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 12:44

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

No useful morning window is showing yet.

Best afternoon signal: Wed 13:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 7.1 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

62% 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 (29 hours)
Wind (29 hours)
Tide/current (29 hours)

Jellyfish drift risk

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

Low · 34/100

Low drift risk now.

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

Fri 22:00 – Mon 22:00 (HST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.23 around Sat 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 1.28m to 1.36m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 0/24 sampled hours (range 24.4 to 28.4m/s).

Tides range from 0.16m to 0.87m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

Fri 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 21:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sat 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 21:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 16:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 17:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 19:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 20:00 poor ❌ Limited

Mon 21:00 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
Fri 22:00	1.28 · high	25.00 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Fri 23:00	1.30 · high	25.30 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 00:00	1.30 · high	26.20 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 01:00	1.30 · high	26.10 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 02:00	1.28 · high	25.50 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 03:00	1.28 · high	25.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 04:00	1.28 · high	24.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 05:00	1.28 · high	26.10 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 06:00	1.28 · high	26.10 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 07:00	1.28 · high	26.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 08:00	1.30 · high	25.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 09:00	1.30 · high	26.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Sat 10:00	1.30 · high	26.20 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Sat 11:00	1.30 · high	25.40 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Sat 12:00	1.30 · high	25.30 · high	26.50 · good	poor
Sat 13:00	1.32 · high	24.80 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sat 14:00	1.30 · high	25.00 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 15:00	1.28 · high	24.80 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 16:00	1.30 · high	24.40 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 17:00	1.30 · high	25.90 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 18:00	1.32 · high	28.30 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 19:00	1.34 · high	28.20 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sat 20:00	1.34 · high	28.40 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sat 21:00	1.36 · high	26.90 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sat 22:00	1.34 · high	27.30 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sat 23:00	1.34 · high	26.80 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 00:00	1.32 · high	26.80 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 01:00	1.30 · high	25.40 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 02:00	1.28 · high	24.30 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 03:00	1.26 · high	23.40 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 04:00	1.24 · high	23.90 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 05:00	1.22 · high	24.10 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 06:00	1.20 · high	24.30 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 07:00	1.20 · high	24.60 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Sun 08:00	1.20 · high	24.50 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sun 09:00	1.20 · high	24.90 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sun 10:00	1.20 · high	23.90 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sun 11:00	1.18 · high	24.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 12:00	1.18 · high	23.80 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 13:00	1.18 · high	23.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 14:00	1.16 · high	23.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 15:00	1.16 · high	21.50 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 16:00	1.16 · high	20.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 17:00	1.14 · high	20.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 18:00	1.14 · high	22.40 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 19:00	1.14 · high	22.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 20:00	1.12 · high	21.90 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Sun 21:00	1.12 · high	21.30 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sun 22:00	1.12 · high	20.90 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Sun 23:00	1.14 · high	22.40 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 00:00	1.14 · high	22.70 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 01:00	1.12 · high	21.40 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 02:00	1.12 · high	20.30 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 03:00	1.10 · high	19.60 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 04:00	1.08 · high	20.80 · high	26.90 · good	poor
Mon 05:00	1.06 · high	20.10 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 06:00	1.04 · high	18.80 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 07:00	1.02 · high	18.00 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 08:00	1.02 · high	17.20 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 09:00	1.00 · high	17.40 · high	26.80 · good	poor
Mon 10:00	1.00 · high	18.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 11:00	0.98 · high	18.30 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 12:00	0.98 · high	19.20 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 13:00	0.98 · high	19.00 · high	26.70 · good	poor
Mon 14:00	0.98 · high	18.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Mon 15:00	0.98 · high	20.10 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Mon 16:00	1.00 · high	18.40 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Mon 17:00	1.00 · high	21.00 · high	26.60 · good	poor
Mon 18:00	1.02 · high	21.80 · high	26.60 · good	poor
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