Surf Forecasts:
Rockpiles surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 22 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 17s period, S swell with 587 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 22 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Rockpiles this week:
The surf forecast for Rockpiles over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Rockpiles in the next 16 days are 1.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) 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 1.5m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Rockpiles over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break it down in feet and miles per hour for you.
Listen up, crew. Rusty here. We’ve got a bit of a strange one on our hands for the next couple of weeks. The good news is, there are some windows of clean surf, but the bad news is, there are some long dry spells in between. The whole forecast period starts with a bit of a gap, so don't expect much right off the bat.
The first real sniff of something decent is on Friday, August 21st at Rockpiles. It’s a reef break, and it’s fairly consistent, so it’s got a good chance of holding some swell. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year. We’re looking at a small, clean 2 feet of swell coming from the SW, with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and it’s going to have some real push to it. The combined energy is moderate at 261, but with a light NE breeze of 6 mph creating cross-off conditions, the surface is going to be smooth. This is a solid, if small, option for the advanced surfer.
However, that window doesn’t last. From Saturday, August 22nd, right through to the end of August, the wind is going to be a real problem. Strong ENE winds, blowing 19 to 25 mph, will trash the surface. The swell will be a mix of short-period, wind-driven junk, mostly from the ENE, and the conditions will be poor. The energy will be moderate to strong, but it’s not going to be any fun to paddle out into. There’s a particular stretch from August 22nd to the 25th where the wind is strong and consistent, and the combined energy jumps into the 500 to 600 range, but it’s all wind chop. It’s a write-off for paddle surfing.
The surf quality starts to look a bit more promising around Wednesday, September 2nd. The wind finally backs off. On Wednesday morning, we’ve got a light NNE breeze of 6 mph, and a 3 feet SSW swell with a 16-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 370, and the conditions are clean. Then, on Wednesday afternoon, it gets even better – the wind goes glassy, with a 3 mph ENE breeze. That’s about as good as it gets for surface conditions. The same 3 feet, 16-second SSW swell is still running, with energy at 337. This is a standout moment for the period. It’s small, but it’s clean and the swell is good quality.
The long-range forecast into the first week of September has a couple of other interesting windows. On Monday, August 31st, the swell builds to 7 feet from the ENE with a 12-second period, but the breeze is still a fresh 22 mph. That’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The energy is very strong at 1384, but it won’t be surfable. The following day, September 1st, the swell stays big at 8 feet from the ENE, but again, the wind is a problem. That’s only for the experts, and even then, it’s marginal.
The glassy, clean conditions on September 2nd are the best bet. After that, the wind swings around from the S on September 3rd, blowing directly onshore, and the surf will get messy again. The rest of the period into September 5th is a mix of onshore wind and short-period swell, which is a no-go.
So, the takeaway is: don’t hold your breath for the next week. The standout is Wednesday, September 2nd, with that glassy afternoon session. It’s a small, clean window, but it’s the best we’ve got. The rest of the time, you’re either fighting the wind or chopping through junk.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 27°C on Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Fri afternoon, strong winds from the ENE by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSW 14 | S 18 | S 19 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
261 | 322 | 261 | 270 | 423 | 302 | 286 | 317 | 268 | 247 | 247 | 327 | 293 | 225 | 215 | 307 | 351 | 587 | 427 | 482 | |
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 | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:08AM0.21m | 1:12PM0.63m | 1:06AM0.23m | 1:52PM0.66m | 1:46AM0.26m | 2:26PM0.67m | 2:21AM0.29m | 2:56PM0.68m | 2:55AM0.33m | 3:24PM0.68m | 3:31AM0.37m | 3:53PM0.66m | 4:08AM0.41m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:41PM0.17m | 5:06AM0.12m | 9:00PM0.16m | 6:08AM0.10m | 9:18PM0.14m | 6:59AM0.08m | 9:35PM0.13m | 7:43AM0.06m | 9:53PM0.11m | 8:24AM0.05m | 10:12PM0.10m | 9:05AM0.06m | 10:32PM0.08m | |||||||
— | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
6:57 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 30 | 29 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSE 13 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 18 | S 19 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 |
67 | 322 | 261 | 255 | 212 | 101 | 191 | 100 | 168 | 156 | 127 | 85 | 142 | 121 | 215 | 307 | 351 | 587 | 427 | 482 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | S 14 | SW 15 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | E 18 |
261 | 50 | 50 | 53 | 104 | 116 | 67 | 56 | 50 | 48 | 46 | 146 | 81 | 81 | 165 | 135 | 137 | 79 | 55 | 154 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 18 | SSE 8 | SSW 17 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SSW 18 | SSE 6 | SSE 12 | SSW 16 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 |
49 | 54 | 47 | 47 | 34 | 76 | 20 | 71 | 62 | 12 | 94 | 20 | 8 | 109 | 4 | 14 | 50 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 |
106 | 144 | 173 | 270 | 423 | 302 | 286 | 317 | 268 | 247 | 247 | 327 | 293 | 225 | 194 | 139 | 155 | 98 | 111 | 119 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 38 | 39 | 38 | 41 | 127 | 38 | 38 | 38 | 30 | 32 | 38 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 44 | 30 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oahu | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Rockpiles Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Rockpiles provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Rockpiles can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Rockpiles 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 (Rockpiles) 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 Rockpiles 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.
Rockpiles is 4 km (2 miles) from Honolulu. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in Honolulu. Honolulu has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











