Surf spot

Shorebreaks

Forecast conditions and map view for Shorebreaks in USA, Hawaii, Oahu. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, Hawaii, Oahu
Coordinates: 21.4058, -157.7389

Metric
Metric	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00
Wave height (m)	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.8	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.9	0.9	1	1	1.1	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.9	0.9	1	1	1	1.1	1.1	1	1	1	1.1	1.1
Wave direction	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	NE	ESE	NE	E	ENE	E	E	S	S	E	E	E	E	ENE	ENE	E	ENE	ENE	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	ESE	S	ESE	S	ENE	E	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E	SSW
Wave period (s)	8.4	8.3	8.1	8.1	8.3	8.3	8.4	8.2	8.1	7.5	7.3	7.2	6.9	7.2	7.2	6.2	7.4	6	7.4	5.9	5.7	7.8	7.8	5.7	5.9	6	5.5	4.5	4.7	5.3	5.2	6	5.3	5.2	5.5	6.2	5.2	5.5	5.6	5.5	5.3	5.5	6.5	9	7	9.3	6.8	6.1	6.1	6.9	7.8	8.1	8	7.9	7.8	9.8
Wave energy (kJ)	125	120	116	88	89	112	109	104	100	77	71	66	49	50	45	33	45	42	45	38	31	53	50	25	23	26	26	24	27	29	27	33	31	36	33	41	48	52	58	59	62	50	63	109	82	145	95	71	71	111	137	130	126	135	138	241
Wind speed (km/h)	10.7	11.6	12.9	13.2	12.3	11.5	11.4	10.5	13.6	12.4	13	12.6	13.5	14.3	14.8	14.6	14.4	12	12.7	20.9	15.8	15.8	14.7	16.1	12	13.9	16.6	17.3	16.3	20.1	18.4	21.7	25.8	23.8	27.7	27.4	24.3	27	26.5	26.3	21.8	20	25.1	24.7	22.2	21.7	20.5	22.1	20.8	19.4	18.4	22.6	20.7	19.8	20.9	20.6
Wind direction	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENECross-on	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENECross-on	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENECross-on	NECross-on	ENECross-on	ENECross-on	NECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NECross-on	ENECross-on	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore

Shorebreaks, Oahu, Hawaii (USA)

Shorebreaks on Oahu refers to waves that break very close to the beach, often in shallow water over sand or reef, creating fast, steep, powerful surf. On Oahu, the term is usually associated with beach breaks around the island’s famous surfing coastline, where swells from the North Pacific can produce heavy, hollow waves.

What it’s like

Wave type: Fast, pitching beach break / shorebreak
Power: Very powerful and often shallow
Shape: Can be steep, closeout-heavy, and barreling when conditions line up
Best for: Experienced surfers, bodyboarders, and advanced wave riders

Conditions

Swell direction: Typically works best with strong north or northwest swells
Wind: Light offshore or calm conditions are ideal
Tide: Often best at mid to lower tide, though shorebreaks can get extremely heavy and dangerous at low tide
Seabed: Sand bottom in many spots, but some areas on Oahu can have reef influence nearby

Hazards

Shallow water: Increased risk of injury from hard wipeouts
Strong impact: Shorebreaks can slam riders into the bottom or beach
Rips and currents: Can be strong and change quickly
Crowds: Popular Oahu breaks can be very crowded when surf is firing

Local character

Oahu’s shorebreaks are legendary for producing some of the heaviest surf in the world, especially on the North Shore during winter. These waves are not ideal for beginners, and even skilled surfers treat them with respect.