
Surf Forecasts:
Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 13 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s period, W swell with offshore 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★+): Monday 13 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s 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 0.9m 7s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| 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.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – the next 16 days are a bit of a mixed bag for Kawaihae Breakwater. We’ve got a small window of clean, fun waves early on, but then it fades into a long stretch of flatness and poor conditions. The good news is that when it’s on, it’s really on.
Let’s start with the standout. The best surfing on offer is Tuesday, July 14th, through to Thursday, July 16th. We’ve got a sweet little pulse of swell from the west, building from 2ft to 3ft. The real kicker is the wind – it goes glassy calm, especially on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday morning and afternoon, and Thursday morning. That’s going to mean silky clean, smooth faces at this reef break. The combined wave energy is moderate, hitting 301 to 353 (moderate energy), and the swell period is a nice long 15 to 16 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, meaning well-shaped, juicy waves with good gaps between sets. The water temp is 80°, which is about 1° warmer than normal, so it’s nice and warm for the time of year. Crowds can show up here sometimes, so keep that in mind.
Monday, July 13th, is a bit of a warm-up – we’ve got 1ft of swell from the southwest, but it’s a bit on the weaker side with combined energy of just 104 (weak energy). Wind is offshore from the NE at 12 mph, so it’s clean, but the waves are small and ordinary. Not worth rushing out for.
After Thursday, things start to drop off. Friday, July 17th, has 2ft to 2ft of west swell, but the energy drops to 146 to 228 (weak to moderate), and the wind shifts to a light offshore, so it’s still clean, but the waves are getting smaller and less punchy. Saturday, July 18th, drops further to 2ft, and by Sunday, July 19th, we’re down to 1ft with combined energy of just 29 to 30 (weak energy). That’s when the poor conditions kick in and the surf quality really falls off.
From Monday, July 20th, all the way through to Tuesday, July 28th, it’s mostly flat or tiny – 0.3ft to 0.7ft at best. The combined energy is mostly below 50 (weak energy), and the swell direction swings around to the SSW, which isn’t ideal for this break. There are long gaps of several days here with no real surf to recommend. The wind is often glassy or light offshore, but with no swell, it’s just a flat ocean. A few days around July 23rd have a bit of a long-period pulse (21 seconds), but the swell height is only 0.7ft, so it’s not going to do anything for you.
Honestly, if you’ve got a kite, the conditions from July 20th onward might be more interesting for you than for a paddle surfer, but for a wave, it’s a no-go.
So, the call is: hit it from Tuesday, July 14th, through Thursday, July 16th, while the glassy conditions and waist-high west swell are lining up. After that, it’s a long wait for something to turn around. Forecasts can change though, so keep an eye on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 27°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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 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 | W 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
78 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 310 | 302 | 291 | 275 | 272 | 206 | 203 | 146 | 138 | 89 | 87 | 57 | 30 | 29 | 29 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 8:35AM0.44m | 7:42PM0.51m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:51PM0.22m | 2:39AM0.02m | |||||||
5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 |
Feels °C | 25 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | W 16 | NNE 7 | W 15 | W 15 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 6 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | NNE 6 |
84 | 61 | 41 | 57 | 78 | 64 | 310 | 62 | 291 | 275 | 67 | 61 | 65 | 45 | 62 | 65 | 38 | 41 | 41 | 56 | 33 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | NNE 7 | W 15 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | ENE 6 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 |
78 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 47 | 302 | 66 | 70 | 272 | 206 | 203 | 146 | 138 | 89 | 25 | 57 | 30 | 29 | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | W 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | NNE 8 | SW 10 | SW 9 | W 13 | SW 8 | ENE 7 | NNE 8 | ENE 7 |
26 | 26 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 43 | 50 | 63 | 26 | 42 | 14 | 25 | 19 | 25 | 21 | 87 | 11 | 5 | 12 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 88 | 98 | 46 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.










