
Surf Forecasts:
Pohoiki surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 11s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 8s period, E swell with 501 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 11s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Pohoiki this week:
The surf forecast for Pohoiki over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pohoiki in the next 16 days are 2.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 16s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pohoiki over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I'm looking at the Big Island surf scene for the next couple of weeks. To be honest, the outlook for Pohoiki is a bit of a mixed bag of marginal conditions and raw, unfriendly energy. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The pattern is a long stretch of mushy, wind-affected surf with a few brief windows of cleaner, but still small, waves. The standout period comes right at the start, but it's a short-lived window.
Monday, August 3rd is your best bet. The morning session at Pohoiki (Hawaii) sees a clean 4ft of ENE swell, but here's the kicker – the wind is a light, cross-shore breeze from the NE at 6 mph. That's going to keep the surface glassy and clean. The swell period is a short 8 seconds, so it won't have much punch, but it's rideable. The combined energy is moderate (450). Crowds are a possibility here, so expect some company. Tuesday morning, August 4th, is a similar story with a slightly bigger 5ft swell and a much better 11-second period, which will give the waves a bit more shape and power. The wind stays light and cross-shore. That's your best two-session window.
After that, things get more challenging. From Tuesday afternoon through to the 16th, the wind picks up and turns onshore or cross-onshore, turning the surf into a choppy, bumpy mess. The swell direction shifts around, and the scores drop hard. There's a period around the 9th and 10th where the swell size bumps up to 7ft, but with strong onshore winds and a very short period, it's ugly. Too messy for a paddleboard.
A real weird one happens on Wednesday, August 12th. A long-period groundswell from the south sneaks in with a 3ft swell, but a massive 18-second period. The combined energy is strong (878). The problem? The wind is still cross-onshore, and that big, long-period swell is going to break straight and fat at a place like Pohoiki, which is a reef break. It's a tease. The same long-period energy sticks around through the 14th, but the wind is rotten.
The very end of the run, on Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th, shows some potential if the wind lays down. The swell is back to 5-5ft from the ESE, but the wind is forecast to be cross-shore and light at times. The real spike is on Sunday afternoon, August 16th, with a 8ft swell from the E and a huge combined energy of 1717. That's a lot of power, but it's also pushing into the "experts only" zone. The wind is still cross-onshore, so it's going to be a raw, powerful, ugly beast. Not for the faint of heart.
Bottom line: Hit it Monday morning, August 3rd, or Tuesday morning, August 4th, for the cleanest, most fun waves. Everything else is a long shot against the wind. If you're a kite surfer, the 9th through the 11th might be more your jam than mine.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 26°C on Wed night, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | E 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
352 | 234 | 186 | 478 | 460 | 331 | 290 | 186 | 145 | 117 | 143 | 67 | 92 | 132 | 135 | 160 | 108 | 169 | 441 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:23AM0.71m | 5:58PM0.78m | 7:23AM0.72m | 6:26PM0.69m | 8:41AM0.75m | 6:59PM0.60m | 10:15AM0.80m | 7:53PM0.51m | 11:40AM0.87m | 10:11PM0.45m | 12:44PM0.96m | 00:00AM0.46m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:08AM0.16m | 11:58AM0.33m | 00:40AM0.15m | 12:59PM0.42m | 1:20AM0.15m | 2:37PM0.49m | 2:13AM0.16m | 5:28PM0.49m | 3:25AM0.15m | 7:18PM0.42m | 4:47AM0.13m | 8:00PM0.34m | |||||||
— | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
6:54 | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 20 |
Temp °C | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 25 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NE 9 | NE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 8 |
352 | 234 | 186 | 478 | 460 | 331 | 290 | 186 | 145 | 117 | 101 | 67 | 44 | 132 | 135 | 160 | 108 | 169 | 441 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 12 | ENE 11 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | NE 7 | S 11 | NE 8 | NE 9 | NE 10 | NE 9 | SSW 13 |
158 | 184 | 170 | 41 | 30 | 27 | 35 | 14 | 27 | 23 | 25 | 34 | 53 | 20 | 18 | 31 | 34 | 51 | 68 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | N 8 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SE 8 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | NE 10 | S 14 | NE 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | NE 9 |
87 | 32 | 49 | 48 | 43 | 23 | 45 | 24 | 46 | 69 | 39 | 37 | 27 | 36 | 21 | 42 | 70 | 64 | 31 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 8 | — | E 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | — |
— | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 143 | — | 92 | 79 | 65 | 94 | 104 | 86 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 44 | 35 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 37 | 37 | 36 | 37 | 116 | 35 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Big Island | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Pohoiki Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Pohoiki provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Pohoiki can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Pohoiki 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 (Pohoiki) 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 Pohoiki 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.
Pohoiki is 39 km (24 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.











