Surf Forecasts:
Pohoiki surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period, ENE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 13s period, ENE swell with 1,960 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s. 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 2.4m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 12s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 8ft (2.4m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pohoiki over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s brewing for the Pohoiki area. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The water temp is sitting at 81°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The opening act kicks off Friday, September 4th, with a solid 7 ft east swell rolling in. The energy is strong, clocking in at 2324, and the period is a meaty 14 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. But here’s the rub: the wind is a cross-onshore ENE breeze at 12 mph, which is gonna chop things up. It’s not the cleanest start, but there’s size. The swell holds through the weekend, with Saturday morning seeing 7 ft from the ENE, but the wind stays cross-shore, keeping it a little bumpy. The energy is still high on Saturday afternoon at 2099, but the conditions are just marginal.
Honestly, the best bet for a clean session looks like Saturday, September 12th. The morning brings a 8 ft swell from the ENE with a short period of 9 seconds, but we’ve got cross-offshore winds from the north at 16 mph. The report says "clean" – and that’s the word we like to hear. The energy is moderate at 856, but the wind will make it the most user-friendly wave of the run so far. Into the afternoon, the swell drops to 6 ft from the ESE, and the wind goes cross-offshore from the NNW, keeping it clean. That afternoon session is the standout for the whole forecast – the wave quality will be there.
After that, the conditions get a bit more challenging. The swell builds again, with Tuesday, September 15th, seeing a 10 ft east swell. That’s big, over 8 ft, so this is strictly for the experts. The period is a short 9 seconds, so it’ll be a bit crumbly, and the wind is cross-onshore, making it lumpy. The energy is massive at 2396, but it’s not going to be a pretty wave.
The last week of the forecast sees the swell slowly drop off, with most days offering 6 ft to 7 ft from the east, but the wind stays cross-shore or cross-on, keeping the surf a bit messy. The energy drops into the three-digit range, so it’s less punchy. By the final weekend, September 19th, we’re down to 4 ft, with light winds, but it’s pretty weak.
Overall, if you’re after a clean wave, mark your calendar for Saturday, September 12th. That’s the one. The rest of the window is sizeable but scrappy. Surf’s up, but it’s a bit of a puzzle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 24°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Mon morning, min 24°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Tue night, fresh winds from the NE by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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) | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 11 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1668 | 1645 | 1449 | 1765 | 1960 | 1438 | 1231 | 1158 | 1018 | 1144 | 905 | 548 | 314 | 399 | 372 | 282 | 273 | 215 | 280 | 291 | 1019 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 9:58AM0.82m | 11:28AM0.88m | 10:59PM0.42m | 12:29PM0.94m | 00:24AM0.49m | 1:15PM1.00m | 1:17AM0.58m | 1:53PM1.02m | 2:01AM0.67m | 2:28PM1.02m | 2:41AM0.75m | 2:59PM0.98m | 3:19AM0.82m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:01AM0.20m | 7:14PM0.35m | 4:45AM0.19m | 7:39PM0.28m | 6:01AM0.14m | 8:04PM0.22m | 7:00AM0.10m | 8:30PM0.17m | 7:49AM0.09m | 8:56PM0.13m | 8:33AM0.09m | 9:20PM0.10m | |||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — |
 | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:25 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 24 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | ENE 12 | NE 11 | NE 9 | NE 9 | E 14 | ENE 13 | ENE 13 | ENE 7 | ENE 13 | ENE 8 | ENE 12 |
| kJ | 1668 | 1645 | 1449 | 1765 | 1960 | 1438 | 1231 | 1158 | 1018 | 1144 | 905 | 548 | 314 | 225 | 372 | 282 | 273 | 215 | 178 | 291 | 1019 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | E 14 | ENE 8 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | ENE 12 | SSW 13 | ENE 13 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 647 | 486 | 128 | 185 | 205 | 169 | 169 | 134 | 422 | 498 | 547 | 507 | 381 | 399 | 103 | 201 | 187 | 195 | 96 | 229 | 49 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 21 | S 13 | SSW 12 | S 9 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | S 8 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | NNE 8 | SSE 10 | SSW 13 | SE 9 | S 13 | SE 9 |
| kJ | 9 | 88 | 184 | 81 | 139 | 52 | 52 | 71 | 86 | 86 | 153 | 239 | 302 | 376 | 273 | 52 | 36 | 135 | 21 | 82 | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 8 | S 8 | ESE 4 | — | — | E 7 | ENE 7 | NNE 7 | ENE 7 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 140 | 169 | 11 | — | — | 88 | 164 | 77 | 280 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 213 | 116 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 0 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 37 | 121 | 35 | 37 | 36 | 35 | 37 | 213 | 121 | 37 | 37 | 37 |
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.
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