Marine forecast
Kauai Channel, HI
- current wind
- 8 kt E
- Gusts
- 9 kt
- Seas
- 5.6 ft
- Period
- 14 sec
- Air
- 80°F
Observed Tue 8:54 AM | PHZ113
- Gusts now
- 9 kt
- Seas now
- 5.6 ft · 14 sec
- Air
- 80°F
- Water
- 83°F
- 72-hr peak
- 20 kt
In brief
At 8:54 am HST on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station NWWH1 (Nawiliwili, HI, 16 miles away) measured wind from the E at 8 kt, gusting to 9 kt; buoy 51201 measured seas of 5.6 ft. The NWS forecast for Kauai Channel, HI issued at 3:22 am HST on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for today: “East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet.”
Source: National Weather Service Honolulu HI forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 20 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 7 ft
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Today | East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: North northwest 4 feet at 14 seconds, east 3 feet at 7 seconds and south 3 feet at 14 seconds. Isolated showers. |
| Tonight | East northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: North northwest 4 feet at 13 seconds, east southeast 3 feet at 6 seconds and south 3 feet at 12 seconds. Isolated showers. |
| Wednesday | East northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: North northwest 4 feet at 12 seconds, east southeast 3 feet at 5 seconds and south 3 feet at 12 seconds. |
| Wednesday Night | East northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: East 4 feet at 5 seconds, south 3 feet at 11 seconds and north northwest 3 feet at 12 seconds. Isolated showers after midnight. |
| Thursday | East northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 5 to 7 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 5 feet at 6 seconds, north northwest 3 feet at 11 seconds and south 3 feet at 18 seconds. Isolated showers. |
| Thursday Night | East northeast winds to 20 knots. Seas 6 to 7 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 6 feet at 6 seconds, north northwest 3 feet at 11 seconds and south 3 feet at 17 seconds. Isolated showers. |
| Friday | East northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 7 to 8 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 6 feet at 6 seconds and north 5 feet at 13 seconds. Isolated showers, then scattered showers after midnight. |
| Saturday | East northeast winds to 20 knots. Seas 6 to 8 feet. Wave Detail: East northeast 7 feet at 7 seconds and north 5 feet at 11 seconds. Isolated showers, then scattered showers after midnight. |
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 | 8 kt E | 9 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 7:54 AM | 5 kt WSW | 6 kt | — | 83°F |
| Tue 6:54 AM | 3 kt W | 4 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 5:54 AM | 4 kt WSW | 5 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 4:54 AM | 3 kt W | 4 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 3:54 AM | 3 kt W | 5 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 2:54 AM | 3 kt W | 4 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 1:54 AM | 4 kt W | 5 kt | — | 81°F |
| Tue 12:54 AM | 3 kt WSW | 5 kt | — | 82°F |
| Mon 11:54 PM | 3 kt WSW | 4 kt | — | 82°F |
| Mon 10:54 PM | 5 kt NNE | 7 kt | — | 82°F |
| Mon 9:54 PM | 6 kt NE | 9 kt | — | 82°F |
Observed Tue 8:54 AM at NDBC buoy NWWH1 (Nawiliwili, HI), 16.5 miles away. Seas from buoy 51201 (Waimea Bay, HI (106)), 69.7 miles away, at Tue 8:56 AM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Kauai Channel today?
Today: East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Wave Detail: North northwest 4 feet at 14 seconds, east 3 feet at 7 seconds and south 3 feet at 14 seconds. Isolated showers.
Is there a small craft advisory for Kauai Channel?
No advisories, warnings or watches are in effect for NWS zone PHZ113 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 Kauai Channel right now?
Seas are running 5.6 ft at a 14-second period, measured at NDBC buoy NWWH1 Tue 8:54 AM, 16.5 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 7.0 ft Thu 5 PM.
What is the water temperature at Kauai Channel?
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 PHZ113, 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 NWWH1, 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.