Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Break

Lat Long: 20.05° N 155.84° W

Kawaihae Breakwater Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 04 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Kawaihae Breakwater sea temperature is
27.2° 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 5 Aug 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 0.5ft (0.2m), 19s period, SSW swell with 35 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 0.2m 19s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 6s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 2PM.

Wave TypeTime (HST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 8AM (Sat 8th Aug)0.5ft (0.2m) 19s

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 on the cards for the Kawaihae Breakwater (Big Island) area over the next couple of weeks.

To be honest, if you're looking for a proper day of surfing, you're going to have to be patient. There's a real dry spell happening right now. The first week and a half is basically a write-off. From Tuesday, August 4th, right through to the 12th, it's poor surf conditions with tiny waves. You'll be looking at ankle-snappers around 0.7ft to 1.0ft, with a weak combined swell energy reading between 15 and 48. It's clean, with some nice light offshore winds and even a few glassy windows, but there's just no swell to work with. That first solid week is a gap of nothing.

Things start to get a little more interesting from Thursday, August 13th. We finally see the swell energy pick up, with a combined energy reading of 71. The surf is still small, just 1ft, but it's a long-period groundswell from the WNW at 15 seconds. That period is a good sign, suggesting some proper shape and push, especially for a reef break like Kawaihae. The winds are offshore, so it should be clean, but it's still described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." The water temperature is a comfortable 81°F, and that's about normal for the time of year.

The standout window, and what I'd call the best on offer, is over the weekend of August 15th and 16th. We see the swell nudging up to 2ft from the W, with a really nice long period of 15 seconds. The combined energy is solid, hitting 155 to 156. This is where the long-period groundswell really starts to show its teeth. The winds are light offshore, so the waves should be clean and lined up. This isn't a day for the foam boards – the period is long, meaning the sets will be more powerful and have longer waits between them. Makes paddling out easier, but when they come, they'll have some punch. It's still small, but for a reef break, that's a nice, rideable size. The crowds are listed as "sometimes," so you might have a few friends out, but nothing inevitable.

The run into the following week, from August 17th to 19th, holds onto similar conditions. We're looking at 2ft to 2ft swells from the W, with periods of 13 to 15 seconds. The energy is moderate, with readings hovering around the 100 to 175 mark. The winds stay offshore, keeping it clean. While it's not a massive swell, it's the most consistent and cleanest run of small-to-medium surf in the entire 16-day forecast. It's a consistent, quiet period for those who are keen.

The bottom line: this is a slow start, but the second week has a persistent, clean, long-period groundswell that will make the Kawaihae Breakwater a fun, mellow wave. The best bet is the weekend of the 15th and 16th, with the Monday and Tuesday after also looking promising.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

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

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Tue
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
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)
0.2
W
11
0.2
W
13
0.4
NE
9
0.2
W
12
0.2
W
12
0.2
W
12
0.2
W
12
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
13
0.2
SSW
13
0.2
SSW
18
0.2
SSW
18
0.2
SSW
18
0.3
W
13
0.3
W
12
0.3
W
11
0.3
W
11
0.3
W
10
0.2
SSW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
10
12
0
11
11
11
12
20
18
18
17
32
31
30
29
25
22
21
19
24
Wind (km/h)
5
ENE
5
ENE
5
NNE
5
NE
5
ESE
5
NNE
5
N
10
ENE
15
NE
5
NE
10
ENE
5
NE
15
NE
10
ENE
5
NE
10
ENE
10
ENE
10
NNE
5
NE
10
ENE
Wind State
off
glassy
off
glassy
glassy
off
glassy
off
off
glassy
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
7:30PM0.41m
9:54AM0.57m
8:12PM0.32m
11:08AM0.63m
9:29PM0.23m
12:16PM0.69m
11:28PM0.19m
1:16PM0.76m
1:00AM0.19m
2:08PM0.80m
2:05AM0.23m
2:55PM0.83m
2:57AM0.27m
Low Tide
2:34PM0.25m
2:20AM-0.00m
4:37PM0.27m
3:05AM-0.01m
6:57PM0.22m
4:04AM-0.01m
8:13PM0.15m
5:14AM-0.02m
8:57PM0.09m
6:24AM-0.04m
9:32PM0.05m
7:27AM-0.07m
10:05PM0.02m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:59
6:58
6:57
6:57
6:55
6:55
6:54
 mm
2
1
Temp °C
28
26
28
28
26
27
27
26
28
28
26
28
28
26
28
27
26
28
28
26
Feels °C
31
29
30
31
30
30
31
29
29
29
29
30
31
27
32
31
29
31
32
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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