
Surf Forecasts:
Kawaihae Breakwater surf forecast from 30 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 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (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, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's brewing for the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – it's a tough start. We're looking at a solid block of days with next to nothing on the menu. From Thursday, the 30th of July, all the way through to the morning of Friday, the 7th of August, the surf is flat or just offering tiny, weak dribbles that aren't worth paddling out for. The water temp is sitting at a warm 80°, which is about average for this time of year, but that's the only nice thing I can say about this stretch.
The first real flicker of life shows up on Friday afternoon, the 7th of August. We'll see a tiny pulse of swell start to fill in, but it's still very ordinary. The waves are small, and the energy is low (96). It's not until the morning of Saturday, the 8th of August, that we start to see something you can actually ride. The swell bumps up to 2ft from the west, with a moderate energy level (119), and the wind is a nice light offshore from the NE, keeping things clean. The period is 13 seconds, which is a solid groundswell. This is where the week starts to turn.
The standout window, and I mean the real standout, is shaping up for the second week. Sunday, the 9th of August, offers more of the same – 2ft west swell with clean conditions – but the real joy is on the horizon. Look at Monday the 10th of August. The morning is glassy, with a 2ft west swell, but the period jumps to 14 seconds, and the energy kicks up to a solid 234. That's a proper groundswell with some push. The afternoon is a bit riskier with a chance of thunderstorms, but the wind is still light offshore. Tuesday the 11th is another beauty, with the swell holding at 2ft from the west, a 14-second period, and glassy conditions in the afternoon. It's clean, it's got energy, and for a reef break like Kawaihae Breakwater, this long-period west swell is exactly what it wants.
The best of the best, however, is looking like Thursday the 14th of August. The morning sees a 3ft west swell with a 14-second period and a strong energy reading of 286. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the east, which should keep the face tidy. The afternoon gets even better, with the swell lifting to 3ft from the west, with a 14-second period and a very healthy energy of 350. This is the best surf we've got in the whole window. It's not huge, but it's consistent, clean, and has real power. The crowds at Kawaihae Breakwater can be a factor sometimes, so get in early.
To wrap it up: if you're a beginner, the swell stays under 5ft the whole time, so you're fine. For the experts, it won't be a big-day session, but the quality on offer from the 10th to the 14th is sweet. The long period (14-15 seconds) will make for nice, lined-up waves at this reef, but don't expect it to wall up too much at a beach break. This is a point-and-reef setup, and it's going to love it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNE 7 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NNE 6 | NE 8 | NNE 6 | W 11 | NE 8 | NE 9 | W 11 | SSW 11 | W 12 | W 12 | W 13 | W 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
0 | 49 | 41 | 65 | 60 | 55 | 49 | 29 | 47 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 32 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 8:43AM0.52m | 7:30PM0.41m | 9:54AM0.57m | 8:12PM0.32m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 2:34PM0.25m | 2:20AM-0.00m | 4:37PM0.27m | 3:05AM-0.01m | |||||||
5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
— | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:58 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 31 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | SW 15 | SW 15 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 8 | NNE 6 | NE 8 | NNE 6 | NE 7 | NNE 6 | NNE 6 | ENE 11 | NNE 5 | NE 10 | NE 5 | NE 6 | NE 5 |
21 | 70 | 46 | 43 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 140 | 86 | 34 | 53 | 42 | 51 | 21 | 19 | 47 | 19 | 98 | 14 | 20 | 13 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | N 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NE 8 | NE 6 | NE 8 | W 11 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NNE 6 | ENE 11 | W 12 | NE 9 | NE 9 | W 13 |
14 | 49 | 41 | 65 | 13 | 13 | 46 | 29 | 47 | 35 | 19 | 33 | 10 | 32 | 19 | 11 | 46 | 12 | 21 | 12 | 32 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | N 9 | S 12 | N 8 | SW 14 | E 14 | N 11 | N 9 | N 6 | N 9 | N 8 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | W 11 | SSW 11 | N 10 | W 12 | W 13 | NE 8 |
3 | 28 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 49 | 4 | 9 | 16 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 15 | 29 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 11 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | NNE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 64 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 86 | 87 | 35 | 88 | 88 | 35 | 35 | 91 | 35 | 88 | 88 | 46 | 86 | 126 | 49 | 87 | 86 | 46 | 87 | 88 | 35 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











