Surf Forecasts:
Pohoiki surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 21 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 15s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 16s period, S swell with 615 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 16 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s 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 Thursday (Jul 16) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Pohoiki in the next 16 days are 1.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 18s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Mon 20th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Pohoiki over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for our local waters.
We're going to have a tough start, with the first week and a half looking pretty grim. The first real possibility of a wave doesn't show up until Saturday the 18th, and even then it's a marginal call. For the most part, we're looking at small, choppy, cross-onshore junk. The wind is just not playing ball, and the swell is weak and short-period. The water temp is sitting around 80°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so you can't blame the ocean for that.
The real standout window is looking like a long-range promise. The last week of July and into the 29th shows a lot more energy building. The combined wave energy climbs from 1193 all the way up to 2362, and that's a serious amount of grunt. The swell direction shifts to the east and east-northeast, which is the right direction for Pohoiki. These are long-period groundswells, 14 to 16 seconds, which means better shaped waves, more push, and longer lulls between sets. That's a good thing for a reef break like Pohoiki, as it won't just close out.
The downside is the wind. It's forecast to be cross or cross-onshore, not the clean offshore we'd dream of. The waves will be a bit lumpy, but with that much energy and size, it'll still be rideable. The swell on the 28th tops out at 8 to 8 feet, which is expert territory. That's a big, powerful wave at Pohoiki, and it'll be a handful. The 27th and 29th offer slightly smaller, more manageable 5 to 8 foot waves, but the wind is more onshore those days.
So, here's the call. The best bet on offer is the morning of Monday, July 28th. The swell is a solid 8 feet from the east-northeast, the combined energy is a massive 2354, and the wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it'll be the cleanest of the big days. This is a powerful, long-period groundswell, perfect for the reef. Just be aware, it's a big one, so this is for experienced surfers only. The other morning to keep an eye on is Sunday, July 26th. The swell is smaller at 5 feet, but the energy is still high (1193), and the wind is cross-shore, making for a more accessible and fun day.
Remember, this is a long-range forecast, so things could change, but the potential is there. For the first week, save your energy. The ocean is not giving us anything.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 26°C on Thu morning, min 23°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Warm (max 26°C on Fri morning, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | E 8 | NNE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | NNE 8 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 138 | 99 | 81 | 115 | 109 | 58 | 60 | 116 | 199 | 226 | 236 | 286 | 392 | 501 | 546 | 428 | 498 | 343 | 600 | 520 | 506 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:57PM1.15m | 3:42AM0.57m | 4:36PM1.12m | 4:32AM0.60m | 5:13PM1.06m | 5:23AM0.62m | 5:47PM0.97m | 6:17AM0.64m | 6:18PM0.87m | 7:17AM0.66m | 6:46PM0.76m | 8:27AM0.67m | 7:13PM0.66m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:44AM-0.04m | 10:44PM0.20m | 9:31AM-0.01m | 11:20PM0.19m | 10:16AM0.06m | 11:56PM0.18m | 11:02AM0.15m | 00:30AM0.18m | 11:49AM0.25m | 1:04AM0.18m | 12:42PM0.37m | 1:39AM0.19m | 1:51PM0.46m | 2:18AM0.20m | |||||||
 | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — |
 | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — |
mm | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 8 | NNE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 |
| kJ | 138 | 92 | 81 | 115 | 109 | 58 | 48 | 116 | 109 | 226 | 236 | 286 | 392 | 501 | 546 | 428 | 321 | 255 | 178 | 139 | 145 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | E 7 | S 9 | S 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | N 7 | SSW 16 | NNE 7 | S 14 | SSW 14 | S 13 | S 18 | S 18 | S 16 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 |
| kJ | 62 | 99 | 69 | 25 | 21 | 46 | 60 | 30 | 56 | 39 | 198 | 54 | 150 | 154 | 82 | 167 | 498 | 343 | 600 | 520 | 506 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | N 7 | SSW 15 | N 7 | NNE 7 | NNE 8 | S 12 | N 7 | N 8 | NNE 8 | SW 18 | E 11 |
| kJ | 78 | 50 | 42 | 42 | 42 | 17 | 40 | 174 | 237 | 85 | 28 | 167 | 26 | 17 | 21 | 78 | 39 | 33 | 20 | 12 | 9 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 8 | E 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 78 | 199 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 50 | 110 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 37 | 37 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 0 | 37 | 37 | 35 | 120 | 120 | 116 | 121 | 116 | 35 | 211 | 211 | 116 | 110 | 110 | 0 |
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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