Surf Forecasts:
Dumps surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 8,591 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Dumps this week:
The surf forecast for Dumps over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Dumps in the next 16 days are 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 11s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Dumps over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the Dumps sandbar in the coming weeks.
We’re kicking off Thursday, August 27th, but honestly, it’s a bit of a slow start. The swell is around 4.6 ft from the SSW, but the wind is cross-on from the NW, making for a messy surface. The water temperature is sitting at 57.2°, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be reaching for a thicker wetsuit. The combined wave energy is weak to moderate at 759, and the conditions are just marginal. Not worth getting too excited about.
Friday, August 28th, things start to look up. Morning glass-off conditions – wind is dead calm. The swell drops to 2.6 ft, but it’s a long-period groundswell from the WSW at 16 seconds. That’s proper energy rolling in, and the wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” The combined energy is 680. Clean, glassy, and with that long period, the Dumps could offer some nicely shaped waves. Afternoon holds up too, with a light cross-off breeze and a 3.9 ft swell from the same direction. This is a solid window.
Saturday, August 29th, is another good one. Morning brings a 4.9 ft swell from the WSW, with a 14-second period, and clean cross-off winds from the south. The wave energy bumps up to 1018, which is in the moderate range. It’s shaping up to be a fun session. By afternoon, the swell builds to 6.6 ft, but the wind swings to a cross-shore and picks up to 12 mph, with some light rain. The energy jumps to 1636, but the conditions get a bit choppy. The morning is the pick.
Sunday, August 30th, saw a bigger swell rolling in at 7.5 ft from the SW, with a 13-second period. The wind is off-shore from the SSE, so it’s clean. The combined energy is strong at 1703. This is getting into the territory where beginners might find it a bit much, but for intermediates, it’s a good challenge. The afternoon holds similar with a 7.2 ft swell from the WSW.
Monday, August 31st, is a real standout. Morning session is glassy again, with a 6.2 ft swell from the WSW at 11 seconds. The wave energy is 907, and the comment says “expect very good surf conditions.” That’s a clean, user-friendly wave with no wind to mess it up. This is the best on offer in the near term.
Tuesday, September 1st, the swell jumps to 7.9 ft from the SW, but the wind is cross-on, making for a choppy surface. The energy is strong at 1922, but the quality is marginal. Not the best.
Wednesday, September 2nd, and Thursday, September 3rd, the swell size explodes. We’re looking at 13.1 ft swells from the SW on Wednesday, with combined energy at 6596 – that’s very strong. The wave comment says “swell is predicted to be too big for this break.” This is expert-only territory, and even then, the Dumps might be a washing machine. For the average punter, it’s a no-go. The wind is clean on the afternoon, but the size is just too much. This pattern continues through Thursday and Friday, with swells around 11.5 ft.
Friday, September 4th, the afternoon sees the swell drop to 9.8 ft from the south, with a fresh offshore wind from the SE at 19 mph. The energy is still strong at 2177, and the conditions are clean, but it’s still a big wave.
Saturday, September 5th, we finally get a reprieve. The morning brings a 5.9 ft swell from the south, with a light offshore breeze and clean conditions. The energy is 871. This is a solid, manageable day. The afternoon drops to 4.6 ft.
Sunday, September 6th, is another beauty. The morning is glassy with a 3.6 ft swell from the SW, but with a very long period of 15 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The energy is 698. The long period will make for some really nice, lined-up waves, especially at a sandbar like the Dumps. The afternoon stays clean with a light breeze. This is a great session for a longboard or a funboard.
After that, the window goes quiet. From Monday, September 7th, through Wednesday, September 9th, the swell drops right off. We’re talking 1.6 ft to 2.6 ft, with poor to marginal conditions. The energy is weak, below 300.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
513 | 501 | 351 | 280 | 527 | 491 | 930 | 1576 | 905 | 1703 | 1426 | 1215 | 907 | 757 | 1111 | 1922 | 2331 | 8591 | 6596 | 5602 | 2929 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:09PM1.72m | 3:20AM1.67m | 3:36PM1.78m | 3:50AM1.71m | 4:05PM1.82m | 4:21AM1.72m | 4:35PM1.83m | 4:53AM1.70m | 5:08PM1.81m | 5:28AM1.64m | 5:44PM1.74m | 6:07AM1.55m | 6:26PM1.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:55AM0.38m | 9:17PM0.38m | 9:23AM0.33m | 9:46PM0.32m | 9:52AM0.30m | 10:15PM0.29m | 10:21AM0.30m | 10:47PM0.29m | 10:52AM0.33m | 11:21PM0.34m | 11:26AM0.40m | 11:59PM0.41m | 12:04PM0.49m | 00:44AM0.52m | |||||||
7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
— | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 12 |
Temp °C | 21 | 21 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 19 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 8 | SW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
513 | 501 | 351 | 279 | 527 | 491 | 930 | 1576 | 352 | 1703 | 1426 | 1215 | 907 | 757 | 1111 | 1922 | 2331 | 8591 | 6596 | 5602 | 2929 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 16 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 11 | SE 10 | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
246 | 180 | 138 | 280 | 171 | 96 | 88 | 61 | 905 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 93 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 11 | SSE 13 | WSW 17 | SSE 13 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
76 | 26 | 125 | 121 | 57 | 117 | 68 | 97 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 2 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 |
— | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 247 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 269 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 25 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 140 | 594 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Dumps Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Dumps provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Dumps can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Dumps 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 (Dumps) 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 Dumps 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Cape Town? If you are looking for accommodation near Dumps, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Cape Town, consider staying in Cape Town which is 6 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Cape Town where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Bellville which is 14 km (9 miles) away, Robben Island, Kayamnandi and Stellenbosch.











