Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.05° N 155.84° W

Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Kawaihae Breakwater sea temperature is
26.6° C
0.6° 

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 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, W swell with 203 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 17 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with W 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 (Jul 17) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s 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 0.7m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) 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 1.0m 7s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Fri 17th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 14s
Best Surf 8AM (Fri 17th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 14s
Most Powerful 8AM (Fri 17th Jul)2.5ft (0.7m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this is a quiet run for the Kawaihae Breakwater area. We’ve got a tiny window of something to ride, then a whole lot of nothing.

The 16-day window kicks off with a slim chance. On Friday, July 17th, we have a small, clean wave. The morning shows a 2 ft west swell, with a nice long period of 14 seconds, and a light offshore breeze from the NE. The water is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate (228). It’s surfable, but just barely. The afternoon drops to 2 ft, still with that clean, offshore wind. It’s not going to blow your mind, but if you’re desperate, you’ll get a few. The reef set-up here in Kawaihae Breakwater means those long-period swells will wrap in nicely, but the size is tiny.

Saturday, July 18th, is the last call for a wave. The morning is 2 ft from the west, period of 13 seconds, and clean. The afternoon is the same height but with a bit more breeze from the ENE. That’s it for the foreseeable future.

From Sunday, July 19th, through to the end of the forecast on August 1st, the outlook is poor. The swell drops to 1.0 ft and below for days, with combined energy readings falling into the weak double digits (55, 41, 38, and lower). The wind stays offshore or glassy most of the time, which is a shame because there’s no swell to work with. There are long gaps of several days here with no real recommendations. A few tiny pulses of 0.7 ft from the SSW try to show up around July 23rd and 24th, and again on July 28th, 30th, and 31st, but they’re all listed as poor surf conditions. The period on those SSW pulses is long (16-17 seconds), but the energy is just too weak to do anything with. The best of a bad lot might be the July 31st afternoon, where we see 1.0 ft from the west, a 14-second period, and a gentle offshore breeze, but the energy is still only 57.

Honestly, for this entire stretch, the consistent offshore winds are a tease. The only spot we have data for is Kawaihae Breakwater, and it’s just not happening. If you’re a kitesurfer, the steady offshore winds and small, clean conditions might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a long, dry spell. The forecasts can change, but as it stands, my advice is to find something else to do for the next two weeks.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 23°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.6
W
14
0.5
W
13
0.5
W
13
0.4
WNW
13
0.4
WNW
12
0.3
WNW
12
0.3
WNW
12
0.3
WNW
12
0.2
WNW
12
0.2
SSW
13
0.2
SSW
12
0.2
SSW
12
0.2
SSW
26
0.3
SSW
16
0.3
SSW
23
0.2
SSW
17
0.3
SSW
20
0.2
SSW
16
0.3
SW
17
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
203
146
138
89
87
57
50
29
29
27
13
17
14
14
65
0
0
28
0
25
47
Wind (km/h)
10
NE
5
NE
15
ENE
10
NE
15
ENE
15
ENE
10
NE
5
ENE
10
ENE
5
NE
5
NE
5
ENE
5
NNE
5
NE
10
ENE
15
NE
5
NE
20
ENE
10
NE
15
NE
10
ENE
Wind State
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
High Tide
6:36PM0.70m
7:32AM0.39m
7:10PM0.61m
8:35AM0.44m
7:42PM0.51m
9:42AM0.48m
8:14PM0.41m
10:49AM0.54m
8:47PM0.32m
11:51AM0.59m
9:44PM0.25m
12:45PM0.63m
11:28PM0.20m
Low Tide
11:47AM0.06m
1:35AM0.00m
12:43PM0.14m
2:07AM0.01m
1:51PM0.22m
2:39AM0.02m
3:21PM0.28m
3:12AM0.03m
5:30PM0.29m
3:48AM0.04m
7:48PM0.24m
4:32AM0.04m
8:54PM0.19m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
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part cloud
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part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
5:54
5:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:05
7:04
7:04
7:04
 mm
Temp °C
28
28
26
27
28
25
27
27
25
27
28
26
27
27
25
27
27
25
27
27
25
Feels °C
30
30
28
28
29
26
28
29
28
29
31
29
29
29
27
28
29
26
27
27
27
  • Map Icons:
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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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