
Surf Forecasts:
Kua Bay surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, W swell with glassy 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★+): Sunday 12 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s 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 Sunday (Jul 12) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period. 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 1.0m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Sun 12th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 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. Let's have a look at what Kua Bay has cookin' for us over the next couple of weeks.
First things first, the water is sitting at a balmy 80° – that's about one degree warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s a touch toastier than normal. Feels good on the skin.
The overall pattern is pretty quiet. We've got a long stretch of small, weak surf, but there is one little window that stands out as the best bet. Don't expect any fireworks, but there’s a session or two to be had if you’re keen.
Kicking off the action on Sunday afternoon, July 12th, we see a tiny, long-period groundswell creep in from the SW – 1ft at 16 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 117 (moderate wave energy). Now, the wind goes glassy, which is a major positive. It’ll be clean as a whistle, but with waves that small and that long a period, it’s more of a log or a longboard session. Paddling out will be easy between sets, but you’ll be waiting a while for a ride. The optimum swell here is from the WNW, so this SW direction isn't ideal, but glassy conditions make just about anything rideable.
Then we roll into Monday morning, July 13th. Still tiny – 1ft from the SW at 15 seconds (125 energy). The wind is glassy again, offering another clean window. It’s the same story: small, slow, and clean. If you’ve got a big board, you might snag a few, but it’s not going to set the world on fire.
By Wednesday morning, July 15th, we finally see a little bump. The swell pushes up to 3ft from the W at 16 seconds (310 energy). This is the standout of the whole outlook. The wind is a light off-shore from the SSW, which will groom the faces nicely. The swell direction is close to the optimum WNW, and the period is long enough to give the waves some shape and push. It’s still small, but for the size, this is the cleanest and most energetic the bay will be. Keep in mind, the crowds at Kua Bay can pop up sometimes, so don't be surprised to see a few others out.
After that, it’s a slow fade. Thursday the 16th offers similar 3ft swell but the wind clocks onshore from the WNW, killing the quality. From Friday the 17th onward, the swell drops back down below 2ft, and the combined energy readings fall off a cliff, mostly in the double digits. We get a complete flat spell from the morning of Monday, July 20th all the way through the end of the window on Monday, July 27th. That's over a full week of barely a ripple.
So, the short version: the real window is Wednesday morning, July 15th. It’s not huge, but with that clean offshore wind and a solid period, it’s the best you’re going to get. Everything else is either flat or blown out. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, that Wednesday morning is your play.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 27°C on Sun morning, min 24°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 12 | 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 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
54 | 89 | 86 | 78 | 26 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 310 | 302 | 291 | 275 | 272 | 206 | 203 | 146 | 140 | 89 | 57 | 57 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 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 | 6:17PM0.77m | 7:09AM0.48m | 6:50PM0.67m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:11AM0.09m | 12:27PM0.22m | 1:43AM0.10m | ||||||||
5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | |
— | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:05 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 30 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | SW 15 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 15 | NE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NE 7 | NE 5 | NE 7 | NE 5 |
101 | 117 | 107 | 78 | 75 | 53 | 59 | 88 | 72 | 310 | 302 | 291 | 275 | 69 | 59 | 42 | 54 | 46 | 17 | 44 | 19 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 12 | SW 14 | W 18 | W 19 | W 16 | W 17 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | W 15 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 14 | W 13 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 |
66 | 89 | 86 | 26 | 54 | 162 | 251 | 267 | 270 | 70 | 62 | 62 | 70 | 272 | 206 | 203 | 146 | 140 | 89 | 57 | 57 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | W 16 | W 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 9 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 6 |
54 | 28 | 26 | 21 | 26 | 51 | 47 | 46 | 44 | 44 | 50 | 63 | 42 | 42 | 99 | 55 | 49 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 14 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 101 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 32 | 22 | 17 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 17 | 0 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 32 | 97 | 4 |
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.










