Dondra Surf Break

Lat Long: 5.92° N 80.60° E

Dondra Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 pm 16 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Dondra sea temperature is
27.9° C
0.1° 

Dondra surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Dondra surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 20 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 20 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 16s period, S swell with 1,591 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period with S swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dondra this week:

The surf forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 1.1m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Dondra in the next 16 days are 1.7m 16s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 20) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (+0530) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Mon 20th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 16s
Best Surf11PM (Mon 20th Jul)4.5ft (1.3m) 16s
Most Powerful 5PM (Mon 20th Jul)5.5ft (1.7m) 16s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Dondra. It’s a mixed bag, but there’s a pulse of proper energy on the horizon if you’re willing to wait.

The outlook kicks off with a real slow start. The first few days from Friday the 17th through to Sunday the 19th are pretty flat and uninspiring, with weak swell around 3ft to 3ft from the SSW. The wind is a steady cross-offshore breeze, which would normally be a plus, but the wave energy is just too low to get excited about. The combined energy values are sitting in the low hundreds (300 to 537), which tells you it’s puny. You’d be fighting for a knee-high dribbler. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out.

Then we hit Monday the 20th of July, and things start to change. A solid S swell pushes in, with heights climbing to 4ft in the morning and 6ft by the afternoon. That’s a proper step up. The period is a long 16 to 18 seconds, which is classic groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 1777, and that’s a moderate amount of grunt. The wind is still cross-offshore from the W at 12-16 mph, so the surface will be clean. Dondra is a reef break, and that long-period swell will wrap in nicely, offering up some clean, lined-up waves. This is your best bet for the first week. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird, just your usual tropical warmth.

The surf quality on Monday is decent, but the scores are just okay – it’s a bit of a marginal window with the tide, so pick your session. It’s enough to get a few good ones. The crowd factor is “sometimes” at Dondra, so you might have a few others out, but it won’t be a circus.

Tuesday the 21st holds onto similar size, around 5ft to 5ft from the S, but the wind shifts to a cross-shore from the WSW, and you’ll start to see a bit of chop on the face. Still rideable, but not as clean as Monday. From Wednesday onward, the swell drops back into the 2ft to 4ft zone, and the wind stays cross or cross-off, but the energy is weak – those combined energy values fall back to the 300-600 range. It’s marginal at best. You’re looking at a gap of several days with no real standout surf.

Now, if you’re a patient surfer, there’s something brewing way out in the second week. Around Wednesday the 29th of July, you start to see a spike in period. Wednesday afternoon shows a 3ft swell from the SSW with a period of 23 seconds – that’s very long period groundswell, and the combined energy is 1358. Then Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July see the swell size build to 5ft to 6ft from the SSW, with periods of 17 to 19 seconds. The energy values are climbing into the 2000s (strong to very strong). The wind is still cross-offshore from the W at 16-19 mph, so it’ll be clean. This is a long-range promise, so it’s less certain, but it looks like a proper pulse. That long-period swell will be best at this reef, giving you some real power and shape. The only catch is the size hits 6ft, which is still okay for most, but it’s not a beginner wave.

The final day on the 1st of August shows a 10ft swell from the W with a short 8-second period and a combined energy of 2637. That’s a lot of water moving, but the short period means it’ll be a bit of a messy, wind-affected closeout at the reef. That’s expert territory, and honestly, the wind is a fresh breeze at 19 mph, so it’ll be more of a battle than a joy. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing by that point.

For the best on offer, aim for Monday the 20th of July. That’s your standout for the first week. For the second week, keep an eye on Thursday the 30th and Friday the 31st of July – that’s the promising long-range pulse, but it’s a future call.

Stay patient, and pick your windows.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
Tuesday
21
Wednesday
22
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
2
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
14
1
SSW
14
1
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
14
0.9
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
13
0.9
SSW
13
1.2
S
18
1.7
S
16
1.3
S
16
1.6
S
15
1.5
S
14
1.3
SSW
13
1.2
S
13
1.1
S
13
1
S
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
482
437
431
347
328
277
277
242
289
303
881
1591
858
1108
951
627
498
414
285
Wind (km/h)
20
W
25
W
25
W
20
W
25
W
25
W
20
W
25
W
25
W
20
W
25
W
20
W
15
WSW
20
WSW
20
WSW
15
SW
20
SW
20
WSW
15
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
4:19AM0.49m
4:09PM0.52m
4:54AM0.49m
4:39PM0.49m
5:28AM0.48m
5:07PM0.46m
6:01AM0.46m
5:35PM0.41m
6:36AM0.43m
6:04PM0.37m
7:16AM0.40m
6:36PM0.32m
Low Tide
10:04PM0.01m
10:11AM0.10m
10:33PM0.01m
10:46AM0.12m
11:02PM0.02m
11:21AM0.15m
11:30PM0.05m
11:56AM0.18m
11:58PM0.09m
12:35PM0.21m
00:25AM0.13m
1:30PM0.24m
00:55AM0.18m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
thunderstorm
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:01
6:01
6:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:25
6:25
6:25
6:25
6:25
6:25
 mm
2
1
3
2
1
Temp °C
27
29
29
27
29
29
27
29
29
26
28
29
27
29
29
27
28
28
27
Feels °C
29
29
28
28
29
28
29
29
28
27
28
29
29
30
30
30
29
29
29
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Dondra Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Dondra provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Dondra can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Dondra 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 (Dondra) 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 Dondra 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.

Dondra is 8 km (5 miles) from Matara. If you plan a holiday in West Sri Lanka, look for hotels and other accommodation in Matara. Matara has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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