Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 18s period, SSW swell with 3,547 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 12s. 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 2.4m 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 11AM. 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 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, listen up, this is Rusty, and I’m lookin' at the outlook for Dondra. This is a reef break that’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s a treat, but you gotta be patient. The water temp is sittin' at 28°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
To kick things off, we’ve got a bit of a wait. The first real chance to get wet is Saturday afternoon, the 29th of August. We’re looking at a 4ft SSW swell with a solid 13-second period, so that’s some proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is moderate at 767, and with a cross-offshore wind, it’ll be clean. It’s a tough one to call though, as the conditions are described as marginal.
The real standout is going to be Sunday, the 30th of August. The swell builds through the day, hitting 4ft in the morning and then jumping to 6ft by the afternoon. The period is a massive 19 seconds in the morning, dropping to 18 seconds later. That’s a very long period groundswell, which means energy, power, and long waits between sets. The combined energy is strong, hitting 1561 in the morning and a powerful 2118 in the afternoon. The wind holds cross-offshore, keeping it all clean. This is the best on offer, no doubt.
Then Monday, the 31st, sees the swell peak. We’re talking 8ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon from the SSW, with a period of 17 to 18 seconds. The energy is very strong, over 3000. This is for experienced surfers only, as it’s over 8ft. The wind is still cross-off, so the shape should be there for the experts.
After that, the swell slowly backs off through the first week of September, but it stays rideable with that same cross-off wind pattern. From Tuesday the 1st through to Friday the 4th, we’re looking at waves in the 5ft to 7ft range, always with that clean wind. The combined energy stays in the moderate to strong range.
However, from Saturday the 5th, things get a bit messy. The swell drops, the period shortens, and the wind swings more cross-shore, creating a chop. The energy drops below 1000, and by Sunday the 6th, we’re into poor surf conditions with waves under 3ft. This gap of poor to marginal conditions lasts right through until Wednesday the 9th of September.
There’s a flicker of life on Wednesday afternoon the 9th, with a 3ft SSW swell that has a long 17-second period, and the combined energy is moderate at 639. The wind is clean again. Then from Thursday the 10th through to Saturday the 13th, we see a slow rebuild. The swell sits around 3ft to 5ft, with periods of 13 to 16 seconds, and the wind is consistently cross-off. The Sunday the 13th afternoon session has a combined energy of 1518, which is moderate and worth a look if you're desperate for a wave.
So, if you’re keen, the best bet is the Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st of August. The later stuff in the second week is promising but less certain. Keep your eyes on the charts.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Mon morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 13 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
468 | 932 | 1288 | 1856 | 2299 | 3547 | 2918 | 2748 | 2128 | 1671 | 1241 | 1110 | 1038 | 1223 | 1154 | 854 | 703 | 737 | 411 | 162 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:06PM0.55m | 3:32AM0.57m | 3:30PM0.54m | 3:56AM0.58m | 3:55PM0.51m | 4:21AM0.57m | 4:18PM0.48m | 4:48AM0.54m | 4:41PM0.44m | 5:16AM0.50m | 5:02PM0.38m | 5:48AM0.45m | 5:15PM0.33m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:18PM-0.02m | 9:34AM0.03m | 9:39PM-0.02m | 10:01AM0.04m | 10:01PM-0.01m | 10:29AM0.06m | 10:23PM0.02m | 10:58AM0.10m | 10:45PM0.06m | 11:29AM0.15m | 11:06PM0.11m | 12:05PM0.21m | 11:21PM0.17m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | |
mm | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | S 10 |
468 | 932 | 1288 | 1856 | 2299 | 3547 | 2918 | 2748 | 2128 | 1671 | 1241 | 1110 | 1038 | 1223 | 1154 | 854 | 703 | 737 | 411 | 162 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 20 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 9 | S 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | W 10 | SE 9 | W 9 | SE 8 | SSW 12 |
272 | 257 | 210 | 206 | 56 | 14 | 121 | 79 | 32 | 24 | 38 | 52 | 53 | 35 | 33 | 50 | 39 | 40 | 57 | 158 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 12 | S 13 | SW 11 | — | S 10 | SSE 10 | SE 8 | WNW 10 | W 10 | WNW 12 | SE 8 | SE 8 | W 9 | S 21 | W 8 | SE 8 |
27 | 73 | 63 | 56 | 69 | 14 | 31 | — | 29 | 33 | 17 | 31 | 49 | 14 | 35 | 24 | 45 | 9 | 37 | 57 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 5 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 4 | W 5 |
94 | 80 | 92 | 89 | 70 | 72 | 69 | 68 | 144 | 141 | 154 | 100 | 98 | 83 | 83 | 37 | 32 | 24 | 20 | 25 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 895 | 175 | 174 | 895 | 175 | 174 | 895 | 175 | 174 | 796 | 175 | 678 | 788 | 4 | 676 | 787 | 4 | 175 | 788 | 4 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Sri Lanka | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











