
Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 2 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, W swell with 2,068 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dondra this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Dondra in the next 16 days are 3.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 02) 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 0.2m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
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 cooking for the Dondra region over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough outlook. The whole 16-day window is tagged as marginal, and the scores reflect that. There’s no perfect day to circle on the calendar. The swell is rolling in, but it’s fighting against a persistent cross-off wind that’s not doing us any favours. The wind is pretty much a constant moderate to fresh breeze from the west, so it’s not going to be glassy. We’ve got a mix of long-period groundswell and shorter-period windswell, but the wind is making it difficult to get that clean, lined-up wave we all want.
Let’s start where we have to. For Friday, July 31st, we’re looking at a small start. The swell is around 3 ft from the SSW with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is moderate (1026). The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s surfable, but with that 15 mph wind, it’s only going to be okay for the intermediate crew.
Moving into the weekend, Saturday, August 1st, the morning offers a bit more size at 4 ft from the SSW, still with a solid 16-second period. The energy jumps up (1661). But the wind picks up to 22 mph. By the afternoon, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the west, but the period drops to 9 seconds. That’s a lot of weak, bumpy water. The combined energy (2343) is strong, but the quality is poor. This is the kind of day where the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. That same pattern holds through Sunday, August 2nd, with 10 ft to 12 ft of windswell (2729), but it’s just messy.
The best chance for a decent wave comes mid-week, but it’s still not a standout. On Monday, August 3rd, the swell drops to 8 ft in the morning, still from the west, still short-period (9 seconds). The wind is a bit lighter at 15 mph. It’s the best of a bad lot, but that’s not saying much. The size is getting up there – over 8 ft, so this is really only for experts. The rest of the week is a similar story: 3 ft to 7 ft of south or SSW swell, with long periods (15-19 seconds), but the wind never lets up. Long-period groundswell like this would be a dream at a point break or reef, but at Dondra (a reef break), the cross-off chop is going to mess with the shape.
Looking further out, the second week is more of the same, just a bit smaller. From Thursday, August 6th, through to Saturday, August 15th, we’re looking at 3 ft to 7 ft of swell, again mostly from the south and SSW, with long periods. The energy ranges from moderate (790) to strong (2630). The wind is relentless. For a spot that’s “inconsistent” and already a tough call, this period is a write-off for a classic session. There’s a slight uptick in energy on Thursday, August 13th, with a 20-second period swell (2245), but again, the wind will be there.
So, what’s the call? If you’re an expert and you’re desperate, aim for Monday, August 3rd, when the swell is biggest and the wind is a touch lighter. But don’t expect perfection. For everyone else, it’s probably a week to check the forecast again. It tends not to stay this poor for long. The waves are there, but the conditions are fighting them every step of the way.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 47mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 25°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 24°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
452 | 532 | 514 | 817 | 788 | 1631 | 1219 | 1633 | 2068 | 1163 | 985 | 691 | 1003 | 998 | 974 | 736 | 736 | 1129 | 1929 | |
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 |
High Tide | 3:36AM0.48m | 3:29PM0.55m | 4:02AM0.50m | 3:55PM0.54m | 4:28AM0.51m | 4:21PM0.52m | 4:55AM0.52m | 4:47PM0.48m | 5:25AM0.51m | 5:14PM0.44m | 5:59AM0.48m | 5:40PM0.38m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:28PM0.01m | 9:24AM0.08m | 9:51PM0.00m | 9:53AM0.08m | 10:14PM0.00m | 10:23AM0.08m | 10:37PM0.01m | 10:55AM0.10m | 11:01PM0.03m | 11:29AM0.13m | 11:25PM0.06m | 12:08PM0.17m | 11:52PM0.10m | ||||||
— | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:23 | — | |
mm | 13 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 6 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 28 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SE 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 18 |
452 | 532 | 170 | 817 | 788 | 620 | 537 | 515 | 325 | 340 | 165 | 544 | 1003 | 998 | 974 | 736 | 736 | 580 | 1929 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 18 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 7 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 | SE 8 |
173 | 170 | 514 | 141 | 96 | 59 | 41 | 29 | 109 | 380 | 373 | 122 | 85 | 29 | 26 | 24 | 566 | 1129 | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | S 11 | SW 15 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 18 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 19 | SE 9 | SE 10 | S 24 | SSW 22 | SE 9 | SE 9 | — |
115 | 55 | 266 | 72 | 46 | 33 | 29 | 27 | 227 | 114 | 181 | 207 | 3 | 4 | 44 | 156 | 13 | 13 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 10 | W 7 | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 |
177 | 269 | 315 | 408 | 731 | 1631 | 1219 | 1633 | 2068 | 1163 | 985 | 691 | 561 | 452 | 522 | 343 | 263 | 272 | 253 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 676 | 174 | 167 | 174 | 395 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 125 | 167 | 125 | 167 |
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.











