Can you snorkel in Kapalua Bay today?

Conditions look marginal right now — no clearly safe snorkeling window is forecast in Kapalua Bay over the next 72 hours. Check the hourly table for the calmest period.

What is the best time of day to snorkel in Kapalua Bay?

Snorkel during daylight, ideally in the morning before the wind picks up, and around high slack tide when water is clearest and currents are weakest. SnorkelForecast scores every daylight hour in Kapalua Bay so you can pick the calmest window.

What is the best tide for snorkeling?

High slack tide — within about an hour of the high-tide peak when currents are weakest — is the safest, clearest window. Strong low tides, strong tidal flow near channels or headlands, and large tidal-range days reduce score.

Where are the best snorkeling conditions near Kapalua Bay today?

The best nearby spots right now are Ulua Mokapu, Kaanapali Beach, Ahihi Kinau. Check each spot page for hourly wind, wave, tide and water temperature detail.

Kapalua Bay Snorkel Report Today

USA · Updated Tue 04:13 (HST) · Source: Snapshot · Showing fallback/stale data

The skinny

Marginal Report Wed 09:32

Kapalua Bay looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Thu 06:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Score: 3.7/10

Best time: Thu 06:00

Main risk: Waves

Best morning signal: Wed 11:00 (Poor).

Best afternoon signal: Wed 13:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 7.3 m/s.

Email me when it is good Compare nearby spots Tours & water activities

Best nearby spots

Ulua Mokapu 5.1/10 Fair · Fri 16:00 Kaanapali Beach 5.0/10 Fair · Fri 22:00 Ahihi Kinau 4.9/10 Fair · Thu 18:00

Sunrise

05:56

Sunset

19:09

Water

26.9°C

Max air

28.2°C

Sky

Partly cloudy

46% cloud

No safe window in the next 72 hours

Use the best-available section for the least-bad times.

3-day planner Best available Show data

3-day planner

Wednesday

❌ poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Thursday

⚠️ fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

Thu 16:00 — Fair (0.37) · still limited by waves, wind
Thu 17:00 — Fair (0.36) · still limited by waves, wind
Thu 22:00 — Poor (0.34) · still limited by waves, wind

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Waves (32 hours)
Wind (32 hours)
Tide/current (32 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

Drift estimate from wind, swell, current and warm water.

Low · 34/100

Low peak drift risk around Wed 12:00.

warm water supports seasonal jellyfish activity; surface drift/current is noticeable; local shoreline exposure is not mapped yet.

Sightings override the model: if you see small purple jellyfish with long trailing tentacles, treat them as sting-capable and give them space.

Upcoming high tides

Thu 22:00

Tours and water activities near Kapalua Bay

Local operators found via Tripadvisor. Check conditions before you book.

Maui Snorkel Tours

4.9/5 490 reviews

Guided Maui snorkeling tours from Kihei with a long-running local operator.

Learn more

Quicksilver Maui Snorkeling Charters

4.5/5 3354 reviews

Large-boat snorkeling charters with Lanai and Maui reef trips.

Learn more

Maui Snorkeling

4.7/5 811 reviews

Family-friendly Maui snorkeling trips from Maalaea.

Learn more

West Maui Kayak Tours

4.8/5 13 reviews

West Maui kayak tours that fit calmer nearshore days.

Learn more

Nearby snorkel spot map

Compare nearby spots by score, forecast window and exposure before choosing a beach.

Ulua Mokapu Fair · Fri 16:00 5.1/10 Kaanapali Beach Fair · Fri 22:00 5.0/10 Ahihi Kinau Fair · Thu 18:00 4.9/10 Maluaka Turtle Town Fair · Thu 18:00 4.9/10 Kaanapali Black Rock Fair · Thu 16:00 4.8/10 Molokini Crater Fair · Thu 18:00 4.4/10 Honolua Bay Fair · Thu 16:00 3.7/10 Napili Bay Fair · Thu 16:00 3.7/10

Nearby alternatives in USA

Napili Bay

0 km away

❌ Poor

Honolua Bay

3 km away

❌ Poor

Kaanapali Beach

9 km away

⚠️ Fair

Kaanapali Black Rock

9 km away

⚠️ Fair

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Mon 19:00 – Thu 19:00 (HST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.32 around Tue 06:00; 0 of 24 hours are good, fair, or excellent.

