Marine forecast
Big Island Leeward, HI
- current wind
- 4 kt WNW
- Gusts
- 5 kt
- Seas
- 6.9 ft
- Period
- 7 sec
- Air
- 82°F
Observed Tue 8:54 AM | PHZ123
- Gusts now
- 5 kt
- Seas now
- 6.9 ft · 7 sec
- Air
- 82°F
- Water
- 83°F
- 72-hr peak
- 6 kt
In brief
At 8:54 am HST on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station KWHH1 (Kawaihae, HI, 38 miles away) measured wind from the WNW at 4 kt, gusting to 5 kt; buoy 51206 measured seas of 6.9 ft. The NWS forecast for Big Island Leeward, HI issued at 3:22 am HST on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for today: “West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east northeast winds to 20 knots, veering to east this afternoon.”
Source: National Weather Service Honolulu HI forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 6 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 4 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Today | West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east northeast winds to 20 knots, veering to east this afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5 seconds and south 4 feet at 14 seconds. Scattered showers this morning. Isolated showers this afternoon. |
| Tonight | West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots, becoming north northwest 7 to 10 knots after midnight. Near South Point, east winds to 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5 seconds and south 3 feet at 12 seconds. |
| Wednesday | West winds 7 to 10 knots west of the Big Island... East to 20 knots near South Point. Seas 3 to 5 feet. Wave Detail: East 3 feet at 4 seconds and south 3 feet at 12 seconds. |
| Wednesday Night | Winds variable less than 10 knots west of the Big Island...East northeast 15 to 20 knots near South Point. Seas 3 to 5 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 3 feet at 4 seconds and south 3 feet at 20 seconds. |
| Thursday | West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east winds 15 to 20 knots, backing to east northeast in the afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 3 feet at 6 seconds and south 3 feet at 18 seconds. |
| Thursday Night | Winds variable less than 10 knots west of the Big Island...East northeast 15 to 20 knots near South Point. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 4 feet at 6 seconds and south 3 feet at 17 seconds. |
| Friday | West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east northeast winds 15 to 20 knots, rising to 20 to 25 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 4 feet at 6 seconds and south 3 feet at 16 seconds. Isolated showers after midnight. |
| Saturday | West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east winds 20 to 25 knots, becoming east northeast 15 to 20 knots in the afternoon, then becoming east 20 to 25 knots in the evening, becoming east northeast 15 to 20 knots after midnight. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: Northeast 6 feet at 7 seconds. |
Issued Tue 3:22 AM by Honolulu HI (product CWFHFO).
Synopsis
Trades will be gentle to moderate through Wednesday. Surface high pressure is expected to build north of the state Thursday through this weekend and allow winds to become fresh to locally strong.
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 8:54 AM | 4 kt WNW | 5 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 7:54 AM | 3 kt NW | 4 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 6:54 AM | 1 kt NNE | 2 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 5:54 AM | 4 kt S | 6 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 4:54 AM | 6 kt W | 7 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 3:54 AM | 5 kt WSW | 8 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 2:54 AM | 6 kt W | 9 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 1:54 AM | 3 kt WSW | 5 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 12:54 AM | 8 kt WNW | 13 kt | — | 83°F |
| Mon 11:54 PM | 9 kt W | 11 kt | — | 83°F |
| Mon 10:54 PM | 3 kt NW | 6 kt | — | 83°F |
| Mon 9:54 PM | 4 kt E | 7 kt | — | 83°F |
Observed Tue 8:54 AM at NDBC buoy KWHH1 (Kawaihae, HI), 38.5 miles away. Seas from buoy 51206 (Hilo, Hawaii, HI (188)), 69.7 miles away, at Tue 8:56 AM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Big Island Leeward today?
Today: West of the Big Island, winds variable less than 10 knots. Near South Point, east northeast winds to 20 knots, veering to east this afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5 seconds and south 4 feet at 14 seconds. Scattered showers this morning. Isolated showers this afternoon.
Is there a small craft advisory for Big Island Leeward?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone PHZ123 as of the last update on this page. Advisories can be issued at any time; check the current bulletin before leaving the dock.
How high are the waves at Big Island Leeward right now?
Seas are running 6.9 ft at a 7-second period, measured at NDBC buoy KWHH1 Tue 8:54 AM, 38.5 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 3.0 ft Tue 9 AM.
What is the water temperature at Big Island Leeward?
The nearest buoy read 83°F (28°C) at Tue 8:54 AM. Sea surface temperature at a single buoy can differ by several degrees from the water at a beach or in a shallow bay nearby.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone PHZ123, issued by Honolulu HI, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product CWFHFO, issued Tue 3:22 AM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station KWHH1, read Tue 8:54 AM. Retrieved Oct 13, 9:42 AM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.