Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 15s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 14s period, S swell with 1,285 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 15s 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 (Aug 12) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 11s. 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 1.8m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) 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 1.4m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 13) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Dondra. This is a reef setup that’s inconsistent, so when it’s on, it’s on, but it’s not a spot you can just rock up to any day. It’s exposed to the south, and the water temp is hovering around 81°, which is about normal for this time of year.
The first week and a half is a bit of a grind, to be honest. It’s not flat, but it’s not really doing much either. We’ve got a lot of days with wave heights hanging around the 3ft mark, with periods mostly in the 10-11 second range. The energy is weak to moderate, nothing that’s going to get your heart racing. The wind is mostly cross-off from the west, which keeps things clean, but the swell just isn’t there. Monday the 11th has a little bump in period, hitting 19 seconds, but the height is only 4ft, so it’s a lot of hoped-up energy with not much push behind it. It’s one of those days where you’ll be scratching your head wondering why it feels so much smaller than it looks on paper.
Then we get to the middle of next week. The wind stays cross-off from the west, which is a good sign. The swell starts to fill in properly on Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th. We’re looking at consistent 6-7ft plus surf, with the period holding in that nice 16-17 second range. The energy is strong, climbing into the 3000s. This is the standout window. The swell direction is from the SSW, which is right in that optimum SW zone for Dondra. This is when the reef gets properly working. It’s a solid, powerful swell, so it’s not for the faint of heart. This is for the crew who know the lineup and can handle a proper reef wave. The winds are light to moderate, keeping it clean.
After that little pulse, it backs off a bit towards the end of the week. The 21st and 22nd still have some fun, head-high waves, but the energy is dropping and periods are shortening. It’s still surfable, but the magic of the mid-week pulse is gone.
So, the short version: the first week and a bit is a waiting game. Don’t get too excited. But the 18th and 19th of August are the ones to circle on the calendar. That’s the real deal. It’s a long-range call, so it’s not set in stone, but it’s looking promising. After that, it’s still okay, just not as good.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Mon morning, min 25°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 Fri afternoon, min 25°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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 16 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 20 | S 19 | S 18 | S 18 | S 16 | SSE 10 | W 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 620 | 636 | 1285 | 567 | 1255 | 921 | 871 | 412 | 318 | 164 | 343 | 281 | 227 | 380 | 343 | 260 | 306 | 297 | 308 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:23AM0.33m | 1:15PM0.47m | 1:56AM0.40m | 1:52PM0.51m | 2:27AM0.46m | 2:24PM0.53m | 2:58AM0.50m | 2:53PM0.54m | 3:27AM0.54m | 3:20PM0.54m | 3:54AM0.55m | 3:47PM0.53m | 4:21AM0.55m | ||||||
Low Tide | 6:48AM0.18m | 7:54PM0.10m | 7:38AM0.13m | 8:20PM0.05m | 8:17AM0.09m | 8:46PM0.01m | 8:52AM0.07m | 9:12PM-0.02m | 9:23AM0.06m | 9:37PM-0.03m | 9:53AM0.06m | 10:01PM-0.02m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  |  | |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — |
mm | 3 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 |
Feels °C | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 11 | S 14 | S 10 | S 19 | S 11 | S 18 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 |
| kJ | 517 | 382 | 1285 | 296 | 1255 | 345 | 871 | 265 | 318 | 127 | 343 | 281 | 227 | 380 | 343 | 260 | 292 | 297 | 308 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 15 | SSW 21 | S 13 | S 11 | S 18 | S 11 | S 16 | SSW 16 | S 11 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 620 | 636 | 521 | 440 | 297 | 921 | 345 | 412 | 226 | 157 | 142 | 146 | 153 | 261 | 261 | 196 | 146 | 146 | 100 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | SSW 23 | SSE 23 | SSW 20 | S 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 12 | S 16 | SSW 6 | S 20 | S 18 | SSE 20 | S 19 | S 18 | S 17 | SSE 16 | WNW 11 | W 10 |
| kJ | 136 | 301 | 107 | 567 | 408 | 252 | 157 | 184 | 242 | 27 | 67 | 57 | 140 | 188 | 173 | 153 | 86 | 23 | 49 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | W 8 | W 8 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 |
| kJ | — | 127 | 192 | 175 | 211 | 223 | 234 | 279 | 260 | 164 | 131 | 122 | 173 | 173 | 129 | 153 | 306 | 184 | 107 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1775 | 390 | 174 | 395 | 390 | 676 | 395 | 4 | 676 | 787 | 4 | 174 | 174 | 175 | 167 | 41 | 125 | 171 | 41 |
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.
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