Papakōlea Beach today
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Tide now 0.9 ft ↓ falling · low 12:01 pm (0.9 ft)
- Best time to fish 3:20–4:30 pm average day · 6/10
- Waves · water 4.5 ft · 81 °F moderate · 11.9 s from the south
- Wind · air 11 mph · 82 °F from the E, gusts 22 · drizzle
- Surf today 3.1–4.8 ft Very good day · 8/10 · 5:00–6:00 pm
- Sun 6:21 am–5:51 pm 11 h 30 min of daylight
- Moon 90% · 8:17 pm waning gibbous · rises at 8:17 pm
Today in Papakōlea Beach there are high tides at 5:29 am (3.0 ft) and 4:25 pm (1.5 ft) and low tides at 12:01 pm and 10:42 pm. Tide coefficient 88. Right now the tide is falling toward the low tide at 12:01 pm. The sun rises at 6:21 am and sets at 5:51 pm: 11 h 30 min of daylight. The moon is 90% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 8:17 pm. Major solunar periods run from 1:11 am to 3:11 am and from 1:43 pm to 3:43 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 26 to 28. The sea is moderate, with 4.5 ft waves. There's a gentle breeze from the east (11 mph). Drizzle, 82 °F.
Beach day in Papakōlea Beach
Is it a beach day?
- Feels like 88 °F: beach weather
- Onshore breeze (12 mph)
- UV 6 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen
- Water at 81 °F (warm)
- Low tide at 12:01 pm: more sand
- Cloudy (99% cloud cover)
Thunderstorms during beach hours: get out of the water and off the sand as soon as you hear thunder.
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Use care · 4.6 ft
4.6 ft waves every 12 s: swim with care and stay where you can stand. High rip current risk. If you're caught in a rip current, don't swim against it: swim parallel to shore and wave for help. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 81 °F
Warm: very pleasant.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 6 · SPF 30
Max UV 6 (moderate): SPF 30 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 12 mph
Onshore breeze (12 mph).
- Tide & sand 12:01 pm
Low tide at 12:01 pm and 10:42 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 5:29 am and 4:25 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
About Papakōlea BeachThe beach
7.3 mi from Waikapuna. Tides, weather and sun in Waikapuna →
- Parking
Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. See on OpenStreetMap · Fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches near Papakōlea Beach
We don't know of any named beaches within 6.2 mi of Papakōlea Beach.
Missing one? Beaches come from OpenStreetMap: you can add it there. Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Papakōlea Beach
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Fishing in Papakōlea Beach today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- High tide at 4:25 pm, coefficient 83
- Major period 1:43–3:43 pm
- Steady pressure (29.85 inHg), light onshore wind (5 mph) and some swell (4.5 ft waves) to stir the water
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 88 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 3:20 pm to 4:30 pm, combines the 4:25 pm high tide, a major period, a light onshore breeze and some swell. Also good from 4:30 am to 6:30 am, with the 5:29 am high tide, sunrise, a light onshore breeze and some swell. Also good from 9:40 pm to 11:40 pm, with the 10:42 pm low tide and some swell.
Species with the most records nearby: bluefin trevally, blue marlin, giant trevally and great barracuda. What you can catch
Tides in Papakōlea Beach
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 5:29 am 3.0 ft · coef. 88
- ▼ Next low tide 12:01 pm 0.9 ft
- ▲ High tide 4:25 pm 1.5 ft · coef. 83
- ▼ Low tide 10:42 pm -0.3 ft
↓ Falling The tide is falling. 5 min to low tide at 12:01 pm.
