
Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 17s period, S swell with 2,117 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dondra this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Dondra in the next 16 days are 1.9m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 11PM. 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for this region. Alright, let’s be honest upfront: the next couple of weeks aren’t going to serve up any world-class perfection. The standout is a late burst of power, but we’ve got to wade through a lot of so-so conditions first.
The whole forecast period runs from now through to the 21st of August. There’s surf on the table from the very start, but it’s a real mixed bag of quality. The first few days, from the 6th to the 9th, have some moderate wave energy (around 1896 to 2249) but the swell is coming from the SSW to S, with heights around 5 ft to 6 ft. The wind is solid cross-off from the west, which keeps the surface clean, but there’s a lot of “risk tstorm” in the forecast and the local intel flags these as marginal. The water’s sitting at 82°, which is about normal for this time of year, no big anomaly. For a beginner, that 5 ft+ surf is starting to get a little punchy, so you’d want your wits about you.
The middle of the week, from the 12th to the 17th, the swell really drops off. Heights are hovering around 2 ft to 4 ft, energy is weak to moderate (as low as 445 to 1325), and the period is variable. The wind stays westerly, often cross-off, but it’s a low-energy period. Dondra is a reef setup, and while it’s inconsistent, it can hold a decent swell. But through this stretch, it’s mostly small and marginal. This is a bit of a quiet run for the area.
Now, the real talking point is the 18th and 19th of August. That’s the standout. Swell size jumps up to 7 ft to 8 ft from the SSW, with a long period of 17 to 19 seconds. That’s serious groundswell energy. The combined energy readings are huge – 4086 and 4214 – strong to very strong. The wind is a clean cross-off from the west, so the faces should be clean. But here’s the caveat, mate: 8 ft on a reef with a long period like that is expert territory. It’s going to be a powerful, low-frequency swell, so the sets will be walled up and the paddle out will be a mission. It’s not for the faint-hearted. For the experienced crew, it’ll be the best on offer, but don’t expect it to be a smooth ride. The 20th and 21st see the swell back off a bit, and the wind turns more cross-shore, so it loses that clean edge.
The best call is Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th at Dondra. The swell size is solid, the direction (SSW) is a good match for the optimum SW direction, and the wind is offshore. It’s a reef break, so it should handle that long-period energy well, but remember, it’s inconsistent, so don’t expect a conveyor belt. Crowds are possible there, but with conditions this heavy, it might thin out a bit. For the rest of the window, it’s a case of picking the cleaner moments, but nothing else really stands out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 35mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Thu morning, min 25°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 28°C on Sun morning, min 25°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 16 | S 14 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 20 | S 19 | S 18 | S 18 | S 12 | S 16 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1450 | 1707 | 871 | 1057 | 918 | 946 | 1840 | 1453 | 1571 | 998 | 1929 | 620 | 636 | 1143 | 567 | 1255 | 921 | 871 | 456 | 516 | 415 | |
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-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:07PM0.33m | 7:44AM0.41m | 6:31PM0.27m | 10:23AM0.39m | 00:37AM0.27m | 12:23PM0.42m | 1:23AM0.33m | 1:15PM0.47m | 1:56AM0.40m | 1:52PM0.51m | 2:27AM0.46m | 2:24PM0.53m | 2:58AM0.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:59PM0.21m | 00:21AM0.15m | 3:03PM0.26m | 1:06AM0.20m | 7:02PM0.21m | 5:11AM0.23m | 7:28PM0.15m | 6:48AM0.18m | 7:54PM0.10m | 7:38AM0.13m | 8:20PM0.05m | 8:17AM0.09m | 8:46PM0.01m | ||||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | 6:23 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | |
mm | 3 | 5 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | — | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 6 |
Temp °C | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | S 14 | S 14 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 16 | S 14 | S 17 | S 12 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 18 | S 18 | S 12 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
1450 | 1707 | 871 | 1057 | 918 | 946 | 1840 | 1453 | 1571 | 998 | 1929 | 456 | 636 | 1143 | 440 | 715 | 921 | 871 | 456 | 297 | 415 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | — | S 10 | S 18 | S 18 | S 13 | — | S 18 | S 19 | S 18 | SSW 26 | S 16 | S 11 | SSW 22 | S 10 | S 19 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | S 16 | S 16 | W 9 |
149 | — | 216 | 670 | 635 | 543 | — | 224 | 179 | 398 | 66 | 620 | 286 | 526 | 250 | 1255 | 170 | 170 | 412 | 516 | 54 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 20 | — | — | SSW 13 | — | S 18 | — | SSW 16 | SSW 26 | SSW 24 | SSW 23 | SSE 23 | SSW 20 | SSE 11 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 16 | SW 12 | SSW 15 |
— | — | 190 | — | — | 59 | — | 224 | — | 85 | 66 | 187 | 301 | 107 | 567 | 183 | 184 | 169 | 326 | 36 | 144 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 |
297 | 331 | 408 | 465 | 377 | 345 | 273 | 251 | 289 | 266 | 188 | 178 | 209 | 220 | 141 | 156 | 165 | 127 | 104 | 160 | 121 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 167 | 167 | 175 | 167 | 125 | 175 | 174 | 174 | 175 | 167 | 167 | 175 | 174 | 895 | 175 | 174 | 803 | 175 | 676 | 895 | 175 |
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.











