
Surf Forecasts:
Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, W swell with 314 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 11AM (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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s 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 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 7s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Sun 12th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kawaihae Breakwater over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Kawaihae Breakwater.
We’re starting off pretty slow. Sunday and Monday the 12th and 13th are tiny, with waves only about 1ft from the SW, a long 16-second period, but the energy is weak (120). The wind is offshore, so it’s clean, but the surf is just too small to get your heart racing. It’s more of a paddle than a surf.
The real window to watch is from Tuesday the 14th through to Friday the 17th. That’s when we get a nice little pulse of W swell. Wave heights build to about 3ft, still with a solid 15-16 second period, giving the waves some real shape and punch. The energy jumps into the moderate range (up to 354), and the wind turns glassy and light, with some offshore flows. This is textbook clean conditions for the break. Water temp is a warm 80°, which is right where it should be for this time of year.
Tuesday morning (14th) is the standout: 2ft W swell, glassy, and 298 energy. It’s not going to be huge, but it’ll be clean and fun. The break is fairly consistent, and crowds can pop up sometimes, so hit it early.
After Friday the 17th, the swell fades fast. The weekend drops to 1-2ft, and from the 20th onward, it’s basically flat or tiny. There’s a long stretch of poor to no surf from the 20th all the way to the 27th, with energy dropping to near zero. The 24th shows a tiny 1ft WNW blip, but it’s not enough to get excited about.
So, the best of the 16-day window is definitely Tuesday the 14th through Friday the 17th. Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning are the top picks. After that, it’s a long flat spell.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun morning, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
66 | 64 | 62 | 78 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 310 | 302 | 287 | 275 | 272 | 206 | 203 | 146 | 140 | 89 | 57 | 57 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | off | glassy | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | off |
High Tide | 3:08PM0.87m | 2:58AM0.21m | 3:55PM0.89m | 3:53AM0.23m | 4:39PM0.88m | 4:46AM0.27m | 5:20PM0.84m | 5:38AM0.30m | 6:00PM0.78m | 6:33AM0.35m | 6:36PM0.70m | 7:32AM0.39m | 7:10PM0.61m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:33PM0.03m | 8:21AM-0.11m | 11:13PM0.01m | 9:14AM-0.10m | 11:51PM-0.00m | 10:05AM-0.07m | 00:27AM-0.01m | 10:55AM-0.02m | 1:02AM-0.00m | 11:47AM0.06m | 1:35AM0.00m | 12:43PM0.14m | 2:07AM0.01m | ||||||||
5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | SW 16 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | NE 6 | NE 7 | W 14 | NNE 7 | W 14 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 |
111 | 114 | 62 | 99 | 75 | 53 | 55 | 88 | 72 | 310 | 302 | 287 | 275 | 56 | 47 | 203 | 42 | 140 | 46 | 37 | 26 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | W 15 | W 14 | SW 11 | W 14 | SW 9 | W 13 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 |
66 | 64 | 26 | 78 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 47 | 62 | 64 | 48 | 272 | 206 | 96 | 146 | 29 | 89 | 18 | 19 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | ENE 8 | W 12 | W 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 13 | N 7 | SW 13 | NNE 5 | SW 10 | SSW 15 | SW 8 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 |
54 | 28 | 6 | 26 | 26 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 44 | 50 | 63 | 42 | 28 | 136 | 17 | 50 | 22 | 11 | 57 | 57 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — |
— | — | 107 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 35 |
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.










