🇺🇸 OAHU, HAWAII

Pipeline

The most famous wave on earth

FIRING

Live Conditions

Conditions Summary

Massive 22ft swell — serious conditions for experienced surfers only — but short 8s period indicates wind swell, expect choppy conditions — swell direction is wrong for this spot, expect poor shape — Clean 7mph offshore winds grooming the surface — Note: this is outside the peak season for this spot

HIGH CONFIDENCEFresh buoy data + calibrated transformation

Why it's FIRING

Swell Direction

Primary swell is 91° — wrong angle. This spot needs 315° swells to break properly.

Swell Period

11s — solid groundswell. Waves will have real energy and organization.

Wind

7mph offshore — clean, grooming the wave face

Tide

Falling tide — workable window

Season

July is off-season — rare for this spot to get quality waves

Data Confidence

Fresh buoy data with calibrated coastal transformation

At the Break

22.2ft

HIGH CONFIDENCE

Fresh buoy data + calibrated transformation

Period

11s

✓ Groundswell

Wind

7mph

OFFSHORE

Water

79°F

Boardshorts

Live Buoy 51001

9.5ft

11s

48 min ago

Tide

MID-TIDE · FALLING

2.4ft

Next low: in 5 hr 21 min

Swell Direction

15%

Wind Direction

85%

Primary Swell

4.9ft @ 7.3s

NE 49°

Secondary Swell

1.4ft @ 8.7s

SSW 209°

9 Day Outlook

7.2ft

TODAY

Jul 30

(9s)

4.9ft

TMRW

Jul 31

(8s)

7.0ft

SAT

Aug 1

(7s)

7.7ft

SUN

Aug 2

(8s)

7.9ft

MON

Aug 3

(8s)

6.5ft

TUE

Aug 4

(8s)

5.3ft

WED

Aug 5

(9s)

4.6ft

THU

Aug 6

(8s)

5.2ft

FRI

Aug 7

(6s)

Best this week: today — 7.2ft

Best next week: THU Aug 6 — 4.6ft

Incoming Swell Events

Today

solid

Swell building to 7.2ft @ 9s

Day 3

solid

Swell building to 7.0ft @ 7s

Model Breakdown

ECMWF (45%)4.9ft

ICON (35%)5.2ft

GFS (20%)No data

Model confidence80%

Updated every 30 mins · Open-Meteo ECMWF + ICON + GFS

About

Banzai Pipeline on the North Shore of Oahu is the crown jewel of surfing. A shallow reef break that produces perfect, hollow barrels — when it fires, there is nowhere else on earth you would rather be.

The Break

Banzai Pipeline — take off on the peak and aim for the barrel. Backdoor (right) is slightly less crowded.

Ideal Conditions

NW swell 8-15ft, NE trade winds, low tide

Best Months

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Best months highlighted · Current: Jul

Trip Planner

North Shore Weekend

Weekend · 3 Days

Friday

Fly into HNL, grab a rental car, stay in Haleiwa or Sunset Beach. Hit Foodland Farms for supplies. Sunset surf check at Sunset Beach.

Saturday

Dawn patrol at Pipeline — get there by 6am before the crowds. Watch from the beach if it is solid overhead+. Afternoon at Waimea Bay. Sunset beers at Haleiwa Joes.

Sunday

Morning session at Off The Wall or Rockpiles (less crowded than Pipe). Grab a plate lunch at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck. Fly home evening.

Full North Shore Week

Full Week · 7 Days

Day 1

Arrive, settle in Haleiwa, explore the town, early night.

Day 2

Dawn patrol Pipeline. Spend the day watching surfers and exploring the beach parks along Kam Highway.

Day 3

Surf Laniakea or Chuns Reef (more forgiving). Afternoon: drive to the east side, snorkel Hanauma Bay.

Day 4

Full day North Shore session. Try Sunset Beach if the swell is right. Evening: traditional Hawaiian dinner at Ola at Turtle Bay.

Day 5

Day trip to Waikiki — surf the long peelers, different vibe, fun waves. See the city side of Oahu.

Day 6

Hike to the top of Diamond Head in the morning. Afternoon free surf wherever conditions are best.

Day 7

Final dawn patrol, grab coffee at Haleiwa Coffee Gallery, fly home.

Local Knowledge

Respect the lineup — Pipeline has a strict local hierarchy. Watch from the beach your first session.

Stay in Haleiwa town — cheaper than Turtle Bay and you are central to everything.

Rent a car — public transport on the North Shore is basically non-existent.

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck is not a tourist trap — the garlic shrimp is genuinely incredible.

Check surfline.com/surf-report/banzai-pipeline for the most accurate local forecast.

November to February is peak season — expect crowds in the water and on the road.