Surf Forecasts:
Danger Reef surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,323 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Danger Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Danger Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Danger Reef in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Danger Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for Danger Reef.
Right off the bat, the outlook is a tough one. For the next week and a half, the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore, and the surf quality is described as poor or marginal. The first real window of hope doesn't arrive until Sunday, the 6th of September, with a glassy afternoon session. But the standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Monday, the 14th of September. That morning we’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the SW, with a 15-second period, giving that water some serious grunt. The wind is light and cross-offshore, making for clean waves. This is a real expert-only day – that’s some heavy water (combined energy of 3177) with a long period groundswell that will be holding up well at this exposed reef break. The afternoon gets a bit lumpy again, so get it early.
Before that, the pickings are slim. The swell sticks around, but the wind is your enemy. The best of a bad bunch is Tuesday morning, the 1st of September, with a 8ft swell from the SW and a long 14-second period. The wind is light and cross-shore, so not perfect, but the wave energy is high (1962). It’s a marginal call. Then on Sunday the 6th, the wind finally drops to glass in the afternoon with a clean 4ft SW swell – that’s your more relaxed session for a longboard or a funboard.
The water temperature is 58°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so a good wetsuit is non-negotiable. And keep in mind, Danger Reef can get busy, so even on the good days you might have company.
So, here’s the takeaway: the next 12 days are mostly a write-off. The one true standout is the Monday the 14th of September morning session for the experienced crew. The Sunday the 13th also has clean, offshore winds in the afternoon, but with a smaller 5ft swell. For the average surfer, wait for that glassy spell on Sunday the 6th.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun morning, calm by Tue morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Mainly near gales. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SE 6 | SSW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1544 | 1271 | 808 | 747 | 683 | 1083 | 1962 | 2681 | 3247 | 2385 | 1919 | 1569 | 736 | 688 | 428 | 309 | 354 | 391 | 208 | 320 | 1002 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 4:31PM1.63m | 4:48AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.60m | 5:22AM1.41m | 5:38PM1.52m | 6:01AM1.32m | 6:18PM1.41m | 6:47AM1.20m | 7:10PM1.28m | 7:55AM1.08m | 8:29PM1.15m | 9:45AM1.03m | 10:28PM1.12m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:18AM0.07m | 10:45PM0.07m | 10:48AM0.10m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:22AM0.17m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:59AM0.27m | 00:39AM0.30m | 12:45PM0.40m | 1:38AM0.42m | 1:54PM0.53m | 3:13AM0.51m | 3:56PM0.59m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — |
 | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 16 |
Feels °C | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SSW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 1544 | 1271 | 808 | 747 | 683 | 1083 | 1962 | 2681 | 3247 | 2385 | 1919 | 1569 | 736 | 480 | 319 | 309 | 354 | 391 | 208 | 303 | 1002 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | S 11 | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | — |
| kJ | 22 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 112 | 137 | 85 | 17 | 56 | 107 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 12 | — | — | SSW 19 | WSW 10 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 73 | — | — | 34 | 88 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 |
| kJ | — | — | 91 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 284 | 360 | 688 | 428 | 161 | 303 | 56 | 182 | 320 | 189 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 42 | 337 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 316 | 11 | 16 | 12 | 2 | 10 | 454 | 934 | 1234 | 2974 | 30 | 163 | 23 | 10 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Danger Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Danger Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Danger Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Danger Reef 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 (Danger Reef) 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 Danger Reef 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 Danger Reef, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 20 km (12 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 29 km (18 miles) away, Robben Island, Stellenbosch and Kayamnandi.
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