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Pipeline

Oahu north-facing shore forecast; official shore-facing range: 1–4 ft

When to go

1:45 PM–3:00 PM

Strong wind — difficult conditions · Low confidence

1–4 ft · Official surf · whole shore and forecast period · Oahu north-facing shore forecast; official shore-facing range

Strong wind: 13.5 kt · cross-shore

Cautions
  • Strong wind or gusts up to 29.9 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.
  • Strong wind or gusts up to 30.5 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.
  • Strong wind or gusts up to 30.9 kt can make the session difficult; being first in the list does not make conditions good.
Forecast details
  • The official forecast calls for surf along this coast.
  • This is the best time in the forecast, though wind may make it choppy.
Other wind windows

Plan around the wind

The best available upcoming daylight wind sample to compare with the wave evidence. This compares wind only; wave size, tide suitability, and hazards can change your choice.

  • 2:00 PM–4:00 PM · Pacific/Honolulu

    Strong wind · up to 13.7 kt · reported gusts up to 31.3 kt

    Caution: This is the best available wind comparison, not a favorable-wind label. Strong wind remains in the selected evidence.

    Offshore waves: 5.3–5.4 ft across the period. Surf height unavailable. Tide data available; check the local tide response.

    Wind source time: Sep 22, 1:45 PM HST. This is not the model run issue time.
How these periods are chosen

The planner prefers three consecutive hourly samples covering two daylight hours, but retains shorter one- or two-sample evidence when that is all the forecast provides. Light wind means at most 6 kt. Moderate offshore means at most 12 kt from land toward the sea when shore orientation is verified. Strong wind or known gusts of 20 kt or more remain visible as cautions instead of making the entire comparison disappear. These are comparison labels, not locally tested surf-quality or safety ratings. Missing gusts remain unknown. Terrain shelter, currents, closures, and your ability are not assessed.

Forecast confidence
  • Returned marine grid point is 13.8 km from the mapped spot. MFWAM is approximately 8 km resolution.
  • Reference model hour: 0 hours from now; historical residuals do not measure forecast lead-time error.
  • Historical test error 1.1 ft across 169 observations; 81% interval coverage.
  • This direction/period regime: 55 test observations, signed bias 0.9 ft, 85% observed interval coverage. The 80% calibration target is not a probability guarantee for this forecast.
  • Forecast lead-time error, ensemble spread, local tide response, and human quality labels have not been validated.
  • A mapped coordinate does not establish nearshore grid resolution or terrain/shelter accuracy.

Wind E 13.4 kt

Tide 1.5 ft falling

Wave, wind and tide details
Surf height0–3.5 ftEstimated · Low confidence
Estimate details80% historical prediction intervalTypical estimate 1.7 ft · not upper sets
Offshore model swellENE 3.7 ft @ 6sValid 2026-09-22 14:00 · Pacific/HonoluluMarine grid 21.7917, -158.0417 · offshore model, not a local measurement
Offshore model sea5.3 ft @ 7.8sSignificant wave height including wind waves and swell; not breaking surfValid 2026-09-22 14:00 · Pacific/Honolulu
Model windE 13.4 ktcross-shoreValid 2026-09-22 14:00 · Pacific/Honolulu8.8 kt offshore component
Tide1.5 ftfallingNOAA HALEIWA, WAIALUA BAY, OAHU IS 1612668 · 9.7 km from Pipeline · predicted height relative to MLLWRetrieved Sep 22, 1:45 PM HST · provider issue time unavailable77% of adjacent local low–high range · descriptive, not a safety rating
Waimea Bay buoy 51201 (regional north-shore observation)3.9 ft @ 13sObserved offshore significant wave height at the named buoy; not surf at this breakObserved Sep 22, 12:56 PM HST

Surf and wind

Recommended window: No recommended window

Historical 80% prediction interval for the visual face-height midpoint and wind direction by hour for Pipeline. Recommended window No recommended window.

Historical midpoint interval Recommended window Top hourWind arrows point from the reported direction

