Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 30 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, 2PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 17s period, SSW swell with 3,467 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 11s 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 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get into it. The next stretch here is all about Dondra, and honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag. The good news is there's surf on the way, but the forecast is telling me we’ve got a wait on our hands before anything really gets going. The first few days are pretty average, but there's a pulse of bigger, cleaner swell coming through if you're patient.
Right out of the gate, we’re looking at Dondra (Dondra) on Sunday the 30th of August. It’s a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so you’ve got to be picky about your time in the water. Morning brings in a 4ft SSW swell with a 19-second period – that’s proper long-period groundswell, which is always good for a reef. The water’s sitting at 83°, which is about normal for this time of year. There’s a light cross-offshore breeze, so it’ll be clean, but the energy is only moderate, with combined energy around 1561. It’s rideable, but it’s not setting the world on fire. The afternoon builds a touch to 6ft, still from the SSW, but the period drops slightly to 18 seconds. Crowds are a possibility here, so keep your wits about you.
Monday the 31st is where things start to get a bit more serious. The morning sees that swell jump to 8ft from the SSW with an 18-second period. The energy is pumping at 3575 – that’s strong, for sure. The wind is cross-offshore, so it’ll be breaking with some power. This is getting into the size where it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s a solid step up from Sunday.
Tuesday and Wednesday are still offering up decent waves, though the size backs off a little. Tuesday's morning is 7ft, and the period is dropping to 16 seconds. By Wednesday, we’re down to 5ft with a 15-second period, but the wind turns a bit more cross, creating some chop. The mornings are definitely the cleaner windows, with a cross-offshore breeze. The afternoons are a bit better for wind, but the overall quality is just marginal.
The real standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Monday the 31st. That 8ft SSW swell with an 18-second period is the biggest and best-defined push of the whole run. It’s a proper reef wave with good energy, and the cross-offshore wind will keep it clean. This is the best on offer.
After that, things taper off. We get into a stretch from the 1st of September through to the 6th where the swell drops and the period shortens up. It’s smaller, weaker, and more disorganized. The combined energy drops into the double digits, which is just weak. The wind is still cross-offshore at times, but the waves lack any real push. Honestly, this stretch looks like it’s better for a paddle or a swim than a surf. There’s a small window on the 7th with a long-period 20-second swell, but it’s tiny, only 2ft to 3ft. Not worth getting wet for.
The following week, from around the 8th of September, we see a bit of a rebound. It’s not the big stuff we saw at the start, but we get back into 4ft to 6ft range, mostly from the SSW. The period goes back up to the 16-18 second range, and the wind is consistently cross-offshore, keeping things clean. The energy picks back up into moderate levels. The best of this second run is around Friday the 11th, with 6ft SSW swells and the winds staying favorable. It’s a solid, fun few days, but it lacks the raw size and power of that first Monday.
One thing to keep in mind for Dondra is that it’s a reef. So when that long-period swell is running, it’s going to barrel and hold its shape. But when the period drops, it can get a bit crumbly. And as it gets over 8ft, this spot becomes expert territory only.
So, to wrap it up: get after it early on the 30th and 31st for the cleanest, most powerful waves. The 31st is the pick of the bunch. Then be prepared to wait out a flat spell mid-week before it picks up again the following week. It’s not a perfect two weeks, but there are definitely waves to be had if you’re willing to work for them.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 29°C on Wed afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 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 | S 13 | SSW 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1856 | 2299 | 3286 | 2918 | 2748 | 2128 | 1671 | 1241 | 1110 | 1145 | 1223 | 1032 | 867 | 878 | 669 | 390 | 224 | 262 | 320 | 245 | |
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 | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 6:32AM0.38m | 3:53PM0.27m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:47PM0.27m | 10:31PM0.23m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | |
6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:12 | — | |
mm | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | S 13 | SSW 13 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 |
1856 | 2299 | 3286 | 2918 | 2748 | 2128 | 1671 | 1241 | 1110 | 1145 | 1223 | 1032 | 867 | 878 | 669 | 390 | 224 | 262 | 320 | 245 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | S 8 | SE 8 | SSE 11 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 8 | S 10 | SE 9 | SSE 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SE 8 | W 9 | SE 9 | SE 8 | SSW 12 | SE 8 | S 15 | SSW 16 |
206 | 52 | 18 | 121 | 79 | 70 | 34 | 122 | 41 | 53 | 36 | 55 | 53 | 45 | 62 | 57 | 115 | 40 | 155 | 198 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SW 12 | S 13 | SW 11 | — | — | S 10 | SE 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | SE 8 | SSW 12 | WNW 8 | SSW 13 |
59 | 69 | 14 | 31 | — | — | 30 | 17 | 30 | 31 | 25 | 24 | 52 | 47 | 40 | 38 | 45 | 56 | 24 | 133 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | W 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 |
80 | 72 | 75 | 85 | 83 | 149 | 150 | 109 | 123 | 109 | 84 | 77 | 56 | 33 | 25 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 19 | 25 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 175 | 390 | 167 | 174 | 175 | 174 | 788 | 390 | 175 | 788 | 175 | 174 | 787 | 175 | 746 | 788 | 0 | 676 | 788 | 390 |
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.











