
Surf Forecasts:
Dondra surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 11 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 20s period, SSW swell with 1,625 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s is also forecast. 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 1.5m 20s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 5th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 20s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dondra over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the coming weeks for our one and only spot on the radar – Dondra. It’s a reef break, and it’s inconsistent, so we’re not looking at a constant run of waves. The water is sitting at 84°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The forecast starts from Friday, the 4th of September. The first proper surf on offer is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got a 4ft SSW swell rolling in with a 12-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore from the WSW at 12 mph. The combined energy is moderate at 618, but the conditions are a bit messy with a cross-chop, so it’s a marginal call. The next few days, right through to the 7th, see the swell hanging around the 3ft to 4ft range, but it’s all cross-shore wind and poor to marginal surf. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are similarly average, with the wind staying on it.
Now, things start to get a bit more interesting around Tuesday the 8th of September. The swell drops to 3ft, but the period jumps to a very long 16 seconds, and the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the W at 12 mph. The wave energy is moderate (529), and the conditions are clean. It’s a small, long-period groundswell, which is better suited to a reef like Dondra, but it’s still small. The following days, the 9th and 10th, see a similar pattern: clean conditions with cross-offshore winds, but the swell is only 2ft to 5ft. The energy is building, hitting 1260 on the 10th, but the surf is still marginal.
The real standout, the one you’ll want to circle on the calendar, is Saturday the 12th of September. The morning sees a 6ft SSW swell with a 17-second period, and the afternoon jumps to a solid 7ft from the same direction. The wind is cross-offshore from the W at 15-19 mph, keeping it clean. The energy is strong, hitting 3060 in the afternoon. This is a proper groundswell with a serious kick. The 6ft is a good size for intermediates, but that 7ft gets into the "experts only" territory. It’s a clean, powerful set-up, and a real highlight in the window.
The week after that, from the 13th to the 19th of September, the swell stays active. The 13th and 14th keep the 6ft to 6ft waves with clean cross-offshore winds, though the energy is still high, around 1441 to 1779. The 15th is similar. The wind turns more cross-shore from the 16th onwards, bringing a bit of a lumpy chop, but the swell sticks around at 5ft to 7ft. The 18th and 19th see a return to cleaner conditions with a cross-offshore wind on the 19th, and a 6ft SSW swell with a 15-second period and strong energy at 2311. That late-weekend session on the 19th is another one to watch, though it’s further out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
Overall, the best bet is the 12th of September, with the 19th being a solid second option. The rest of the period is a waiting game for the clean, cross-offshore windows. It’s a reef break, so it can be inconsistent, but when it lines up with the right wind, it’ll be worth it.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 29°C on Fri afternoon, min 26°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSW 15 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
478 | 277 | 305 | 302 | 235 | 196 | 176 | 164 | 201 | 164 | 280 | 412 | 298 | 275 | 214 | 257 | 394 | 1003 | 1099 | 1165 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:15PM0.33m | 6:32AM0.38m | 3:53PM0.27m | 11:28AM0.35m | 1:19AM0.31m | 12:36PM0.40m | 1:25AM0.38m | 1:10PM0.45m | 1:46AM0.45m | 1:39PM0.49m | 2:09AM0.51m | 2:05PM0.52m | 2:34AM0.55m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:21PM0.17m | 1:47PM0.27m | 10:31PM0.23m | 7:11PM0.20m | 6:23AM0.23m | 7:15PM0.14m | 7:06AM0.17m | 7:33PM0.08m | 7:39AM0.12m | 7:55PM0.03m | 8:08AM0.08m | 8:18PM-0.00m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | |
6:13 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:10 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 3 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 29 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 27 |
Feels °C | 30 | 29 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 28 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 |
478 | 277 | 305 | 302 | 235 | 196 | 156 | 164 | 201 | 164 | 222 | 237 | 169 | 121 | 124 | 222 | 208 | 1003 | 1099 | 1165 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SSW 12 | SE 8 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | S 16 | SSW 14 | W 10 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SE 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 17 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
54 | 127 | 42 | 153 | 133 | 137 | 176 | 124 | 115 | 50 | 280 | 412 | 298 | 275 | 113 | 257 | 394 | 170 | 123 | 83 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | SE 8 | SSW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 17 | S 12 | SE 8 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | W 10 | SSW 12 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SW 14 | ESE 10 | SSW 13 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | SW 24 |
21 | 54 | 82 | 102 | 198 | 99 | 71 | 24 | 149 | 146 | 48 | 51 | 62 | 71 | 214 | 65 | 158 | 69 | 38 | 273 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 5 | WNW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 9 | WSW 4 | W 4 | WSW 4 | W 4 | W 9 | W 4 | W 5 | W 5 | W 4 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 |
65 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 16 | 110 | 16 | 9 | 17 | 13 | 101 | 37 | 44 | 37 | 36 | 43 | 86 | 130 | 130 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 788 | 4 | 787 | 787 | 4 | 676 | 787 | 4 | 676 | 787 | 4 | 746 | 788 | 485 | 174 | 895 | 395 | 174 | 788 | 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.