Hourly forecast

Hourly surf forecast for Pipeline
TimeSurf heightWindTideOffshore swell
0–3.5 ftENE 10 ktcross-shore0.5 ftnear highENE 3.7 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ftENE 9.6 ktcross-shore0.5 ftfallingENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftENE 8.8 ktcross-shore0.5 ftfallingENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftENE 8.4 ktcross-shore0.5 ftfallingENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftENE 8.3 ktcross-shore0.5 ftfallingENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftE 9 ktcross-shore0.5 ftrisingENE 4.3 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 9 ktcross-shore0.5 ftrisingENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 8.3 ktcross-shore0.5 ftrisingENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 9.9 ktcross-shore1 ftrisingENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 11.3 ktcross-shore1 ftrisingENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 11.7 ktcross-shore1 ftrisingENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 12 ktcross-shore1.5 ftrisingENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 12.7 ktcross-shore1.5 ftnear highENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 13.2 ktcross-shore1.5 ftfallingENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftE 13.4 ktcross-shore1.5 ftfallingENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 13.5 ktcross-shore1 ftfallingENE 3.6 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 13.7 ktcross-shore1 ftfallingENE 3.5 ft @ 6s
0–3 ftE 13.7 ktcross-shore0.5 ftfallingENE 3.5 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ftE 13.7 ktcross-shore0.5 ftnear lowENE 3.5 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ftE 13.7 ktcross-shore0.5 ftrisingENE 3.4 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ftE 13.4 ktcross-shore0.5 ftrisingENE 3.4 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ftE 13.9 ktoffshore0.5 ftrisingENE 3.7 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ftE 13.7 ktoffshore0.5 ftrisingENE 4.0 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ftE 13.4 ktoffshore0.5 ftrisingENE 4.3 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ft
WindENE 10 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftnear highOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ft
WindENE 9.6 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindENE 8.8 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindENE 8.4 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindENE 8.3 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindE 9 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.3 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 9 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.2 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 8.3 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 9.9 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.1 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 11.3 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 11.7 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.9 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 12 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 12.7 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftnear highOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 13.2 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindE 13.4 ktcross-shoreTide1.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 13.5 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.6 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 13.7 ktcross-shoreTide1 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.5 ft @ 6s
0–3 ft
WindE 13.7 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftfallingOffshore swellENE 3.5 ft @ 6s
0–3.5 ft
WindE 13.7 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftnear lowOffshore swellENE 3.5 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ft
WindE 13.7 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.4 ft @ 7s
0–3.5 ft
WindE 13.4 ktcross-shoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.4 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ft
WindE 13.9 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 3.7 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ft
WindE 13.7 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.0 ft @ 7s
0.5–3.5 ft
WindE 13.4 ktoffshoreTide0.5 ftrisingOffshore swellENE 4.3 ft @ 7s

Tide

NOAA HALEIWA, WAIALUA BAY, OAHU IS 1612668 · 9.7 km from Pipeline · MLLW

Tide height by hour for Pipeline. Approximate interpolation between predicted high and low events. Heights range from 0.5 to 1.5 feet.

Interpolated tide height Recommended window
About this spot

Model-grid forecast requested at the mapped coordinate; reef, headland, and nearshore transformations are unresolved. Reef break. Named break currentLocation coordinate; published map precision is not a coastline survey. Orientation retained from the reviewed catalog geometry.

Mapped spot coordinate: 21.668, -158.051.

Oahu · north · Ocean-facing bearing 315° · Location provenance

Model request point: Pipeline (21.668, -158.051). Model output times describe valid conditions; the provider does not expose the model run issue time in this response.

Forecast sources

Data coverage 5/8 sources

Source availability is not forecast accuracy. Where an empirical model passes historical testing, its error and interval coverage are shown above. Source count cannot increase that confidence.

Coverage tier A+ · US_HAWAII · spot-level model point

Oahu north-facing shore forecast; official shore-facing range1–4 ftCurrent · Sep 22, 8:56 AM HST
Waimea Bay buoy 51201 (regional north-shore observation)3.9 ft @ 13sCurrent · Sep 22, 12:56 PM HSTOffshore significant wave height; not breaking surf
  • US National Weather Service Surf Zone Forecast
    Oahu north-facing shore forecast; official breaking-surf range
    Current
  • NWS Honolulu Surf Observations
    1 mapped county lifeguard observation
    Delayed
  • PacIOOS ERDDAP
    Wave buoy observations and regional ocean datasets; market adapter or station mapping not connected
    UnavailableNo source time
  • Waimea Bay buoy 51201 (regional north-shore observation)
    Waimea Bay buoy 51201 (regional north-shore observation); significant wave height, not breaking surf
    Current
  • Coastal Data Information Program THREDDS
    No exact named CDIP mapping is available.
    UnavailableNo source time
  • Haleiwa, Waialua Bay station 1612668 (MLLW)
    NOAA HALEIWA, WAIALUA BAY, OAHU IS 1612668 · 9.7 km from Pipeline; predicted high/low events above MLLW, converted to feet. Timestamp is retrieval time; provider issue time is not supplied.
    Current
  • Open-Meteo Marine API
    1 of 1 configured model points available
    Current
  • Open-Meteo Weather API
    1 of 1 configured model points available
    Current
  • Surf-Forecast public pages
    Spot discovery and break-specific HTML fallback
    Not applicableNo source time
  • Surfline public spot pages
    Break-specific comparison, cams, and metadata
    Not applicableNo source time
How best guesses are made

Best guesses combine usable wave and wind evidence, with qualitative confidence and specific limitations. A missing tide or local surf-height model does not prevent useful guidance. Tide levels use the named station datum; their effect at this break remains uncertain. Wind direction is relative to the mapped beach orientation, without calibrated terrain or shelter effects. The comparison is a heuristic, not a measured quality rating.