Surf Forecasts:
Kua Bay surf forecast from 8 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, W swell with 235 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 19s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Kua Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Kua Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Kua Bay in the next 16 days are 0.6m 18s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 08) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 1ft (0.3m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kua Bay over the next 16 days.
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s talk about what’s happening here in the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you - there’s almost nothing worth paddling out for for a long stretch. The first solid window of surfable waves doesn’t show up until the second week. For the first week or more, from July 7th all the way through the 11th, the swell is flat to knee-high and the energy is weak as dishwater. You're looking at combined energies sitting below 30 for most of that time. The water temp at Kua Bay is 81°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that doesn’t help the surf.
The first real glimmer comes on Sunday afternoon July 12th. Swell bumps up a little, 1 ft from the SW with a period of 16 seconds, and the combined energy hits 117 – moderate but nothing to write home about. Winds go glassy late in the day, so if you’re desperate for a paddle, conditions will be clean but the waves are ordinary at best.
Things start to look a bit more interesting around Tuesday July 14th. By Tuesday afternoon the swell pushes to 2 ft from the west with a 18-second period – that's long-period groundswell, nice and clean for a point or reef setup. Kua Bay is exposed to WNW swell and this is a west swell so it lines up. The winds go glassy in the afternoon, and combined energy is 222. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s your standout right there – Tuesday July 14th afternoon. This is the closest we get to decent surf in the whole outlook.
Wednesday morning July 15th and Thursday July 16th still have some size (2 ft west swell, 16-15 second periods) but the wind turns cross-on or cross, so the surface gets a bit crinkled. Combined energy around 242 to 215 – still moderate, but not as clean.
From Friday July 17th onward, the swell slowly fades. By the end of the second week and into the third, we’re back to tiny slop or flat. The last few days show zero swell energy. So overall, if you want to surf here, your one real shot is Tuesday afternoon July 14th at Kua Bay. It’s not overhead, it’s clean, and the wind is glass – that’s as good as it gets for this run.
Stay patient. Sometimes it goes quiet before it gets good again.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 16 | NE 7 | W 15 | W 14 | W 16 | W 13 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | WNW 19 | W 19 | W 18 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 0 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 31 | 37 | 32 | 61 | 64 | 55 | 30 | 89 | 86 | 78 | 71 | 178 | 235 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | off | on |
High Tide | 8:37PM0.48m | 11:22AM0.64m | 9:39PM0.40m | 12:22PM0.73m | 11:07PM0.34m | 1:17PM0.81m | 00:33AM0.31m | 2:08PM0.88m | 1:44AM0.30m | 2:56PM0.93m | 2:43AM0.32m | 3:41PM0.96m | 3:37AM0.34m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:53PM0.37m | 3:41AM0.09m | 6:03PM0.35m | 4:30AM0.07m | 7:43PM0.29m | 5:25AM0.05m | 8:45PM0.22m | 6:22AM0.02m | 9:33PM0.17m | 7:18AM-0.00m | 10:14PM0.13m | 8:12AM-0.02m | 10:53PM0.10m | 9:03AM-0.02m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  |  | | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 |
 | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | 7:06 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | SSW 13 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | W 14 | W 14 | NNE 7 | SW 17 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | SW 15 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 |
| kJ | 117 | 93 | 68 | 116 | 79 | 79 | 16 | 83 | 74 | 80 | 32 | 61 | 113 | 77 | 86 | 131 | 131 | 78 | 96 | 53 | 98 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 14 | SSW 12 | W 13 | W 14 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | W 14 | W 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | ENE 8 | SW 14 | W 19 | W 18 |
| kJ | 40 | 39 | 40 | 37 | 35 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 31 | 37 | 37 | 51 | 64 | 55 | 66 | 89 | 86 | 6 | 54 | 178 | 235 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 14 | SW 13 | W 16 | — | W 15 | W 18 | W 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | W 16 | S 12 | SW 18 | S 11 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | WNW 19 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | — | 7 | 7 | 5 | — | 17 | 6 | 20 | 14 | 14 | 20 | 3 | 79 | 2 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 71 | 51 | 47 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 93 | — | — | — | 96 | 124 | — | 75 | — | — | — | 97 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 4 | 101 | 4 | 4 | 100 | 4 | 4 | 100 | 4 | 4 | 32 | 14 | 20 | 30 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 28 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Kua Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Kua Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Kua Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Kua Bay 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 (Kua Bay) 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 Kua Bay 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.
Kua Bay is 97 km (60 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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