Surf Forecasts:
Pipeline surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 21 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SSW swell with 368 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pipeline this week:
The surf forecast for Pipeline over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pipeline in the next 16 days are 0.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.1m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pipeline over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's break down the surf for the next couple of weeks.
It's a slow start. The swell is tiny and the energy is weak, so don't bother checking the cams for a while. The water is a warm 80°, which is about average for the season.
The first chance of anything decent rolls in on the morning of Thursday, August 20th. The swell is a measly 2ft from the SW, but the period is a very long 18 seconds. That's some proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is moderate (316), and with a light 10 mph breeze from the ENE, the surface will be glassy. For a spot like Pipeline (Oahu), that long period can make the waves rear up and connect, but it can also make them a bit too straight for the beach break. Still, for the crew that knows the place, it's a hint of good things.
The real standout, as far as it goes, is the morning of Friday, August 21st. The swell is still small at 2ft from the SW, but the period is a very long 17 seconds, and the energy is up a touch (332). The wind is light and clean from the East at 6 mph. It's not a big day, but for a wave that's as tricky as Pipeline, this is the cleanest, most promising window in the whole forecast. Expect a crowd, because it's the North Shore and it's always busy.
After that, it fades fast. The wind picks up on the 22nd, and from Sunday the 23rd right through to the 1st of September, it's a long, flat spell. The wind is fresh and the swell is small and weak. The last few days of August and into September show nothing but small, weak swells with fresh breezes. It's a true dry spell. Nothing to get excited about for a while.
It's a quiet start, but that one morning on the 21st might be the only chance for a clean, if small, session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 24°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 24°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the E by Sat night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 17 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SSW 16 | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 10 | 6 | 74 | 121 | 79 | 129 | 100 | 175 | 316 | 202 | 274 | 291 | 264 | 322 | 326 | 255 | 212 | 201 | 191 | 186 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:19PM0.52m | 7:40AM0.53m | 3:28PM0.49m | 10:00AM0.55m | 11:33AM0.60m | 12:16PM0.64m | 12:49PM0.67m | 1:16PM0.70m | 11:38PM0.32m | |||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:40PM0.17m | 12:35PM0.47m | 00:09AM0.17m | 00:51AM0.18m | 2:10AM0.18m | 3:50AM0.17m | 5:00AM0.14m | 9:01PM0.30m | ||||||||||||
 |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — |
 | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 25 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | E 8 | NE 6 | E 7 | NE 7 | SW 17 | ENE 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 12 | NW 11 | NW 11 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 260 | 229 | 165 | 119 | 117 | 69 | 69 | 63 | 51 | 70 | 119 | 291 | 99 | 322 | 326 | 255 | 167 | 128 | 121 | 186 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 17 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | NNE 7 | SW 16 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | NW 11 |
| kJ | 10 | 6 | 74 | 121 | 79 | 129 | 100 | 175 | 60 | 202 | 274 | 41 | 264 | 30 | 33 | 70 | 212 | 201 | 191 | 92 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | SSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 6 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | SW 19 | S 12 | SW 18 | S 11 | S 11 | ENE 6 | W 10 | S 11 | SSE 14 | SSE 12 | S 12 | SSE 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 |
| kJ | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 28 | 28 | 92 | 71 | 316 | 39 | 38 | 24 | 33 | 21 | 66 | 30 | 46 | 59 | 23 | 38 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | NE 7 | — | — | — | ENE 7 | E 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 319 | 215 | 161 | 168 | 131 | 137 | 113 | 46 | — | 44 | — | — | — | 105 | 123 | 155 | 276 | 273 | 220 | 261 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 165 | 26 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oahu | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Pipeline surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
Information about the Pipeline Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Pipeline provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pipeline can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pipeline 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 (Pipeline) 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 Pipeline 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.
Pipeline is 19 km (12 miles) from Wahiawa. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in Wahiawa. Wahiawa has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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