Surf Forecasts:
Black Rocks surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 12s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,091 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Black Rocks this week:
The surf forecast for Black Rocks over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 12s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Black Rocks in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 11s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Black Rocks over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s coming up.
Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you – there’s a bit of a slow start. The first real action worth paddling for doesn’t kick off until Wednesday afternoon. We’ve got a solid window building, but you’ve got to be patient through the early days.
Wednesday 19th August afternoon is where it starts to feel right. Black Rocks is seeing a clean 7ft SW swell with a 12-second period and light cross-offshore wind. The water is sitting at 58°, which is a touch cooler than usual for this time of year – about 2°F colder than average, so you’ll want a decent wetsuit. The combined energy is strong (1209), so there’s plenty of push.
Thursday 20th August morning has the biggest raw swell of the early week at 10ft from the SW, 13 seconds, but the wind is cross-onshore and it’s a bit messy. That one’s for the experienced crew only, and even then, conditions are touchy. Afternoon drops to 8ft but the wind gets worse, so it’s not the pick.
The real standout – and I mean the one to circle on your calendar – is Wednesday 26th August morning. Offshore wind from the west, light breeze, and a solid 6ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The energy is pumping (1183), and with that clean offshore flow, Black Rocks will be firing. This is a reef break that demands respect – it’s an advanced spot and it’s inconsistent, so you’ve got to be on your game. But when it lines up like this, it’s worth the wait.
If you’re looking further ahead, Monday 31st August afternoon is another beauty. Clean offshore from the WSW, 7ft SW swell with a 15-second period – that’s very long period groundswell. Combined energy is 2307, which is strong. This kind of long-period swell tends to stand up well on reefs like this, giving proper, lined-up waves. It’s rated excellent for experienced surfers, and with moderate offshore breeze, it’ll be clean.
Towards the start of September, Thursday 3rd September afternoon has another clean setup – 8ft from the SW at 13 seconds, light cross-off wind, and strong energy (2523). Another one for the advanced crew.
Overall, the first few days are a bit of a wait, but from Wednesday 26th through to the end of the month, there are some proper sessions on offer. Black Rocks is an inconsistent spot, so when it comes together like this, you don’t want to miss it. Expect crowds possible – it’s a known spot when the conditions are right.
Stay sharp and get on it.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Wed morning). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the ESE by Fri morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sat night, fresh winds from the SE by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1476 | 1209 | 1593 | 2795 | 1890 | 1025 | 640 | 307 | 312 | 419 | 544 | 760 | 1325 | 1026 | 734 | 393 | 292 | 1443 | 1069 | 821 | 561 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 7:27PM1.16m | 8:02AM0.99m | 8:29PM1.04m | 9:44AM0.92m | 10:23PM0.98m | 11:55AM0.96m | 00:07AM1.03m | 12:59PM1.06m | 1:02AM1.13m | 1:38PM1.18m | 1:41AM1.24m | 2:09PM1.31m | 2:14AM1.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:04PM0.50m | 1:53AM0.54m | 1:54PM0.62m | 3:16AM0.63m | 3:46PM0.71m | 5:32AM0.62m | 6:06PM0.66m | 6:47AM0.52m | 7:07PM0.56m | 7:28AM0.41m | 7:45PM0.45m | 8:00AM0.31m | 8:17PM0.34m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — |
 | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 24 |
Feels °C | 9 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 23 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 1476 | 1209 | 1593 | 2795 | 1890 | 1025 | 640 | 307 | 312 | 419 | 544 | 760 | 1325 | 1026 | 734 | 393 | 292 | 1443 | 1069 | 821 | 558 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 18 | SW 15 | — | — | SW 14 | SSW 11 | WSW 11 | W 11 | SW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 273 | 215 | 118 | 12 | 418 | — | — | 50 | 135 | 214 | 154 | 15 | 123 | 561 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 | — | — | SW 12 | — | — | — | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | — | SSW 20 | SSW 15 | S 10 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 79 | — | — | 349 | — | — | — | 138 | 272 | — | 37 | 44 | 51 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SSE 6 | SE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 73 | 99 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 26 | 46 | 106 | 98 | 209 | 105 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 9 | 25 | 23 | 34 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 22 | 9 | 23 | 88 | 32 | 22 | 22 | 5 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Black Rocks Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Black Rocks provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Black Rocks can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Black Rocks surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Black Rocks) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Black Rocks may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Black Rocks, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 40 km (25 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Bellville which is 46 km (29 miles) away, Stellenbosch, Grabouw and Kayamnandi.
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