Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.05° N 155.84° W

Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 12 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: Friday 18 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SW swell with 150 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 Friday (Sep 18) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 Thursday (Sep 17) 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 5AM (Fri 18th 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 talk about what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you—this is a pretty flat spell for the Big Island. The whole 16-day window is a quiet one. There are no standout swells, no real waves of note. We’ve got a long run of nothing worth paddling out for, so if you’ve got a kite, this setup might actually be more interesting than a surfboard for a while.

The only break in the forecast is Kawaihae Breakwater. This is a reef setup that’s fairly consistent, but even then, it’s struggling. The water temp is sitting at about 82°, which is right around average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th are dead. We’re talking tiny 0.7ft to 1ft swells coming from the SW with a long period around 14-15 seconds, and the combined energy is barely a whisper at 36 to 60. Winds are glassy or light offshore though, so it’s clean—but there’s just nothing to ride. The whole thing is classed as poor surf.

Monday 14th is more of the same—0.7ft to 1ft, SW swell, and the energy is minimal. Monday afternoon does see a jump in period to 22 seconds, which is very long, but with that tiny size it’s just a long wait between nothing. Winds turn offshore and clean, but you’d be bobbing around.

Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th are the… well, I guess you’d call them the “best” of a bad lot. Swell stays at 1ft from the SW, period dropping to 18-20 seconds. The combined energy creeps up a little, hitting 98 on Tuesday morning and then 109 on Wednesday afternoon (moderate wave energy). Winds are offshore—light to moderate—so it’s clean. The call is “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” That’s about as good as it gets. The direction is SW, and this break prefers a W swell, so it’s not even an optimal angle.

Thursday 17th through to Sunday 20th is back to poor conditions. Tiny swell, weak energy, and the risk of thunderstorms on Thursday and Saturday afternoons doesn’t help the mood.

Monday 21st sees a gap where there is literally no swell height or period recorded for the morning, just flat calm. Afternoon brings a pathetic 0.3ft from the SW with 8 energy. It’s a write-off.

From Tuesday 22nd all the way to Saturday 27th September, we’re stuck in the same rut. Swell heights bounce between 0.3ft and 1ft, mostly from the SW, with a couple of readings from the SSW or WNW. The combined energy stays low, mostly below 80, and even the “surfable” moments on the 26th and 27th are just 1.0ft to 1ft with weak energy. Winds stay favourable—offshore or glassy—but it doesn’t matter when there are no waves to push you.

Honestly, this is one of those stretches where the ocean is taking a nap. If you’re desperate, maybe Wednesday 16th afternoon offers the best chance at a knee-high, clean ripple from the SW at Kawaihae Breakwater. But for any real surfing? You’re better off waiting for the next proper swell. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a long blank run.

Stay patient,

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
AM
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
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
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
0.3
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
0.4
SW
18
0.4
SW
17
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.5
SW
17
0.4
SW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.5
SW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
60
29
29
22
21
20
8
46
45
98
96
94
79
109
75
65
64
148
78
145
129
Wind (km/h)
5
NNW
0
NNE
5
E
5
N
10
NE
10
ENE
5
NNW
10
NE
5
ENE
5
NNE
5
NE
10
ENE
20
NE
15
NE
15
NE
10
NNE
5
ENE
5
ENE
0
WNW
0
NNE
0
E
Wind State
glassy
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
off
glassy
off
glassy
glassy
off
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
off
glassy
glassy
glassy
High Tide
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
10:00AM0.55m
9:49PM0.17m
Low Tide
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
7:14PM0.16m
2:31AM0.12m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
rain showers
<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
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:28
6:28
6:27
6:25
6:24
6:23
6:22
 mm
1
4
1
1
Temp °C
27
27
26
27
27
26
27
28
27
28
28
27
29
29
27
28
28
27
28
28
27
Feels °C
30
30
29
30
29
27
30
31
30
32
32
30
30
30
29
31
32
31
32
32
31
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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