Surf Forecasts:
Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 11s period, SSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period, WSW swell with 226 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 11s period with SSW 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 Friday (Sep 04) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 11s 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 0.9m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kawaihae Breakwater over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's look at what Kawaihae Breakwater has in store. I'll be honest, it's a pretty bleak picture for the next 16 days. There's a whole lot of nothing on the table, so don't rush to grab your board.
The story is simple: we are in a flat spell. The first few days, right through the 4th, are a total loss. The combined swell energy is weak, barely registering (42, 31, 9, 8, 2), and there's just no power to break on the reef. It's offshore and clean, but with nothing to ride, that doesn't matter.
From the 5th through the 10th, things pick up to a small, weak surf. This is the best we're going to see. The swell comes from the southwest to west-southwest, a good direction for the spot, and the energy readings climb into the triple digits (130, 158, 205, 205, 224, 272), showing moderate wave energy. Wave faces are tiny, running 3ft to 3ft, with a period around 11-12 seconds. It'll be clean, with some truly glassy periods, especially on the morning of the 6th and 8th. But it's small and marginal at best.
The standout, if you can call it that, is the morning of the 6th. It's the most consistent with wave heights around 3ft, that clean glassy feel, and the best energy of the run at 205. It's your best bet, but it's far from epic. You'll want the longboard.
Then, after the 10th, the lights go out again. The swell dies, and we've got a massive gap from the 11th all the way through the 16th. Energy readings barely get above 60, a far cry from what's needed. The mornings of the 12th and 13th show some long-period energy (15-16 seconds), but the height is only around 2ft, so it won't break properly. Just a lot of rolling around.
So, there you have it. There is nothing here that's going to get you out of bed early. The 6th is the pick of a very poor bunch. Keep your expectations super low, and maybe spend this time doing something else. This kind of flat run is part of the deal here sometimes. Forecasts can change, and it won't stay this poor for long.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Sat morning, min 25°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | SW 13 | W 9 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 31 | 31 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 107 | 195 | 177 | 142 | 142 | 140 | 140 | 117 | 101 | 150 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy |
High Tide | 6:23PM0.39m | 8:06AM0.61m | 6:59PM0.30m | 9:20AM0.63m | 7:55PM0.22m | 10:42AM0.65m | 10:08PM0.17m | 11:57AM0.69m | 00:08AM0.19m | 12:59PM0.72m | 1:17AM0.24m | 1:49PM0.75m | 2:08AM0.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:23PM0.19m | 00:44AM-0.01m | 2:57PM0.22m | 1:24AM0.00m | 5:16PM0.20m | 2:19AM0.02m | 7:06PM0.15m | 3:40AM0.04m | 7:52PM0.09m | 5:12AM0.03m | 8:26PM0.06m | 6:29AM0.01m | 8:55PM0.03m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |  | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:34 | — | — | 6:32 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 30 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | NNE 6 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | SSW 15 | NE 7 | S 14 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 6 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 12 |
| kJ | 26 | 52 | 112 | 125 | 118 | 42 | 75 | 16 | 56 | 78 | 75 | 28 | 195 | 177 | 142 | 142 | 140 | 140 | 117 | 101 | 150 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | NE 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | W 10 | S 14 | W 9 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 |
| kJ | 31 | 30 | 51 | 50 | 45 | 8 | 16 | 2 | 58 | 73 | 100 | 107 | 36 | 56 | 33 | 42 | 38 | 115 | 117 | 161 | 154 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | SSW 18 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | SW 13 | SW 13 | E 12 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 11 | E 12 | E 12 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 |
| kJ | 11 | 31 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 57 | 53 | 44 | 37 | 76 | 72 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 37 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 73 | — | — | — | — | 89 | — | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 86 | 88 | 35 | 88 | 35 | 46 | 35 | 46 | 35 | 91 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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 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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