Surf Forecasts:
Tankers surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 17s period, S swell with 998 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 19s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tankers this week:
The surf forecast for Tankers over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tankers in the next 16 days are 1.3m 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (HST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tankers over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up at Tankers. It’s a reef break, consistent, and can get pretty crowded. Water temp is sitting around 82°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell. The first few days are a write-off, honestly. Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are looking poor, with messy cross-offshore winds and weak, short-period slop. The combined energy is moderate at best, but the wave quality is just not there. You’d be better off staying home.
We start to see a glimmer of hope on Thursday the 27th morning. The swell picks up a bit to 4ft from the south, with a very long period of 17 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1093. The wind is still cross-offshore, but it’s a lighter breeze. This is a reef, so that long period should wrap in nicely. It’s still a marginal call, though, and the afternoon drops off.
Friday the 28th and Saturday the 29th are back to smaller, weaker stuff. The long-period swell is still around, but the height is down to 3ft-3ft, and the wind is puffing up again. It’s inconsistent and not worth getting excited about. The rest of the first week and into the start of September is a long stretch of poor to marginal conditions. The wind stays stubbornly cross-offshore, and the swell is either too small or too weak. There’s a solid 8 or 9 days here where you’d be wasting your time.
Now, if you’ve got some patience, there’s a real standout on the horizon. Skip ahead to Sunday the 6th of September. That afternoon, the stars align. The swell is 3ft from the SSW, with a very long period of 16 seconds and a combined energy of 1148 – that’s strong. But the real kicker is the wind. It’s a gentle breeze, cross-offshore, and the report says “clean.” That’s the kind of glassy, offshore-angled wind that makes a reef like Tankers absolutely sing. The report calls it “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and I’d agree. For a reef break, that long period is going to push in some clean, powerful lines with nice gaps between sets. It’s the best on offer, by a long shot.
Monday the 7th of September is worth a mention, too. The swell is still there, 4ft from the east in the morning and 4ft from the SSW in the afternoon, with strong energy. The wind is lighter, but it’s more onshore, so the quality won’t be as pristine as the day before. Still a solid option if you missed Sunday.
Tuesday the 8th of September afternoon sees another bump. 5ft east swell, 12-second period, combined energy of 1070, and the wind is back to a clean cross-offshore. It’s a close second to that Sunday session.
That’s the long and short of it. There’s a big dry spell, but if you can wait until the 6th of September, you’ll be rewarded.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | E 7 | E 7 | SSW 14 | S 18 | S 19 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | E 7 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 19 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
202 | 198 | 200 | 236 | 395 | 458 | 998 | 527 | 582 | 329 | 399 | 225 | 219 | 215 | 188 | 226 | 162 | 199 | 191 | 180 | 190 | |
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 | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:45PM0.72m | 2:41AM0.35m | 3:13PM0.72m | 3:16AM0.40m | 3:40PM0.70m | 3:53AM0.45m | 4:05PM0.67m | 4:31AM0.50m | 4:31PM0.62m | 5:12AM0.55m | 4:56PM0.56m | 5:56AM0.58m | 5:20PM0.49m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:43PM0.15m | 8:10AM0.07m | 10:00PM0.13m | 8:51AM0.08m | 10:18PM0.11m | 9:32AM0.10m | 10:37PM0.10m | 10:15AM0.14m | 10:58PM0.09m | 11:02AM0.18m | 11:20PM0.08m | 11:55AM0.24m | 11:45PM0.07m | ||||||||
6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | |
— | 6:53 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:51 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 18 | S 19 | S 17 | S 16 | S 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 16 | S 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | S 10 |
117 | 196 | 167 | 236 | 395 | 458 | 998 | 527 | 582 | 329 | 399 | 225 | 219 | 215 | 138 | 226 | 136 | 199 | 191 | 180 | 52 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 9 | SSW 12 | E 18 | SSW 11 | E 15 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | SSW 17 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 19 |
146 | 81 | 81 | 235 | 135 | 135 | 9 | 82 | 24 | 38 | 67 | 103 | 89 | 84 | 188 | 46 | 162 | 85 | 82 | 82 | 190 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | S 18 | SSE 12 | SSE 6 | SSW 16 | WNW 10 | SSE 6 | NW 9 | E 16 | SSW 19 | SW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | E 12 | SSE 12 | ENE 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | SSW 19 | SW 15 |
14 | 13 | 167 | 14 | 8 | 50 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 45 | 35 | 90 | 123 | 115 | 73 | 48 | 40 | 37 | 33 | 119 | 116 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 8 |
202 | 198 | 200 | 144 | 143 | 119 | 95 | 108 | 116 | 100 | 139 | 171 | 154 | 211 | 187 | 218 | 218 | 157 | 134 | 186 | 272 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 17 | 17 | 7 | 17 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 25 | 7 | 17 | 21 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 21 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Oahu | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tankers Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tankers provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tankers can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tankers 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 (Tankers) 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 Tankers 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.
Tankers is 5 km (3 miles) from Makakilo City. If you plan a vacation in Oahu, look for hotels and other accommodation in Makakilo City. Makakilo City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