Tide coefficient 88 for the 5:29 am high tide and 83 for the 4:25 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 3.3 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on December 24 (3.3 ft) and the lowest, on May 17 (-0.7 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above mean lower low water (MLLW), the zero of US nautical charts. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. MLLW
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month came from October 25 to 26 (coefficient 101, 3.3 ft range). The smallest, on October 17 (coefficient 23, 1.7 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Wed 28 | 6:21 am · 5:51 pm | High tide 5:29 am · 3.0 ft | Low tide 12:01 pm · 0.9 ft | High tide 4:25 pm · 1.5 ft | Low tide 10:42 pm · -0.3 ft | Coef. 88 | 90% | Major periods 1:11 am · 1:43 pm | Medium |
| Thu 29 | 6:22 am · 5:51 pm | High tide 6:23 am · 2.9 ft | Low tide 1:07 pm · 1.0 ft | High tide 5:05 pm · 1.3 ft | Low tide 11:29 pm · -0.1 ft | Coef. 75 | 81% | Major periods 2:16 am · 2:48 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 6:22 am · 5:50 pm | High tide 7:23 am · 2.8 ft | Low tide 2:28 pm · 1.0 ft | High tide 5:59 pm · 1.2 ft | — | Coef. 61 | 72% | Major periods 3:20 am · 3:51 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:23 am · 5:50 pm | Low tide 12:24 am · 0.1 ft | High tide 8:34 am · 2.6 ft | Low tide 4:14 pm · 0.9 ft | High tide 7:35 pm · 1.1 ft | Coef. 49 | 61% | Major periods 4:21 am · 4:50 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:23 am · 5:49 pm | Low tide 1:35 am · 0.4 ft | High tide 9:51 am · 2.5 ft | Low tide 5:18 pm · 0.8 ft | High tide 10:12 pm · 1.1 ft | Coef. 48 | Last quarter | Major periods 5:18 am · 5:45 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:23 am · 5:49 pm | Low tide 3:19 am · 0.6 ft | High tide 10:55 am · 2.4 ft | Low tide 5:57 pm · 0.6 ft | High tide 11:44 pm · 1.4 ft | Coef. 57 | 38% | Major periods 6:10 am · 6:35 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:24 am · 5:48 pm | Low tide 4:57 am · 0.7 ft | High tide 11:45 am · 2.4 ft | Low tide 6:27 pm · 0.4 ft | — | Coef. 62 | 28% | Major periods 6:58 am · 7:21 pm | Low |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above MLLW. Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Papakōlea Beach has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Honuapo (NOAA), 12 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger. It is a NOAA subordinate station: its times and heights come from the Hilo reference station with the official corrections.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database)
The sea at Papakōlea Beach
Sea stateSea state: moderate
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common2.3 ft
- Significant4.5 ft
- Highest expectedHighest8.9 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 8.9 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 8.9 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-onshore wind. The coast faces southeast and the wind comes in from the sea at an angle: a bit more surf at the shore and drift along the coast, toward land.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Monday 2: 6.4 ft with a period of 7 s, from the east (moderate).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+1.4 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 11:57 am (local time).
Surf in Papakōlea Beach today
Surf today
Very good- 3.1–4.8 ft surf at the shore, a good size with some punch
- 3.8 ft swell at 11 s from the south, average
- Almost no wind (4 mph): glassy water
- Falling tide (low tide at 10:42 pm)
- Light: First light 5:59 am · sunrise 6:21 am · sunset 5:51 pm · last light 6:14 pm
- Tide: high 5:29 am (3.0 ft), low 12:01 pm (0.9 ft), high 4:25 pm (1.5 ft) and low 10:42 pm (-0.3 ft). Every break has its own tide: some work at low tide and others at high tide. The tide doesn’t change the score here.
- Water at 80.8 °F: boardshorts or a swimsuit and a rash guard.
- Energy: 308 kJ · Medium power
Today’s surf at a glance
The best window, 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm, has a good size and glassy water. 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm also works, with a good size.
An estimate for this stretch of coast, not for a specific break: every beach or reef works its own way (its tide, bottom and angle). Check it when you get there.
Follow the flags and the lifeguards, and don’t paddle out if the surf is above your level: this score is a guide, not a substitute for what you see when you get there.