Score trend, higher is better. Excellent ≥ 0.72, good 0.55–0.72, fair 0.35–0.55.

Conditions (24h trends)

Tap a chart to load just that series.

0/24 sampled hours stay at or below 0.36m (range 0.98m to 1.16m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 0/24 sampled hours (range 19.2 to 25.8m/s).

Tides range from 0.09m to 0.92m; 1 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

Mon 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 21:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 21:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Tue 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 21:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Wed 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Scoring methodology (for technical users)

We score each hour from 0 to 1 using daylight and these weighted components:

Wave height (35%): best below 0.36m, then decreases as it rises.
Wind speed (25%): best below 5.4m/s, lower is better.
Sea surface temperature (15%): best within 20.6°C to 30.4°C.
Tide and currents (15%): best around slack/high-tide windows.
Daylight (10%): visibility and safety gate (outside daylight scores lower).

Detailed hourly data table

Time	Wave (m)	Wind (m/s)	Sea temp (°C)	Status
Mon 19:00	1.04 · high	22.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Mon 20:00	1.08 · high	22.70 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 21:00	1.10 · high	23.50 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 22:00	1.12 · high	23.80 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 23:00	1.14 · high	25.10 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 00:00	1.16 · high	25.80 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 01:00	1.16 · high	24.30 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 02:00	1.16 · high	24.20 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 03:00	1.16 · high	23.70 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 04:00	1.14 · high	23.50 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 05:00	1.14 · high	21.30 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 06:00	1.12 · high	22.70 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 07:00	1.12 · high	23.10 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Tue 08:00	1.10 · high	24.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Tue 09:00	1.10 · high	24.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Tue 10:00	1.10 · high	24.40 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Tue 11:00	1.10 · high	24.30 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 12:00	1.10 · high	21.60 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 13:00	1.08 · high	20.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 14:00	1.04 · high	19.80 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 15:00	1.02 · high	19.20 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 16:00	1.00 · high	19.40 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 17:00	1.00 · high	19.50 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 18:00	0.98 · high	19.20 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 19:00	0.98 · high	18.60 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Tue 20:00	0.96 · high	19.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 21:00	0.96 · high	19.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 22:00	0.96 · high	20.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Tue 23:00	0.94 · high	20.80 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 00:00	0.94 · high	20.80 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 01:00	0.94 · high	20.60 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 02:00	0.96 · high	20.80 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 03:00	0.96 · high	20.50 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 04:00	0.96 · high	19.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 05:00	0.98 · high	19.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 06:00	0.98 · high	21.10 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 07:00	1.00 · high	22.10 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 08:00	1.04 · high	21.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 09:00	1.06 · high	19.80 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Wed 10:00	1.08 · high	19.00 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 11:00	1.08 · high	19.30 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 12:00	1.10 · high	19.20 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 13:00	1.12 · high	21.20 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 14:00	1.14 · high	21.60 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 15:00	1.16 · high	21.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 16:00	1.18 · high	21.90 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Wed 17:00	1.18 · high	24.00 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Wed 18:00	1.20 · high	25.00 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Wed 19:00	1.22 · high	25.70 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Wed 20:00	1.22 · high	25.00 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 21:00	1.24 · high	27.00 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 22:00	1.24 · high	28.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Wed 23:00	1.26 · high	28.70 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 00:00	1.26 · high	28.60 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 01:00	1.26 · high	27.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 02:00	1.26 · high	26.60 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 03:00	1.26 · high	27.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 04:00	1.26 · high	26.90 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 05:00	1.28 · high	26.70 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 06:00	1.28 · high	26.10 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 07:00	1.26 · high	26.90 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 08:00	1.24 · high	26.90 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 09:00	1.22 · high	26.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Thu 10:00	1.20 · high	25.70 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 11:00	1.18 · high	24.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 12:00	1.16 · high	23.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 13:00	1.14 · high	22.60 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 14:00	1.12 · high	21.30 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 15:00	1.10 · high	19.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 16:00	1.08 · high	18.70 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 17:00	1.08 · high	19.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Thu 18:00	1.06 · high	21.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor