Things to do in Oahu › Surf and weather
Updated October 30, 2026 Airport reports; NOAA buoy readings by shore
Oahu's air and sea stay warm year round; the North Shore's big waves come in winter and the south shore's in summer. June and July are driest in Honolulu; November through March is wetter. Hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30. Today's readings and the 7-day forecast help you choose a shore; monthly averages and seasons help you choose your dates.
Right now
Hourly temperature and wind reports come from HNL, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport; NOAA buoys at Waimea Bay and the Pearl Harbor entrance cover north and south shores. A third buoy off Mokapu covers the windward coast; readings refresh every 30 minutes with Open-Meteo's marine model filling gaps.
Next 7 days
Open-Meteo supplies Honolulu's 7-day weather forecast; sky symbols show the day's most severe weather and rain percentages its highest hourly chance. The wave columns show each day's highest significant wave height off Waimea Bay and Waikiki; they aren't breaking wave face heights.
| Day | Sky | High / low | Rain chance | Wind | Waves, North Shore | Waves, south shore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TodayOctober 30 | Drizzle | 81° / 74 °F27 / 23 °C | 32% | 14 mph from the northeast | 6.2 ft | 5.1 ft |
| SaturdayOctober 31 | Drizzle | 82° / 74 °F28 / 23 °C | 33% | 9 mph from the northeast | 5.7 ft | 4.8 ft |
| SundayNovember 1 | Drizzle | 80° / 72 °F27 / 22 °C | 31% | 14 mph from the northeast | 9.0 ft | 4.5 ft |
| MondayNovember 2 | Drizzle | 78° / 71 °F26 / 22 °C | 27% | 15 mph from the northeast | 11.6 ft | 5.2 ft |
| TuesdayNovember 3 | Drizzle | 78° / 71 °F26 / 22 °C | 25% | 14 mph from the northeast | 9.7 ft | 4.8 ft |
| WednesdayNovember 4 | Drizzle | 80° / 71 °F26 / 22 °C | 41% | 14 mph from the northeast | 7.6 ft | 4.6 ft |
| ThursdayNovember 5 | Drizzle | 80° / 72 °F27 / 22 °C | 31% | 14 mph from the northeast | 9.8 ft | 4.4 ft |
Forecast: the Open-Meteo weather model for Honolulu and its marine model off Waimea Bay and off Waikiki, read every 30 minutes. The waves are the day's highest significant wave height, not the face height surfers quote.
Month by month
NOAA's 30-year airport normals describe typical Honolulu and Waikiki weather; sea temperatures and daily maximum offshore significant wave heights are model averages over four years. Wet days have at least 0.10 inch/2.54 mm of rain; the windward side and hills are wetter.
| Month | Day / night | Rain | Wet days | Sea | Highest wave, North Shore | Highest wave, south shore |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 80° / 67 °F 27 / 19 °C | 1.84 in 47 mm | 3 | 77 °F 25 °C | 9.1 ft | 4.1 ft |
| February | 80° / 67 °F 27 / 20 °C | 1.94 in 49 mm | 3 | 76 °F 25 °C | 8.6 ft | 4.4 ft |
| March | 81° / 68 °F 27 / 20 °C | 2.36 in 60 mm | 3 | 76 °F 24 °C | 7.3 ft | 4.2 ft |
| April | 83° / 70 °F 28 / 21 °C | 0.77 in 20 mm | 2 | 77 °F 25 °C | 6.9 ft | 4.6 ft |
| May | 85° / 72 °F 29 / 22 °C | 0.82 in 21 mm | 2 | 77 °F 25 °C | 5.5 ft | 4.5 ft |
| June | 87° / 74 °F 30 / 23 °C | 0.5 in 13 mm | 1 | 78 °F 26 °C | 4.9 ft | 4.3 ft |
| July | 88° / 75 °F 31 / 24 °C | 0.52 in 13 mm | 1 | 79 °F 26 °C | 5.1 ft | 4.4 ft |
| August | 89° / 76 °F 32 / 24 °C | 0.84 in 21 mm | 1 | 80 °F 27 °C | 4.8 ft | 4.4 ft |
| September | 88° / 75 °F 31 / 24 °C | 0.88 in 22 mm | 2 | 80 °F 27 °C | 4.8 ft | 4.0 ft |
| October | 87° / 74 °F 30 / 23 °C | 1.51 in 38 mm | 3 | 81 °F 27 °C | 6.4 ft | 3.7 ft |
| November | 84° / 72 °F 29 / 22 °C | 2.25 in 57 mm | 3 | 79 °F 26 °C | 8.3 ft | 4.2 ft |
| December | 82° / 69 °F 28 / 21 °C | 2.18 in 55 mm | 3 | 78 °F 26 °C | 9.0 ft | 4.2 ft |
Temperatures and rain: NOAA's 30-year climate normals for the station at Honolulu's airport, on the dry leeward coast; wet days have 0.10 in of rain or more. Sea temperature off Waikiki and the day's highest wave off each shore: our averages from the Open-Meteo marine model over the last four full years.
Honolulu highs average 80.5 °F/26.9 °C; lows reach 66.8 °F/19.3 °C. Rain: 1.84 inches/47 mm across 3.3 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 77 °F/25.1 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 9.1 feet and south shore peaks 4.1 feet. You're here during peak whale season.
Honolulu highs average 80.5 °F/26.9 °C; lows reach 67.1 °F/19.5 °C. Rain: 1.94 inches/49 mm across 3.0 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 76 °F/24.6 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 8.6 feet and south shore peaks 4.4 feet. Whales remain in their peak season.
Honolulu highs average 81.2 °F/27.3 °C; lows reach 68.1 °F/20.1 °C. Rain: 2.36 inches/60 mm across 3.1 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 76 °F/24.5 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 7.3 feet and south shore peaks 4.2 feet. You're still within peak whale season.
Honolulu highs average 83.1 °F/28.4 °C; lows reach 70.1 °F/21.2 °C. Rain: 0.77 inch/20 mm across 1.9 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 77 °F/24.8 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 6.9 feet and south shore peaks 4.6 feet. You can still watch for whales.
Honolulu highs average 84.8 °F/29.3 °C; lows reach 71.5 °F/21.9 °C. Rain: 0.82 inch/21 mm across 1.6 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 77 °F/25.2 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 5.5 feet and south shore peaks 4.5 feet. You're entering the calmer North Shore season.
Honolulu highs average 86.9 °F/30.5 °C; lows reach 73.8 °F/23.2 °C. Rain: 0.5 inch/13 mm across 0.7 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 78 °F/25.8 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 4.9 feet and south shore peaks 4.3 feet. Your trip falls within hurricane season.
Honolulu highs average 88.1 °F/31.2 °C; lows reach 75.1 °F/23.9 °C. Rain: 0.52 inch/13 mm across 1.3 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 79 °F/26.2 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 5.1 feet and south shore peaks 4.4 feet. South shores get their summer swells.
Honolulu highs average 88.8 °F/31.6 °C; lows reach 75.6 °F/24.2 °C. Rain: 0.84 inch/21 mm across 1.2 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 80 °F/26.6 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 4.8 feet and south shore peaks 4.4 feet. It's the hottest month on average.
Honolulu highs average 88.4 °F/31.3 °C; lows reach 74.8 °F/23.8 °C. Rain: 0.88 inch/22 mm across 2.2 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 80 °F/26.9 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 4.8 feet and south shore peaks 4.0 feet. You're in the calmer North Shore season.
Honolulu highs average 86.9 °F/30.5 °C; lows reach 73.9 °F/23.3 °C. Rain: 1.51 inches/38 mm across 2.6 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 81 °F/27.0 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 6.4 feet and south shore peaks 3.7 feet. The North Shore's winter swell season approaches.
Honolulu highs average 84.1 °F/28.9 °C; lows reach 71.8 °F/22.1 °C. Rain: 2.25 inches/57 mm across 2.9 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 79 °F/26.1 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 8.3 feet and south shore peaks 4.2 feet. You're entering North Shore big-wave season.
Honolulu highs average 81.8 °F/27.7 °C; lows reach 69.2 °F/20.7 °C. Rain: 2.18 inches/55 mm across 3.2 wet days. Waikiki's sea averages 78 °F/25.6 °C; North Shore wave peaks average 9.0 feet and south shore peaks 4.2 feet. Winter surf overlaps with your whale watching.
Seasons
North Shore wave peaks average 8.6 to 9.1 feet; this is the big-surf season. December rain averages 2.18 inches/55 mm and the sea 78 °F/25.6 °C. If you're here for whales, January and February are peak months.
March rain averages 2.36 inches/60 mm; April drops to 0.77 inch/20 mm. North Shore wave peaks ease from 7.3 to 6.9 feet while April's sea reaches 77 °F/24.8 °C. You still have whale season through spring.
North Shore waves are smaller; June's rain averages 0.5 inch/13 mm. September's sea reaches 80 °F/26.9 °C and south shores get summer swells. If you want calmer North Shore water, these months suit that plan.
North Shore wave peaks rise from 6.4 feet in October to 8.3 in November. November rain averages 2.25 inches/57 mm; October's sea reaches 81 °F/27.0 °C. If you're coming for whales, the season starts in November.
Storms, jellyfish and surf
June 1 through November 30 is the Central Pacific hurricane season. Read the Central Pacific Hurricane Center's Tropical Weather Outlook before your trip to follow developing storms. Storms aren't confined to those dates; tropical cyclones can form year round.
Box jellyfish on most days reach south shores 8 to 10 days after the full moon. Use the Waikiki Aquarium calendar to plan your swim. Other days aren't free of jellyfish; follow the lifeguards' signs when you reach the beach.
Winter waves can far exceed the monthly mean on the North Shore. Read the Surf Zone Forecast before you go. Honolulu's lifeguard towers operate daily from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. HST; swim only where lifeguards allow it.
More
The beaches hub helps you compare shores and lifeguard coverage for your beach day.
Places to visit on OahuThe places hub helps you choose stops around the weather and your Waikiki base.
Surf lessons on OahuThe surf lessons list helps you compare lesson locations and options for your experience level.
Good to know
May through September suits you if you want smaller North Shore waves. June is Honolulu's driest month at 0.5 inch/13 mm. Choose November through February if you're coming to watch big surf; whales peak January through March.
November through February brings the main big-wave season to the North Shore. January's modeled daily peak averages 9.1 feet offshore. Winter waves can rise far higher. Plan beginner lessons around summer's smaller waves; follow your lifeguard's advice.
October through April is Oahu's wetter season. March averages 2.36 inches/60 mm at Honolulu's airport; June averages 0.5 inch/13 mm. Those figures don't describe every coast. If you're staying in Kailua, expect a wetter windward setting than Waikiki.
June 1 through November 30 is Hawaii's Central Pacific hurricane season. Storms can form outside those dates too. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center's outlook helps you follow developing systems. A seasonal storm count doesn't tell you whether a storm will reach Oahu.
Waikiki's modeled monthly sea temperatures run from 76 °F to 81 °F, or 24.5 °C to 27.0 °C. February and March are coolest; October is warmest. You can't judge swimming conditions from temperature alone. Your beach's waves and currents still matter.
The usual window is 8 to 10 days after a full moon on Oahu's south shores. The Waikiki Aquarium calendar helps you plan around it. Its dates aren't guarantees. Follow the lifeguards' posted signs before you enter the water.