Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.05° N 155.84° W

Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 28 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Kawaihae Breakwater sea temperature is
26.8° 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 29 Jul 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SW swell with 66 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kawaihae Breakwater this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Kawaihae Breakwater in the next 16 days are 0.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) 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 Saturday (Aug 01) at 2PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 5AM (Fri 31st Jul)1.5ft (0.4m) 16s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaking for the Kawaihae Breakwater stretch over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – we’ve got a long, quiet stretch ahead. The first week of the forecast is basically a flat spell. From Tuesday the 28th of July all the way through to the end of July, we’re looking at almost no energy at all. The combined wave energy is sitting at zero on most days, and even when a tiny pulse shows up on the 30th, it’s only 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft with a very long period of 18 seconds. That’s a groundswell, but there’s just not enough height to push it over the reef. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is only about 1° above normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there – just your typical warm Hawaiian summer bathwater.

The first few days of August are more of the same. We’re talking Saturday the 1st through Wednesday the 5th with barely a ripple. A few little 0.7 ft to 1.0 ft pulses from the SW and W, but the combined energy is between 9 and 28 (weak). It’s just not enough to get the blood pumping. The wind is mostly light offshore or glassy, which would be a dream if we had any swell, but we don’t.

Now, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Around Friday the 7th of August, we start to see a little bump. The afternoon sees a 1 ft swell from the west with a period of 14 seconds, and the combined energy finally climbs to 82 (still weak, but it’s movement). The wind is offshore from the NE at 9 mph, keeping things clean. It’s still “surfable but very ordinary” – not a standout by any stretch.

The real highlight, if you can call it that, comes on Saturday the 8th of August. The morning shows 2 ft from the west, period of 12 seconds, and combined energy of 159 (moderate). The offshore wind is there at 9 mph. This is the best we’re going to see in the whole window. The swell direction is right in the optimum range for this spot (W), and the wind is offshore. It’s still small, but for a break that’s fairly exposed and fairly consistent, this is your window. The afternoon on the 8th holds similar energy at 140, with a bit more wind (12 mph offshore). Crowds are listed as “sometimes” here, so with the first real surf in over a week, you might find a few others out, but it won’t be a zoo.

Sunday the 9th still offers 2 ft from the west in the morning, energy at 133 (moderate), and lighter offshore winds. It’s a decent follow-up session. After that, the energy fades again. Monday the 10th has a pulse from the SSW with a very long period of 15 seconds and energy of 164 (moderate), but with only 1 ft, that long period is gonna make it dribbly and hard to catch on a reef. The 11th and 12th drop back to poor conditions.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The standout is the morning of Saturday the 8th of August, with 2 ft west swell, offshore wind, and moderate energy. That’s your best bet. The Sunday the 9th is a close second. Anything after that is not worth paddling out for.

Stay patient, and keep an eye on the horizon. This is a long lull, but it won’t stay flat forever.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

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

Tue
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
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
0
0
0
0
0
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)
0.8
ENE
12
0.8
NE
10
0.9
NNE
9
0.9
NNE
8
0.7
NNE
8
0.2
SSW
18
0.3
SW
18
0.3
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
15
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.2
SSW
13
1
NE
8
0.8
NNE
6
0.7
NNE
6
0.7
NNE
6
0.2
W
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
0
0
0
0
0
31
49
41
65
60
55
49
46
46
17
0
0
0
0
11
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
10
NNE
10
N
5
NNE
0
SE
0
NNE
10
ENE
15
ENE
15
NE
20
NE
20
ENE
20
NE
15
NE
15
ENE
20
NE
10
NE
10
ENE
5
NNE
5
N
5
ENE
Wind State
cross-off
off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
High Tide
3:59PM0.76m
3:54AM0.27m
4:30PM0.76m
4:33AM0.31m
4:59PM0.74m
5:14AM0.34m
5:28PM0.71m
5:58AM0.38m
5:56PM0.66m
6:46AM0.42m
6:25PM0.59m
7:40AM0.47m
6:56PM0.51m
Low Tide
11:05PM0.06m
9:17AM-0.02m
11:30PM0.05m
9:55AM-0.00m
11:55PM0.04m
10:35AM0.03m
00:20AM0.03m
11:18AM0.08m
00:46AM0.02m
12:07PM0.14m
1:13AM0.01m
1:09PM0.20m
1:44AM-0.00m
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:56
5:56
5:58
5:58
5:58
5:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:01
7:00
7:00
7:00
7:00
7:00
6:59
 mm
Temp °C
29
27
28
28
27
27
28
26
28
28
25
28
28
26
27
28
25
28
28
26
Feels °C
30
30
31
31
32
31
31
28
29
29
23
28
30
27
27
29
26
30
30
29
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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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