Diving in Papakōlea Beach today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around high tide (4:25 pm): little current from 3:50 pm to 5:00 pm
- 3.8 ft swell at 11 s from the south: strong surge on the bottom
- Light onshore wind (5 mph)
- 0.4 mph current toward the west, weak (model)
- Daylight
- Slack water today: high tide 5:29 am (5:10–5:50 am), low tide 12:01 pm (11:30 am–12:40 pm), high tide 4:25 pm (3:50–5:00 pm) and low tide 10:42 pm (10:20–11:10 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 3.9 ft at 10 s) and rain (0.27 in) over the last few days have stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 80.8 °F: a shorty or a rash guard.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 6:14 pm. Waning gibbous (90%), rising at 8:17 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm, combines slack water at high tide, light wind and weak current, though with some swell.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
We have no dive sites, dive shops or wrecks on record within 12 mi of Papakōlea Beach.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Weather in Papakōlea Beach
Now in Papakōlea Beach
- Low / high
- 77 / 82 °F
- Rain
- 0.57 in · 90%
- Clouds
- 99%
- Humidity
- 80%
- Dew pointDew point
- 75 °F
- Visibility
- 8.8 mi
- UV indexUV
- 5 · moderate
- Air qualityAir
- Good · 25
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady · now Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Steady now (−0.02 inHg in 3 hours). It barely changes over the next 48 hours. Steady pressure: anglers expect normal activity. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Partly cloudy | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Drizzle | Drizzle | Light showers | Drizzle |
| Temperature | 79° | 78° | 78° | 80° | 82° | 79° | 78° | 77° |
| Wind (mph) | 12 ENE | 13 E | 12 E | 12 E | 10 E | 6 ESE | 1 SE | 8 NW |
| Gusts | 19 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 17 |
| Waves | 4.5 ft | 4.6 ft | 4.6 ft | 4.5 ft | 4.5 ft | 4.5 ft | 4.5 ft | 4.6 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.01 in | 0.02 in | 0.02 in | 0.02 in | 0.04 in | 0.07 in | 0.02 in |
- 12:00 pm 82° 10 E 4.5 ft
- 3:00 pm 79° 6 ESE 4.5 ft
- 6:00 pm 78° 1 SE 4.5 ft
- 9:00 pm 77° 8 NW 4.6 ft
- 12:00 am 78° 11 WNW 4.7 ft
- 3:00 am 78° 10 WNW 4.7 ft
- 6:00 am 79° 8 WNW 4.8 ft
- 9:00 am 81° 7 W 4.9 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 28 | 77 / 82 °F | 13 mph E | 4.7 ft | 5:29 am · 4:25 pm | |
| Thu 29 | 78 / 82 °F | 17 mph WNW | 5.4 ft | 6:23 am · 5:05 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 76 / 82 °F | 8 mph SE | 5.4 ft | 7:23 am · 5:59 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 77 / 82 °F | 8 mph ENE | 5.4 ft | 8:34 am · 7:35 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 76 / 80 °F | 7 mph E | 5.2 ft | 9:51 am · 10:12 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 75 / 81 °F | 12 mph E | 6.4 ft | 10:55 am · 11:44 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 73 / 79 °F | 19 mph E | 6.2 ft | 11:45 am | |
| Wed 4 | 73 / 78 °F | 21 mph E | 6.4 ft | 12:46 am · 12:27 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 73 / 82 °F | 22 mph E | 6.4 ft | 1:33 am · 1:03 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 74 / 83 °F | 21 mph ENE | 8.6 ft | 2:12 am · 1:36 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 74 / 83 °F | 21 mph ENE | 7.8 ft | 2:46 am · 2:06 pm | |
| Sun 8 | 75 / 84 °F | 17 mph E | 6.8 ft | 3:19 am · 2:35 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 75 / 82 °F | 9 mph E | 5.8 ft | 3:51 am · 3:04 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 75 / 81 °F | 9 mph ENE | 4.9 ft | 4:25 am · 3:33 pm |
- Thu 29 Light drizzle 78° / 82° 5.4 ft
- Fri 30 Light drizzle 76° / 82° 5.4 ft
- Sat 31 Drizzle 77° / 82° 5.4 ft
- Sun 1 Drizzle 76° / 80° 5.2 ft
- Mon 2 Light drizzle 75° / 81° 6.4 ft
- Tue 3 Light drizzle 73° / 79° 6.2 ft
- Wed 4 Overcast 73° / 78° 6.4 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- Normal Today, cooler than normal for late October (−2.5 °F; normal high: 85 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 11:57 am (local time).
