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. Check each spot page for hourly wind, wave, tide and water temperature detail.

Molokini Crater Snorkel Report Today

USA · Updated Sat 05:01 (HST) · Source: Snapshot · Showing fallback/stale data

The skinny

Marginal Report Sun 04:28

Molokini Crater looks marginal today. The least-bad daylight window is around Sun 09:00, but waves is limiting the forecast.

Score: 4.6/10

Best time: Sun 09:00

Main risk: Waves

Best morning signal: Sun 09:00 (Fair).

Best afternoon signal: Sun 12:00 (Poor). Peak afternoon wind is about 7.6 m/s.

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

Best nearby spots

Ulua Mokapu 5.9/10 Good · Sun 16:00

Sunrise

05:56

Sunset

19:09

Water

27.1°C

Max air

29.1°C

Sky

Clear

9% 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

Sunday

⚠️ fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Monday

⚠️ fair conditions

Main blocker: Waves

Best available hours

Sun 19:00 — Fair (0.46) · still limited by waves, tide/current
Sun 18:00 — Fair (0.45) · still limited by waves, tide/current
Mon 20:00 — Fair (0.45) · still limited by waves, tide/current

Why this verdict

Main blockers across the next 72 hours:

Waves (38 hours)
Tide/current (38 hours)
Darkness (22 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

Mon 05:00, Mon 19:00

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 Good · Sun 16:00 5.9/10 Ahihi Kinau Fair · Tue 16:00 5.0/10 Maluaka Turtle Town Fair · Tue 16:00 5.0/10 Kaanapali Black Rock Fair · Tue 17:00 4.8/10 Kaanapali Beach Fair · Tue 17:00 4.7/10 Honolua Bay Fair · Sun 16:00 4.7/10 Kapalua Bay Fair · Sun 16:00 4.7/10 Napili Bay Fair · Sun 17:00 4.0/10

Nearby alternatives in USA

Maluaka Turtle Town

6 km away

❌ Poor

Ahihi Kinau

7 km away

❌ Poor

Ulua Mokapu

8 km away

✅ Good

Hawaii

13 km away

✅ Good

Advanced forecast data

Viewing historical data

Thu 14:00 – Sun 14:00 (HST)

Previous day Yesterday Next day Live

Snorkel Score (selected 24h)

Best snorkel score is 0.41 around Thu 07:00; 5 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 1.14m).

Wind is at or below 5.4m/s in 18/24 sampled hours (range 2.15 to 6.61m/s).

Tides range from 0.21m to 1.05m; 2 of 24 hours are in or near peak slack windows.

72-hour historical overview

Thu 14:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 15:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 16:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 17:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 18:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 19:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 20:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 21:00 fair ⚠️ Fair

Thu 22:00 poor ❌ Limited

Thu 23:00 poor ❌ Limited

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

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

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 14:00	1.00 · high	2.71 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 15:00	0.98 · high	2.63 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 16:00	0.98 · high	2.78 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Thu 17:00	0.98 · high	3.01 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Thu 18:00	0.98 · high	3.64 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Thu 19:00	1.00 · high	3.45 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Thu 20:00	1.02 · high	3.95 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Thu 21:00	1.04 · high	5.21 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Thu 22:00	1.06 · high	5.64 · high	27.30 · good	poor
Thu 23:00	1.08 · high	6.25 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 00:00	1.10 · high	6.61 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 01:00	1.12 · high	6.60 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 02:00	1.12 · high	6.17 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 03:00	1.14 · high	5.58 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Fri 04:00	1.14 · high	4.85 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 05:00	1.14 · high	3.78 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Fri 06:00	1.14 · high	3.29 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 07:00	1.12 · high	3.41 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 08:00	1.12 · high	3.19 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 09:00	1.10 · high	3.11 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 10:00	1.08 · high	3.31 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Fri 11:00	1.08 · high	3.17 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 12:00	1.06 · high	2.61 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 13:00	1.06 · high	2.15 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 14:00	1.06 · high	2.63 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 15:00	1.06 · high	3.17 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Fri 16:00	1.08 · high	3.89 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 17:00	1.10 · high	4.23 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 18:00	1.12 · high	3.76 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 19:00	1.14 · high	3.89 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Fri 20:00	1.18 · high	3.83 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Fri 21:00	1.20 · high	3.43 · good	27.20 · good	fair
Fri 22:00	1.22 · high	4.03 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Fri 23:00	1.24 · high	4.72 · good	27.30 · good	fair
Sat 00:00	1.26 · high	5.23 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Sat 01:00	1.26 · high	5.30 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Sat 02:00	1.24 · high	5.21 · good	27.40 · good	poor
Sat 03:00	1.24 · high	4.83 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 04:00	1.22 · high	4.48 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 05:00	1.20 · high	4.24 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 06:00	1.32 · high	4.64 · good	27.30 · good	poor
Sat 07:00	1.32 · high	4.04 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sat 08:00	1.34 · high	3.72 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sat 09:00	1.34 · high	3.33 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sat 10:00	1.34 · high	2.67 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 11:00	1.36 · high	2.23 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 12:00	1.36 · high	2.65 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 13:00	1.40 · high	3.08 · good	27.10 · good	poor
Sat 14:00	1.42 · high	3.82 · good	27.00 · good	poor
Sat 15:00	1.46 · high	3.93 · good	27.00 · good	poor
Sat 16:00	1.52 · high	3.61 · good	27.00 · good	fair
Sat 17:00	1.56 · high	4.23 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Sat 18:00	1.62 · high	4.04 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Sat 19:00	1.62 · high	4.30 · good	27.10 · good	fair
Sat 20:00	1.62 · high	5.59 · high	27.20 · good	fair
Sat 21:00	1.62 · high	5.76 · high	27.20 · good	fair
Sat 22:00	1.62 · high	6.35 · high	27.30 · good	fair
Sat 23:00	1.64 · high	8.58 · high	27.30 · good	fair
Sun 00:00	1.64 · high	9.12 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Sun 01:00	1.62 · high	7.78 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Sun 02:00	1.60 · high	6.30 · high	27.40 · good	poor
Sun 03:00	1.58 · high	5.96 · high	27.30 · good	poor
Sun 04:00	1.56 · high	5.85 · high	27.30 · good	poor
Sun 05:00	1.54 · high	5.51 · high	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 06:00	1.52 · high	4.56 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 07:00	1.50 · high	3.88 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 08:00	1.48 · high	3.72 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 09:00	1.46 · high	4.04 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 10:00	1.44 · high	4.86 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 11:00	1.44 · high	4.07 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 12:00	1.42 · high	3.81 · good	27.20 · good	poor
Sun 13:00	1.40 · high	4.12 · good	27.20 · good	poor