Kehena Beach today: live conditions and our beach score
Fully exposed to open-ocean swell with a brutal shorebreak and rip currents/undertow that have caused MULTIPLE drownings (documented deaths 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024).
Live conditionsHilo & Puna (East)
Reading today's ocean conditions…
Ocean Safe scores conditions from public NOAA and Open-Meteo data. We don't certify any beach as safe or unsafe, and this is a modeled estimate, not an official forecast. Always check posted signs, county lifeguards, and weather.gov, and decide for yourself. How we score beaches.
⚠ Not a swimming beach
Fully exposed to open-ocean swell with a brutal shorebreak and rip currents/undertow that have caused MULTIPLE drownings (documented deaths 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024). No lifeguard, limited cell service, and a steep cliff trail that makes rescue slow — bystanders have been unable to reach victims. Enter only in genuinely calm conditions, never alone; safest treated as look-don't-touch.
Fully exposed to open-ocean swell with a brutal shorebreak and rip currents/undertow that have caused MULTIPLE drownings (documented deaths 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024). No lifeguard, limited cell service, and a steep cliff trail that makes rescue slow — bystanders have been unable to reach victims. Enter only in genuinely calm conditions, never alone; safest treated as look-don't-touch.
Beach facts
ShoreHilo & Puna (East)
LifeguardNo lifeguard
Best forWatching from shore, photography
ParkingRoadside pullout on Hwy 137 near mile marker 19. Steep, slick 5-min trail down the cliff.
Questions visitors ask
Is it safe to swim at Kehena Beach today?
Kehena Beach is flagged as a hazard beach. Fully exposed to open-ocean swell with a brutal shorebreak and rip currents/undertow that have caused MULTIPLE drownings (documented deaths 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024). No reading of today's surf changes that — check the live conditions above for context, but treat this as a watch-from-shore spot, not a swim.
Is there a lifeguard at Kehena Beach?
No. Kehena Beach is not lifeguarded, so conditions are yours to judge. If the surf looks marginal, choose a guarded beach instead.
Why is Kehena Beach dangerous?
Fully exposed to open-ocean swell with a brutal shorebreak and rip currents/undertow that have caused MULTIPLE drownings (documented deaths 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024). No lifeguard, limited cell service, and a steep cliff trail that makes rescue slow — bystanders have been unable to reach victims. Enter only in genuinely calm conditions, never alone; safest treated as look-don't-touch.