The sun in Papakōlea Beach
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:33 am
- Full dark 6:39 pm
- Civil dawn 5:59 am
- Civil dusk 6:14 pm
- Solar noon 12:06 pm (58° high)
- Daylight 11 h 30 min (−1 min)
- Evening golden hour 5:21 pm
- Full dark 6:39 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,349,315 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Papakōlea Beach
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,436 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 1:11–3:11 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 1:43–3:43 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 8:39–9:39 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 7:47–8:47 pm Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Sun, Nov 1 · 10:29 amNov 1 in 4 days
- New moon Sun, Nov 8 · 9:03 pmNov 8 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 1:48 amNov 17 in 20 days
- Full moon Tue, Nov 24 · 4:54 amNov 24 in 27 days
Perigee on October 28, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 26 to 28: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Papakōlea Beach
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
We have no piers, boat ramps or tackle shops on record within 9.3 mi of Papakōlea Beach.
If you know one, you can add it to OpenStreetMap and it will show up here after the next update. Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Water depth
Deepens quicklyThe bottom deepens quickly: 33 ft of water 1,050 ft from shore. It reaches 164 ft at 0.6 mi.
From the shoreline out to sea, heading southeast.
How far from shore
- 16 ft deep850 ft
- 33 ft deep1,050 ft
- 66 ft deep1,200 ft
- 164 ft deep0.6 mi
For fishing, swimming and diving
- Shore fishing. 33 ft of water just 1,050 ft from shore: a good cast reaches deep water. Current and surf hit harder here.
- Swimming. The water gets deeper little by little, but a few dozen yards out you can no longer stand.
- Diving. Shore diving works here: 33 ft at 1,050 ft and 66 ft at 1,200 ft from shore.
Source: NOAA U.S. Coastal Relief Model (public domain), cells of about 300 ft; depth below mean sea level. For reference only: not for navigation or anchoring.
Tides near Papakōlea BeachTides nearby
- Waikapuna7.3 mi
- Honu‘apo12 mi
- Nīnole (Hawaii County)16 mi
- Punalu‘u (Hawaii County)17 mi
- Miloli‘i24 mi
- Hoʻōpūloa25 mi
- Ho‘okena35 mi
- Ke‘ei41 mi
- Napo‘opo‘o41 mi
- Ka‘awaloa42 mi
Papakōlea Beach at a glance
- Beach. Coordinates: 18.936° N, 155.646° W.
- It is 218 mi southeast of Honolulu, the main place in Hawaii. The sun rises 11 min earlier and sets 6 min earlier than in Honolulu.
- 7.3 mi from Waikapuna.
- The nearest tide station, Honuapo, is 12 mi to the northeast.
- Its coast faces southeast.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Mahana Beach (0.0 mi), Wai‘ahukini Beach (3.5 mi), Ka‘iliki‘i Beach (historical) (4.2 mi).
Questions about Papakōlea BeachQuestions
Where is Papakōlea Beach?
7.3 mi from Waikapuna, in Hawaii (United States). The shore faces southeast.
What amenities does Papakōlea Beach have?
According to OpenStreetMap: parking. Some may be missing or out of date, so ask at the beach.
How clean is the water at Papakōlea Beach?
There's no open yearly bathing water rating in the US. Each state and territory monitors its beaches and posts an advisory when swimming isn't safe: check the official beach advisories for Hawaii (Hawaii Department of Health).
What time is high tide today in Papakōlea Beach?
Today in Papakōlea Beach there are high tides at 5:29 am (3.0 ft) and 4:25 pm (1.5 ft) and low tides at 12:01 pm and 10:42 pm. Tide coefficient 88.
What time is sunset today in Papakōlea Beach?
At 5:51 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 6:14 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Papakōlea Beach?
At 6:22 am. First light comes at 5:33 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 90% illuminated. New moon on Sun, Nov 8 · 9:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 26 to 28, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 1:11–3:11 am, Minor 8:39–9:39 am, Major 1:43–3:43 pm, Minor 7:47–8:47 pm. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Papakōlea Beach?
Light showers, from 77 °F to 82 °F, with a gentle breeze from the east (11 mph) and a 90% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Papakōlea Beach?
Moderate (Douglas 4): 4.5 ft waves with a period of 11.9 s from the south. The water is 81.0 °F.
When is the best time to visit Papakōlea Beach?
Any time of year is good for Papakōlea Beach: highs range from 81 °F to 86 °F through the year.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: NOAA station Honuapo (public domain), via Slackwater database. Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).