Reef
both
Level 7/10

Backyards

North Shore, Oahu, USA
🪸Sharp reef⚠️Shallow

Backyards is a shifty wave between Sunset Beach and Velzyland that requires a fast takeoff to get barreled. Shallow coral can detonate without warning, and the break sits directly behind beachfront houses—hence the name.

Backyards surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Tue22
0
Poor
1.3m@10s
21km/h
Today23
0
Poor
1.5m@9s
25km/h
Thu24
0
Poor
1.2m@9s
28km/h
Fri25
0
Poor
1.3m@9s
33km/h
Sat26
0
Poor
1.2m@9s
43km/h
Sun27
0
Poor
1.9m@9s
39km/h
Mon28
23
Poor
2.0m@8s
30km/h
Tue29
25
Poor
1.5m@9s
15km/h
Wed30
22
Poor
1.2m@7s
18km/h
Thu1
20
Poor
1.1m@11s
18km/h
Groomed 5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 18 km/h · PM 23 km/h · Tide at 5am (0.1m)
Swell
1.3m
ENE(58°)
Score: 12/25
Period
10s
Medium period swell
Score: 6/25
Wind
21km/h
E(85°)
Score: 2/25
Weather
28°C
0.2mm36%
First light 5:50amSunrise 6:20amSunset 6:27pmLast light 6:57pm
Windswell0.7m@3sSecondary0.8mConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 7:00–9:22am · risingStrike window: 4:00–6:57pm · droppingIdeal tide: mid
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
6am
9am
12pm
3pm
6pm
°C
26°
28°
29°
28°
27°
26°
27°
28°
28°
26°
25°
25°
27°
26°
26°
26°
27°
27°
25°
25°
25°
26°
26°
26°
25°
25°
25°
26°
26°
26°
26°
27°
28°
28°
27°
26°
26°
28°
27°
25°
25°
26°
28°
28°
26°
25°
26°
27°
27°
26°
3m1.5
sec
11s
11s
11s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
8s
8s
9s
9s
9s
9s
9s
10s
10s
9s
9s
7s
10s
9s
9s
9s
9s
8s
8s
8s
8s
7s
7s
7s
7s
12s
12s
7s
7s
7s
7s
7s
12s
12s
12s
6s
11s
swell
windkm/h
17g32
19g45
23g54
22g50
25g55
24g49
25g57
26g60
25g60
23g53
26g53
27g51
30g67
30g66
29g67
32g64
33g73
34g75
33g79
35g71
40g82
44g89
44g97
42g95
44g92
45g91
42g87
39g86
35g90
35g78
31g71
32g71
30g73
28g73
26g67
14g42
13g41
17g44
17g46
10g45
16g32
18g41
18g46
18g49
18g47
16g35
17g39
19g46
19g50
17g49
tidem
5:00am0.1m
12:42pm0.7m
7:30pm0.2m
5:45am0.2m
1:06pm0.7m
7:30pm0.2m
1:00am0.5m
6:40am0.2m
1:10pm0.6m
7:40pm0.2m
1:30am0.5m
7:10am0.2m
1:20pm0.6m
7:50pm0.1m
2:00am0.6m
8:00am0.2m
1:42pm0.6m
8:04pm0.1m
2:22am0.6m
8:30am0.2m
2:00pm0.5m
8:18pm0.0m
3:18am0.6m
9:30am0.3m
2:06pm0.5m
8:42pm0.0m
4:06am0.6m
10:30am0.3m
2:00pm0.4m
9:06pm0.0m
5:00am0.6m
12:30pm0.4m
9:42pm0.0m
6:30am0.6m
Ideal tide (from tide preference)Strike windowNight

Tide times today

5:00 am
Low tide - 0.15m
12:42 pm
High tide - 0.65m
7:30 pm
Low tide - 0.24m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

0
Poor
Components
Swell Direction0/25
Swell Size12/25
Swell Period6/25
Wind2/25
Raw Score20/100
Adjustments
🌊💨 Windswell-3
💨 Gusty Wind-5
⚠️ Weak Component-15
Adjusted Score0/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score0

Plan Your Strike

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
NNW (330°)
Direction range
310° - 350°
Size range
1.2m - 3m
Ideal size
2m - 2.6m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
14s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
ESE (120°)
Offshore range
90° - 170°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
mid

Water temp

25°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Bottom

Reef

Max wave face

4m+

Board

Shortboard

Consistency

6/10

Difficulty

7/10

Crowd level

5/10

Access: Public beach access between houses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Backyards?

The Backyards profile favors mid tide. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Backyards?

The Backyards profile uses wind from ESE (120°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 90° to 170°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Backyards?

The Backyards scoring profile favors swell from NNW (310° to 350°), a swell-height range of 1.2m to 3m, and a reference period of 14s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Backyards?

The main season at Backyards is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb. A secondary window runs Oct, Mar. Nov-Feb. Between Sunset and V-Land. Fast takeoff required for barrel.

How do I get to Backyards?

The spot profile lists HNL as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 55 minutes. Public beach access between houses.

What kind of wave is Backyards?

Backyards is a reef break, a peak with lefts and rights over a reef bottom. Difficulty is rated 7/10.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb

Secondary: Oct, Mar

Nov-Feb. Between Sunset and V-Land. Fast takeoff required for barrel.

Getting There

Airport
HNL
Drive time
55 min
Data quality
verified

Plan a trip around Backyards

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Strike Log

Community Discussion