Surf Forecasts:
Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 19s period, SSW swell with 2,841 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) in the next 16 days are 2.0m 19s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (+0530) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checking in on the Hikkaduwa stretch. Let's see what this 16-day window has in store for us.
Straight up, it's a tough run. The winds are almost always cross-on or onshore, and the surf is getting chopped up and messy. They're calling it "poor surf conditions" for the vast majority of the period, which is a real bummer. There’s a lot of energy in the water, but the wind is just ruining it for us. We're looking at a long stretch of frustrating surf from the start until the end of the month.
The first week is a bit of a write-off. From Tuesday the 18th through to the end of the month, it's the same story day after day. The swell is there, but it's blown out. The best we can hope for is a few "marginal" patches on Saturday the 22nd afternoon, and then again on Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th. The water temp is about average for the time of year here at Main Reef, so no surprises there.
The one spot that catches my eye, and it's a long way off, is the end of the run. On Friday the 28th of August, we get a double-whammy from the deep south. A long-period 20-second groundswell from the SW at 3 ft is mixing with a pulse from the SSW. The combined energy is a massive 1507 (moderate). But the wind is still cross-on and it's a "risk tstorm" day, so it's another marginal call. The real standout, if you can believe it, is Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th. The swell holds at 5 ft to 6 ft from the SW, and the period is still a solid 16 to 18 seconds. The wind stays cross-on from the WNW, but the forecast is for "clear" skies, and the wave state is only "marginal" rather than terrible. This is the best on offer, but it's a whole week away, so don't get your hopes up too high just yet. The break is a reef, so it will handle this long-period groundswell better than a beach break, but the cross-on wind is still a worry.
So, to be honest, there's nothing here that screams "paddle out now." The whole run is a grind. The only real chance of something half-decent is that last weekend in August, and even then, it's a gamble. The wind is the villain here, and it's not letting up.
Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 28°C on Tue morning, min 26°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Fri morning, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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 21 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1867 | 2812 | 2725 | 2490 | 2517 | 2768 | 2331 | 1772 | 1547 | 1067 | 752 | 630 | 612 | 962 | 949 | 746 | 512 | 577 | 384 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 5:01AM0.60m | 4:44PM0.53m | 5:28AM0.56m | 5:03PM0.48m | 5:55AM0.51m | 5:15PM0.42m | 6:31AM0.45m | 5:00PM0.36m | 8:15AM0.40m | 12:22PM0.44m | 1:25AM0.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:37PM0.02m | 11:00AM0.15m | 10:59PM0.06m | 11:27AM0.20m | 11:18PM0.11m | 11:55AM0.25m | 11:35PM0.17m | 12:33PM0.31m | 11:39PM0.23m | 9:26PM0.27m | 7:43PM0.23m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:20 | — |
mm | 16 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 7 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 21 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 1867 | 2812 | 2725 | 2490 | 2517 | 2768 | 2331 | 1772 | 1547 | 1067 | 752 | 630 | 612 | 962 | 949 | 746 | 512 | 577 | 384 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | S 9 | S 19 | S 18 | — | S 12 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | S 18 | SSW 12 | S 18 | W 6 | SSW 24 | WSW 6 | W 6 | SSW 18 |
| kJ | 134 | 156 | 143 | 27 | 913 | 1455 | — | 224 | 46 | 33 | 32 | 171 | 258 | 155 | 92 | 108 | 71 | 33 | 368 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | — | SSE 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | S 22 | W 9 | WNW 9 | S 26 | S 26 | S 24 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | W 8 |
| kJ | 48 | 30 | 29 | — | 31 | 54 | — | — | — | — | 36 | 28 | 28 | 13 | 13 | 97 | 180 | 218 | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 6 | — | W 9 | W 9 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | WNW 8 | W 5 |
| kJ | 117 | — | 341 | 235 | 112 | 108 | 97 | 151 | 130 | 126 | 156 | 104 | 134 | 115 | 109 | 74 | 50 | 101 | 37 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 213 | 29 | 737 | 213 | 212 | 858 | 213 | 644 | 212 | 213 | 212 | 765 | 213 | 715 | 858 | 213 | 212 | 333 | 213 |
Best forecast wave conditions in West Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Sri Lanka | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) 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 (Main Reef (Hikkaduwa)) 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 Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) 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.
Main Reef (Hikkaduwa) is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Ambalangoda. If you plan a holiday in West Sri Lanka, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ambalangoda. Ambalangoda has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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