
Surf Forecasts:
Kua Bay surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 16s period, W swell with cross-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★+): Friday 10 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 15s period with W 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 Friday (Jul 10) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 6s. 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 0.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy 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 (Jul 11) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kua Bay over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s cookin’ at Kua Bay over the next couple of weeks. Let’s get straight into it.
Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet stretch. The first chunk of the forecast is a real struggle. We’re looking at a run of days with hardly any swell worth paddling for. From Friday the 10th all the way through to the evening of Sunday the 13th, it’s mostly tiny 1.0ft waves with weak combined swell energy (between 26 and 60). The wind is all over the shop, but the surf is just too small to get excited about. The water temp is 81°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nice for a swim, but not doing us any favours for waves.
The first faint glimmer of hope shows up on Tuesday the 14th. The morning swell bumps up to 2ft out of the west, with a period of 19 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, and the combined energy jumps to a moderate 251. The wind is a light cross-shore, so it’s not perfect but it’s a step up from flat. Wednesday the 15th is similar, with a bit more size, around 3ft (combined energy of 310), but still that cross-onshore breeze is messing with the surface. It’s still only marginal.
The pick of a pretty lean bunch looks to be Tuesday morning, July 14th. For Kua Bay, that 2ft west swell with a 19-second period is about as good as it gets in this window. The combined energy (251) tells you there’s some push behind it. It’s still light cross-shore wind, so it won’t be glassy, but a lot cleaner than what we’ve seen. The long period means longer waits between sets, which can make paddling out at this exposed spot a little easier. Kua Bay is fairly consistent when there’s swell, and it’s an exposed spot, so it grabs whatever’s out there. Keep an eye on the crowds, they can show up sometimes.
After that, it fades. The swell drops back into the 2ft to 1.0ft range through the end of the third week, with combined energy falling below 100 again. By the time we hit the 21st, it’s practically gone again, with a few days of zero swell. There’s a tiny 0.7ft pulse on the 25th, but it’s a 5-second period windswell, so it’s junk. All in all, the main event is that Tuesday the 14th morning – it’s your best shot if you’re keen, but don’t expect a classic.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fri 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 14 | W 13 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 12 | W 12 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
37 | 29 | 61 | 64 | 55 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 162 | 251 | 198 | 273 | 310 | 302 | 291 | 275 | 272 | 206 | 203 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on |
High Tide | 00:33AM0.31m | 2:08PM0.88m | 1:44AM0.30m | 2:56PM0.93m | 2:43AM0.32m | 3:41PM0.96m | 3:37AM0.34m | 4:24PM0.95m | 4:28AM0.37m | 5:04PM0.91m | 5:19AM0.41m | 5:42PM0.85m | 6:13AM0.45m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 11:30PM0.09m | 9:53AM0.01m | 00:05AM0.08m | 10:42AM0.06m | 00:39AM0.08m | 11:32AM0.14m | |||||||
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | |
7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | 7:06 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 |
Feels °C | 31 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 14 | NNE 6 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | SW 16 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | NNE 7 | W 14 | NNE 7 |
37 | 60 | 83 | 110 | 61 | 101 | 64 | 83 | 111 | 75 | 59 | 84 | 86 | 61 | 310 | 302 | 291 | 275 | 84 | 206 | 81 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | W 13 | W 14 | W 14 | SW 17 | SW 16 | W 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | NNE 7 | SW 14 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | W 15 | NNE 7 | W 14 |
14 | 29 | 61 | 64 | 77 | 66 | 28 | 62 | 57 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 198 | 273 | 43 | 50 | 89 | 66 | 272 | 56 | 203 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 17 | W 16 | SW 18 | SW 18 | W 13 | W 13 | S 10 | W 12 | W 12 | W 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 16 |
23 | 19 | 51 | 79 | 55 | 30 | 2 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 44 | 31 | 64 | 26 | 42 | 53 | 25 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
77 | — | — | — | — | — | 138 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 18 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 4 | 30 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 10 | 0 | 19 |
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.











