
Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, SSE swell with 606 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 8s. 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 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 5AM. 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 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 11s |
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 comin’ down the line for Dondra. It’s a reef break, and it’s one of those spots that doesn’t fire all the time, so we’ve got to be patient.
The first solid calls are a bit of a slow burn. The water temp is sittin’ around 82°F right now, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no worries on that front.
Wednesday the 22nd, we’ve got a bit of swell on the way. Morning sees a 4ft swell from the south, with a period of 13 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, good energy. Combined energy is moderate (653). The wind is cross-shore though, so it’s gonna be a bit choppy. The afternoon session cleans up nicely with a cross-off breeze, making it clean. The swell holds at 4ft, still from the south. It’s a marginal call, but the afternoon is the pick of the day.
Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th are pretty flat and poor. The swell drops off, and the wind just isn’t workin’ for us. We’re talkin’ poor surf conditions, so I’d give those days a miss.
Saturday the 25th shows a little more promise. The afternoon sees a 5ft swell from the SSE, period of 10 seconds, and the wind turns cross-off, so the face will be clean. Combined energy is moderate (699). It’s still a marginal call, but that’s the best we’ve got for the weekend.
We’ve got a bit of a dry spell from Sunday the 26th through to Tuesday the 29th. The swell is there, around 3ft to 5ft, but the conditions are just so-so. The wind is mostly cross-off, which is good for the surface, but the energy is moderate and the surf quality is just marginal. Tuesday the 28th has a risk of thunderstorms, which could mess with the wind.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday the 30th of July, the morning has a 3ft swell from the SSW, but the period jumps to 18 seconds – that’s a very long period groundswell. Combined energy is strong (993). The wind is cross-off, so clean. This is a long-range call, so it’s promising but not set in stone. That long period will mean long lulls between sets, but the waves that come through will be powerful and well-shaped. For a reef like Dondra, this is the kind of swell that gets the blood pumpin’.
But the real standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is the start of August. Monday the 3rd of August, the morning shows a 3ft swell from the SSW, but the period is a whopping 21 seconds. The combined energy is very strong (1532). That afternoon, the swell picks up to 4ft, still from the SSW, with a 20-second period, and the energy jumps to 1730. This is a massive, long-period groundswell. The wind is cross-off and clean. This is the kind of day where Dondra can really turn on. It’s a week and a half out, so don’t book the plane ticket yet, but it’s a serious looker.
Then Tuesday the 4th and Wednesday the 5th of August, the swell size bumps up to 6ft and then 7ft, with periods of 17-18 seconds. The energy is way up there, over 2200 and 2700 respectively. That’s strong to very strong energy. The wind stays cross-off, so the surface will be clean. At 7ft, this is getting into the territory where it’s better for experienced surfers. The swell direction is solidly from the SSW, which is the optimum direction for this break.
Thursday the 6th of August, the swell holds at 7ft to 8ft from the south, with a 16-second period. Again, very strong energy (2650). The wind is cross-off. This is a long stretch of quality, powerful swell.
So, the call is this: The first week is a bit of a grind, with the best bet being the afternoon of Wednesday the 22nd. The second week, specifically from Monday the 3rd of August through Thursday the 6th, is where the magic is. That long-period SSW groundswell with clean cross-off winds is the standout. The 3rd of August, with that 21-second period, is the one to watch, but the whole run from the 3rd to the 6th is firing. Just be aware, at 7ft and above, it’s not a beginner’s wave.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Wed morning, min 26°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 12 | S 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSE 10 | SSW 16 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
498 | 490 | 344 | 145 | 190 | 251 | 217 | 214 | 275 | 382 | 394 | 593 | 505 | 441 | 322 | 333 | 298 | 226 | 192 | 287 | 306 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:36PM0.32m | 8:19AM0.37m | 7:42PM0.27m | 10:33AM0.36m | 00:35AM0.28m | 12:16PM0.39m | 1:26AM0.32m | 1:06PM0.43m | 1:55AM0.35m | 1:42PM0.47m | 2:21AM0.39m | 2:11PM0.50m | 2:46AM0.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:30PM0.24m | 00:55AM0.18m | 3:41PM0.26m | 1:50AM0.23m | 6:49PM0.22m | 5:10AM0.24m | 7:26PM0.18m | 6:39AM0.21m | 7:54PM0.14m | 7:23AM0.18m | 8:19PM0.10m | 7:57AM0.14m | 8:42PM0.06m | ||||||||
6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Temp °C | 30 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 26 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 9 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 |
498 | 490 | 344 | 142 | 190 | 181 | 79 | 154 | 275 | 360 | 394 | 593 | 505 | 441 | 322 | 333 | 298 | 226 | 192 | 192 | 192 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | W 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | W 9 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 |
21 | 16 | 70 | 145 | 79 | 74 | 217 | 214 | 229 | 382 | 250 | 394 | 316 | 336 | 269 | 265 | 169 | 164 | 188 | 287 | 306 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | SE 8 | W 9 | SE 8 | SW 16 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 10 | S 18 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 |
12 | 10 | 16 | 63 | 16 | 251 | 51 | 34 | 10 | 6 | 55 | 85 | 80 | 112 | 119 | 141 | 106 | 102 | 94 | 92 | 98 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 5 | W 5 | W 9 | W 5 | SW 3 | WSW 4 | W 8 | W 10 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | W 5 | WSW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | WSW 6 |
122 | 122 | 15 | 11 | 108 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 82 | 117 | 34 | 35 | 40 | 28 | 39 | 25 | 40 | 61 | 78 | 88 | 90 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 676 | 788 | 0 | 678 | 788 | 390 | 746 | 788 | 4 | 788 | 787 | 787 | 676 | 787 | 175 | 676 | 787 | 175 | 176 | 787 | 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.










