Surf Forecasts:
Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s period, WNW swell with 75 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. 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 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 11AM. 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 Saturday (Aug 22) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kawaihae Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's on offer for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it's a slow start. The first real nod towards anything surfable kicks off this Saturday afternoon, the 22nd of August, at Kawaihae Breakwater. We're looking at a tiny 1ft swell from the SW, but the real story here is the long period. We're talking 16 seconds, which is proper groundswell. That kind of energy, even at this size, will make for some surprisingly fun, lined-up waves on this reef. The water is sitting at 81°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The NE wind is offshore, keeping things clean, but the combined energy is weak at 120.
Sunday the 23rd is a bit similar. The morning sees a 2ft swell from the WNW with a 12-second period, and a moderate offshore breeze (12 mph). The energy is still moderate-weak (117). The afternoon drops to 1ft and 11 seconds, but gets a lighter breeze. It's still surfable, but nothing to write home about.
Then we hit a dry spell. From Monday the 24th of August all the way through to Friday the 4th of September, the waves just disappear. The swell drops to 0.7ft or less, and for a lot of that time, it's flat with zero energy. The winds are often offshore or glassy, which is a tease, but with no swell, it's just a calm ocean. That's a solid 12-day gap with no real recommendations.
Things finally start to wake up again on the 5th of September. The Saturday morning shows a 1.0ft swell from the WNW, but by the afternoon, it's still only 1.0ft with a 76 energy. It's a whisper.
The best of the bunch, and the only real standout, comes on Sunday the 6th of September. The morning sees a 2ft swell from the W, with a 13-second period. The energy jumps to 167, which is moderate. The afternoon is the pick: a 2ft W swell, with 13-second periods, and a light 6 mph offshore breeze from the NE. The energy is 200, the highest of the whole forecast. This is a clean, offshore window with a little bit of push. It's a reef break, so that long-period groundswell will wrap in nicely. It's the best looking session of the lot.
So, the story is: a couple of small, long-period groundswell days this weekend, then a long flat spell, then a slightly better day on the 6th of September. Keep your expectations low, but that Sunday afternoon might just surprise you.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 | NW 11 | NE 6 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SW 11 | SSW 13 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
63 | 58 | 75 | 44 | 20 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 28 | 17 | 24 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 18 | 7 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 1:02AM0.20m | 1:49PM0.66m | 1:48AM0.23m | 2:26PM0.69m | 2:25AM0.28m | 2:59PM0.71m | 3:00AM0.33m | 3:28PM0.72m | 3:36AM0.38m | 3:56PM0.71m | 4:12AM0.43m | 4:24PM0.68m | 4:50AM0.48m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:53PM0.12m | 6:05AM0.06m | 9:13PM0.10m | 7:02AM0.04m | 9:33PM0.09m | 7:49AM0.01m | 9:53PM0.07m | 8:30AM0.00m | 10:13PM0.05m | 9:11AM0.01m | 10:35PM0.03m | 9:51AM0.02m | 10:57PM0.01m | |||||||
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:44 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 33 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 33 | 33 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NE 6 | WNW 12 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 5 | SSW 17 | NNE 5 | SSW 16 | NE 5 | NE 5 | N 7 | NE 6 | NNE 7 |
78 | 35 | 75 | 63 | 35 | 45 | 70 | 32 | 39 | 52 | 3 | 30 | 28 | 17 | 24 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 44 | 9 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | WNW 10 | SW 15 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | NNE 7 | SSW 13 |
57 | 58 | 34 | 44 | 18 | 18 | 35 | 32 | 30 | 14 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 44 | 42 | 39 | 10 | 34 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | WSW 9 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | ENE 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | S 16 | ENE 7 | SSW 12 | N 8 | SW 11 | SSW 13 | W 10 |
63 | 58 | 8 | 33 | 20 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 25 | 24 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 21 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 18 | 7 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 5 | — | NNE 5 | — | NNE 5 | — | — | NNE 5 | — | NE 7 |
— | — | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | 23 | — | 15 | — | — | 14 | — | 44 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 88 | 65 | 50 | 88 | 35 | 46 | 88 | 46 | 46 | 88 | 88 | 46 | 88 | 88 | 49 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











