
Surf Forecasts:
Kua Bay surf forecast from 8 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period, WSW swell with 1,101 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 8 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s 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 Tuesday (Sep 08) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Kua Bay in the next 16 days are 2.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 Thursday (Sep 10) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Kua Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
First off, I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for waves in this area. The real action, if you can call it that, is only on the very first day. After that, we’re looking at a long, dry spell with hardly anything rideable for the next 14 days or more.
We’ve got one last gasp of swell on the 8th of September, and it’s coming from the west-southwest. Kua Bay is the only spot firing, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Tuesday morning we’ve got a solid 7ft groundswell from the WSW, with a period of 11 seconds. That’s got some serious grunt, with a combined energy of 1101. But the wind is a cross-off from the SSW at 19 mph, which is okay for shape but not ideal. The water is warm at 82°, and it’s running about a degree and a half warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a nice little bonus. This wave is better for intermediate surfers; it’s a bit too much grunt for beginners. By Tuesday afternoon, the swell drops to 6ft from the W, with a period of 10 seconds, and the wind backs off to 12 mph. Still cross-off, still clean enough. These are the only two sessions worth paddling out for.
The morning session on the 8th is the standout. It’s got the size, it’s got the energy, and the wind is manageable. But it’s a fairly consistent spot, so expect a few bodies out there, especially with the waves this size. The crowd factor is “sometimes,” so you’ll be sharing waves, but it’s not a circus.
After Tuesday afternoon, the chart goes dead. Wednesday the 9th sees a tiny 2ft windswell from the W with a 7-second period, and the wind turns cross-on, making it a complete write-off. From then on, we’re looking at waves under 2ft for days on end, with periods going anywhere from 6 to 18 seconds, but the energy is basically zero. There’s a long stretch where the combined energy is down in double digits or even zero. The 10th and 11th have some long-period swell (16 and 18 seconds), but it’s only 1ft – that’s just a groundswell ripple and not enough to push you around. The wind is light and variable, mixing in some cross-off and glassy conditions, but without any swell, it’s just a flat, pretty ocean.
We get a few tiny blips around the 22nd and 23rd of September, with a 1ft swell from the NNW and a 13-second period, but the combined energy is only 31 and 28. That’s not enough to get excited about, even with glassy conditions. The whole 16-day window is a bust after the first day.
So, bottom line: grab the 8th of September at Kua Bay, Tuesday morning for the best chance. It’s a short window, but it’s the only one. The rest of the period is a flat spell, and it’s going to be a long wait.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 25°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 11 | W 10 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 7 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 15 | WSW 8 | SW 14 | SW 14 | NNE 8 | W 11 | NNE 8 | W 10 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1101 | 539 | 85 | 34 | 12 | 7 | 42 | 49 | 0 | 23 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 29 | 29 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:18PM0.82m | 2:40AM0.48m | 2:55PM0.80m | 3:19AM0.56m | 3:28PM0.76m | 3:57AM0.62m | 4:00PM0.70m | 4:35AM0.67m | 4:29PM0.63m | 5:12AM0.70m | 4:56PM0.55m | 5:50AM0.70m | 5:21PM0.47m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:06PM0.09m | 8:14AM0.08m | 9:31PM0.07m | 9:04AM0.09m | 9:55PM0.06m | 9:51AM0.11m | 10:19PM0.05m | 10:36AM0.14m | 10:41PM0.06m | 11:23AM0.19m | 11:04PM0.07m | 12:12PM0.23m | 11:26PM0.09m | ||||||||
6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | |
— | 6:32 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | 4 | — | 2 | 4 | — | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | W 10 | WNW 8 | W 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NNE 5 | NE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | SSW 15 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
1101 | 539 | 85 | 34 | 64 | 51 | 17 | 63 | 44 | 43 | 59 | 32 | 42 | 58 | 94 | 90 | 21 | 46 | 59 | 67 | 48 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 11 | NE 11 | NE 9 | NNE 8 | W 6 | SSW 13 | NE 7 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 10 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 12 | W 11 | N 5 | SW 14 | SSW 22 | SSW 21 |
145 | 134 | 62 | 44 | 12 | 33 | 18 | 49 | 67 | 23 | 57 | 57 | 49 | 29 | 29 | 15 | 9 | 15 | 8 | 46 | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | WSW 8 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | ENE 7 | SW 16 | SW 9 | NE 4 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | W 11 | SSW 15 | SW 12 | SSW 14 | W 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
84 | 82 | 33 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 42 | 16 | 5 | 65 | 21 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 22 | 6 | 20 | 8 | 18 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 88 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 53 | 51 | 0 | 100 | 97 | 20 | 26 | 100 | 4 | 30 | 30 | 39 | 98 | 100 | 14 | 98 | 39 | 14 | 98 | 100 | 14 |
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.










