Can you snorkel in Molokini Crater today?

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

What is the best time of day to snorkel in Molokini Crater?

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 Molokini Crater 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 Molokini Crater 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.

Molokini Crater Snorkel Report Today

USA · Updated Tue 04:13 (HST) · Source: Snapshot

The skinny

Marginal Report Tue 17:53

Molokini Crater looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Thu 08:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Score: 4.0/10

Best time: Thu 08:00

Main risk: Waves

No useful morning window is showing yet.

No useful afternoon window is showing yet.

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

Weakest nearby now

Kaanapali Black Rock

Sunrise

05:57

Sunset

19:08

Water

27.4°C

Max air

27.7°C

Sky

Cloudy

100% 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

Tuesday

❌ poor conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Wednesday

⚠️ fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Thursday

⚠️ fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

Thu 18:00 — Fair (0.44) · still limited by waves, tide/current
Thu 17:00 — Fair (0.44) · still limited by waves, tide/current
Thu 19:00 — Fair (0.43) · still limited by waves, tide/current

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Waves (48 hours)
Tide/current (48 hours)
Darkness (32 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.

Tours and water activities near Molokini Crater

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 Honolua Bay Fair · Thu 16:00 3.7/10 Kapalua Bay Fair · Thu 16:00 3.7/10 Napili Bay Fair · Thu 16:00 3.7/10 Kaanapali Black Rock Poor · Wed 04:00 0.0/10

Nearby alternatives in USA

Maluaka Turtle Town

6 km away

❌ Poor

Ahihi Kinau

7 km away

❌ Poor

Ulua Mokapu

8 km away

❌ Poor

Hawaii

13 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Thu 03:00 – Sun 03:00 (HST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.51 around Thu 11:00; 8 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 1.16m to 1.34m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 23/24 sampled hours (range 2.46 to 5.6m/s).

Tides range from 0.22m to 0.89m; 1 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

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 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 17:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 18:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 19:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 20:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 21:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 22:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 23:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 02:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 03:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 04:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 05:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 06:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 07:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 08:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 09:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 10:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 11:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 12:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 13:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Fri 16:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 17:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 18:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 19:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 20:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 21:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 22:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Fri 23:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

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 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 17:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 18:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 19:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 20:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 21:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 22:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sat 23:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Sun 00:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 01:00 poor ❌ Limited

Sun 02:00 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
Thu 03:00	1.26 · high	4.99 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 04:00	1.24 · high	4.29 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 05:00	1.20 · high	3.59 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 06:00	1.18 · high	3.65 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 07:00	1.18 · high	3.37 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 08:00	1.16 · high	2.89 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Thu 09:00	1.30 · high	5.01 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 10:00	1.32 · high	4.60 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 11:00	1.32 · high	3.49 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 12:00	1.34 · high	2.84 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 13:00	1.32 · high	3.41 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 14:00	1.30 · high	3.11 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 15:00	1.28 · high	3.24 · good	27.00 · good	poor
Thu 16:00	1.28 · high	2.59 · good	27.00 · good	fair
Thu 17:00	1.26 · high	2.46 · good	27.00 · good	fair
Thu 18:00	1.26 · high	3.09 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Thu 19:00	1.28 · high	3.91 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Thu 20:00	1.28 · high	4.08 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Thu 21:00	1.30 · high	4.00 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Thu 22:00	1.30 · high	3.81 · good	27.40 · good	fair
Thu 23:00	1.30 · high	5.23 · good	27.50 · good	fair
Fri 00:00	1.30 · high	5.60 · high	27.50 · good	poor
Fri 01:00	1.30 · high	5.09 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Fri 02:00	1.30 · high	4.60 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Fri 03:00	1.30 · high	4.83 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Fri 04:00	1.30 · high	4.72 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 05:00	1.32 · high	4.37 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 06:00	1.32 · high	4.25 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 07:00	1.34 · high	4.23 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 08:00	1.36 · high	4.30 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 09:00	1.38 · high	3.76 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 10:00	1.38 · high	3.42 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 11:00	1.38 · high	3.59 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 12:00	1.38 · high	3.44 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 13:00	1.36 · high	3.85 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 14:00	1.36 · high	3.56 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 15:00	1.34 · high	2.86 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 16:00	1.34 · high	3.11 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 17:00	1.34 · high	3.22 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 18:00	1.34 · high	2.41 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 19:00	1.36 · high	1.79 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Fri 20:00	1.36 · high	2.87 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Fri 21:00	1.38 · high	2.62 · good	27.40 · good	fair
Fri 22:00	1.38 · high	2.64 · good	27.40 · good	fair
Fri 23:00	1.38 · high	2.66 · good	27.50 · good	fair
Sat 00:00	1.38 · high	2.88 · good	27.60 · good	poor
Sat 01:00	1.38 · high	3.10 · good	27.60 · good	poor
Sat 02:00	1.38 · high	3.05 · good	27.60 · good	poor
Sat 03:00	1.38 · high	2.69 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Sat 04:00	1.38 · high	2.24 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Sat 05:00	1.40 · high	2.04 · good	27.50 · good	poor
Sat 06:00	1.40 · high	1.91 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Sat 07:00	1.42 · high	2.15 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Sat 08:00	1.42 · high	2.49 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 09:00	1.44 · high	2.62 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 10:00	1.42 · high	2.33 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sat 11:00	1.42 · high	2.20 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sat 12:00	1.40 · high	2.46 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 13:00	1.36 · high	2.60 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 14:00	1.34 · high	2.45 · good	27.00 · good	poor
Sat 15:00	1.30 · high	2.84 · good	27.00 · good	poor
Sat 16:00	1.28 · high	3.27 · good	26.90 · good	fair
Sat 17:00	1.28 · high	3.66 · good	26.90 · good	fair
Sat 18:00	1.26 · high	3.45 · good	26.90 · good	fair
Sat 19:00	1.26 · high	3.15 · good	27.00 · good	fair
Sat 20:00	1.26 · high	2.32 · good	27.00 · good	fair
Sat 21:00	1.26 · high	1.45 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Sat 22:00	1.26 · high	1.35 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Sat 23:00	1.28 · high	2.03 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Sun 00:00	1.28 · high	3.00 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sun 01:00	1.30 · high	4.21 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sun 02:00	1.30 · high	4.63 · good	27.30 · good	poor