
Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 5 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 16s period, SSW swell with 906 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dondra this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Dondra in the next 16 days are 1.4m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Righto, let’s have a look at what’s happening at Dondra. This is a reef break that’s inconsistent and sometimes gets crowded, so when it’s on, you’ve gotta be sharp. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild going on there.
We’re starting off with a bit of a slow burn. Monday the 6th and Tuesday the 7th are delivering clean waves around 5ft to 6ft from the west, with a moderate cross-off breeze keeping things tidy, but the overall energy is moderate (923 to 1222). The wave quality is just okay, not really firing yet. Wednesday the 8th holds similar at 5ft west swell, still that same steady wind.
Thursday the 9th is where the energy steps up a notch. Afternoon sees a shift to a 5ft SSW groundswell with a very long period of 16 seconds, and the combined energy jumps to 1570. That’s moderate to strong energy, and with the wind still cross-off, it’ll be clean. But be warned – with that long period, Dondra as a reef can get a bit straight and tricky, but it also means more push between sets. Not the standout of the forecast, but a solid session if you’re keen.
Friday the 10th keeps the energy building. Morning has 5ft SSW at 14 seconds (energy 1606), and by the afternoon we’ve got a 6ft west swell at 11 seconds with energy hitting 1693. That’s the most consistent push so far, but still not lighting the world on fire. Wind stays cross-off, so the surface will be clean.
Honestly though, nothing in this first week is screaming “drop everything and go.” It’s all in that 1–2 out of 10 range for quality. The combination of inconsistent breaks and only moderate energy means you’ll be scratching for the good ones.
Now, the real standout arrives later. On Saturday the 18th, we see an afternoon pulse – 5ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, and energy spikes to 1491. That’s strong energy. Wind is cross-off, clean as a whistle. That’s the one you want to pencil in. It’s a week and a half away, so not locked in, but if it holds it’ll be the best session of the run. Dondra can handle that size and direction, and with the long period, expect some proper lines.
The following day, Sunday the 19th, also looks decent. Both morning and afternoon have 5ft SSW swell at 16 seconds, energy around 1288–1442. Afternoon is clean with cross-off wind. That’s a solid backup if the 18th doesn’t fully deliver.
Heads up: around Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th, we drop to smaller 3ft–4ft SSW swells, and the wind goes more cross-shore, making things choppy. That stretch is pretty flat and messy. Not worth the paddle.
Also, by Monday the 20th and Tuesday the 21st, we’re back to 5ft–6ft S/SW swells with moderate energy (1146–1253), but the quality is still only marginal. Wind stays cross-off, so it’s clean but not special.
So overall, if you’ve got patience, aim for that Saturday 18th afternoon and Sunday 19th. That’s your best bet. The rest is mostly a waiting game with clean but average waves. No true stormers in the first week.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Thu morning, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 6 | Tuesday 7 | Wednesday 8 | Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sun 12 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 11 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | W 11 | SSW 14 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
544 | 535 | 474 | 494 | 556 | 627 | 609 | 514 | 711 | 497 | 576 | 894 | 784 | 778 | 836 | 572 | 676 | 651 | 648 | 463 | 425 | |
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-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:05AM0.44m | 5:48PM0.42m | 6:49AM0.44m | 6:27PM0.37m | 7:46AM0.43m | 7:21PM0.32m | 9:05AM0.43m | 9:02PM0.28m | 10:42AM0.44m | 11:27PM0.28m | 12:05PM0.46m | 00:51AM0.32m | 1:04PM0.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:40PM0.07m | 11:58AM0.17m | 00:12AM0.09m | 12:53PM0.20m | 00:49AM0.12m | 2:12PM0.22m | 1:39AM0.15m | 4:15PM0.23m | 3:00AM0.18m | 6:09PM0.19m | 4:52AM0.18m | 7:10PM0.15m | 6:19AM0.16m | 7:52PM0.11m | |||||||
— | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | |
— | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | W 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 14 | S 12 | S 13 |
143 | 143 | 140 | 135 | 318 | 279 | 279 | 465 | 711 | 497 | 356 | 576 | 784 | 778 | 778 | 383 | 468 | 367 | 501 | 365 | 408 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 16 | S 15 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 8 | SSW 14 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
173 | 245 | 226 | 220 | 98 | 96 | 330 | 205 | 49 | 107 | 432 | 894 | 73 | 50 | 48 | 572 | 35 | 36 | 41 | 40 | 39 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | — | WNW 12 | S 18 | S 16 | S 17 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | S 17 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SE 9 | S 16 | S 16 | S 23 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
89 | — | 58 | 58 | 46 | 220 | 66 | 66 | 12 | 351 | 137 | 100 | 33 | 31 | 31 | 36 | 81 | 75 | 11 | 54 | 54 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 11 | — | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 6 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
544 | 535 | 474 | 494 | 556 | 627 | 609 | 514 | 520 | 476 | 576 | — | 663 | 747 | 836 | 115 | 676 | 651 | 648 | 463 | 425 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 175 | 149 | 676 | 175 | 167 | 167 | 174 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 149 | 167 | 175 | 174 | 175 | 175 | 174 | 788 | 175 | 174 | 395 |
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.











