Kayak Love

Hawaii · river

Wainiha River near Hanalei, Kauai

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

84

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT.

River observation: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 07:50:00 GMT.

Page checked: Thu, 22 Oct 2026 08:04:31 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Wainiha River near Hanalei, Kauai
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Aerial View of Kauai From Helicopter Hawaii - panoramio.jpg by Michelle Maria, CC BY 3.0. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

5 mph

gusting to 12 mph

Air temp

68°F

69% chance of rain

River flow

129 cfs

high for this date

Weather outlook

Friday · 90

  • Wed

    56

  • Thu

    88

  • Fri

    90

    Best

  • Sat

    89

  • Sun

    72

  • Mon

    75

  • Tue

    78

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
10p512
11p511
12a512
1a412
2a410
3a410
4a49
5a49
6a38
7a38
8a410
9a412

Is this flow normal for October 22?

Today's 129 cfs is 90% above the median for this date — which counts as high water here.

The median flow on this date is 68 cfs, across 73 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 5 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Rain — 69% chance in the next 6 hours-16

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

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