
NNE
5
NE
10
ENE
5
NNE
5
ENE
10
ENE
10
NE
10
NE
10
ENE
10
NNE
10
NE
10
ENE
Wind State
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
glassy
glassy
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
High Tide
4:16PM0.63m
4:50AM0.58m
4:46PM0.55m
5:28AM0.61m
5:15PM0.47m
6:08AM0.62m
5:43PM0.39m
6:50AM0.62m
6:10PM0.32m
7:39AM0.59m
6:37PM0.25m
8:41AM0.57m
7:08PM0.20m
Low Tide
10:37PM-0.02m
10:50AM0.06m
11:00PM-0.01m
11:39AM0.10m
11:22PM-0.00m
12:31PM0.14m
11:45PM0.02m
1:34PM0.18m
00:09AM0.04m
3:00PM0.20m
00:37AM0.07m
5:26PM0.20m
1:16AM0.10m
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:09
6:09
6:09
6:09
6:09
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:29
6:28
6:28
6:27
6:25
6:24
6:23
 mm
Temp °C
27
26
27
27
26
27
27
26
27
28
26
28
28
27
29
29
27
28
29
27
Feels °C
30
29
30
30
29
29
29
28
29
31
29
32
31
30
31
32
30
31
33
30
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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 Kawaihae Breakwater Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Kawaihae Breakwater provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kawaihae Breakwater can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kawaihae Breakwater 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 (Kawaihae Breakwater) 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 Kawaihae Breakwater 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.

Kawaihae Breakwater is 87 km (54 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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