
Surf Forecasts:
Nine Mile Reef surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 14s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, SSW swell with 3,828 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 18s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Nine Mile Reef this week:
The surf forecast for Nine Mile Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Nine Mile Reef in the next 16 days are 3.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 9s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Nine Mile Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about what's coming up for Nine Mile Reef.
We've got a curious run ahead. The early part of the window is a bit of a slow burn, with some decent conditions but not much power. Then, around the third week of July, things get *very* interesting, but it might be a case of too much of a good thing. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.
Starting off Wednesday morning, the 15th of July, it's looking clean. We've got a light offshore breeze out of the NNW, and a small 3 ft SW groundswell with a very long 17-second period. The energy is weak (427), so the waves will be long-lined and lazy, but the conditions will be glassy. It's a good time for a beginner to get some practice in, but don't expect much punch.
Things pick up a bit by Thursday morning, the 16th. The swell jumps to 5 ft from the SW, still with a nice 13-second period. The wind is dead calm, absolutely glassy. The energy is moderate (933). This is about as clean as it gets for a reef, but the swell isn't quite big enough to be a standout. The afternoon turns a bit bumpy.
Friday morning, the 17th, is glassy again with a 5 ft SW swell, but the period drops to 11 seconds. It's clean, but the energy is moderate (426). The rest of the weekend stays small and clean, with the 18th and 19th offering some light wind action, but nothing to write home about.
Now, here's the real meat. Monday morning, the 20th of July, is a beautiful window. It's glassy, with a 5 ft SSW swell at 11 seconds. The energy is moderate (646). This is clean, fun, and the best size for that reef. It's a solid, consistent option for a morning session.
But hold on to your board. Tuesday morning, the 21st of July, is where things get wild. The swell is pumping at 10 ft from the SSW, with a 15-second period. The energy is strong (3840). The wind is light and offshore, but this is simply too big for Nine Mile Reef. The reef is a reef break, and with that much power, it's going to be a washing machine. This is for experts only, and even then, it's a massive call. The same goes for the 22nd and 23rd, with strong offshore winds but swells over 7 ft. The energy is strong to very strong (over 2946). This is more of a big-wave tow-in spot than a paddle session.
The swell finally drops back to a manageable 6 ft on the morning of Friday the 24th. The wind is light offshore, and the energy is a solid 1056. This is an excellent window for experienced surfers. The 26th of July morning also cleans up nicely, with a 7 ft SSW swell and offshore winds, another good one for the crew who can handle some size.
The final few days of the month, the 27th and 28th, see the swell drop back to a more manageable 4 ft to 5 ft with clean conditions. It's a good way to finish the run.
The best on offer: The standout is the morning of Thursday, July 16th. Glassy, clean, 5 ft SW groundswell, moderate energy. It's a perfect, friendly reef wave. For the more experienced crew, the morning of Friday, July 24th is a top pick with a 6 ft SW swell and offshore winds. The 10 ft days on the 21st and 29th are the biggest, but they are simply too big for this spot.
Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but for now, the calm after the storm looks like the real winner.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri night, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tue 21 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
78 | 354 | 1384 | 1581 | 933 | 734 | 578 | 423 | 283 | 196 | 197 | 214 | 450 | 486 | 382 | 575 | 592 | 581 | 1643 | 3828 | 2813 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:42AM1.58m | 4:12PM1.63m | 4:28AM1.56m | 4:55PM1.64m | 5:11AM1.49m | 5:37PM1.61m | 5:53AM1.40m | 6:18PM1.54m | 6:36AM1.29m | 7:00PM1.43m | 7:21AM1.18m | 7:44PM1.32m | 8:12AM1.08m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:38PM0.11m | 9:59AM0.00m | 10:25PM0.08m | 10:41AM0.02m | 11:11PM0.10m | 11:21AM0.07m | 11:55PM0.16m | 12:00PM0.16m | 00:39AM0.25m | 12:39PM0.27m | 1:24AM0.34m | 1:19PM0.39m | 2:13AM0.44m | 2:07PM0.51m | |||||||
— | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | |
5:52 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
14 | 354 | 1384 | 1581 | 933 | 734 | 578 | 423 | 283 | 196 | 197 | 214 | 450 | 486 | 382 | 575 | 592 | 581 | 1643 | 3828 | 2813 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | SW 8 | S 8 | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 | S 12 | SSW 14 | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 12 | SSE 11 | W 9 | SSW 16 | ESE 11 | — |
16 | 31 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 75 | 121 | 146 | 56 | 21 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 961 | 12 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 11 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 11 | SSW 16 | WSW 9 | W 9 | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 12 | S 10 | SE 11 | SE 11 | W 9 | — | — |
78 | 42 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 24 | 118 | 61 | 18 | 3 | 54 | 8 | 43 | 5 | 39 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 2 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | — | — | W 3 | NW 2 | — | — | — | — | W 10 | NNW 3 | — | NW 4 |
1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 65 | 2 | — | 14 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 22 | 12 | 0 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 12 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Nine Mile Reef Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Nine Mile Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Nine Mile Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Nine Mile Reef 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 (Nine Mile Reef) 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 Nine Mile Reef 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.
Nine Mile Reef is 19 km (12 miles) from the very large city of Bellville. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Bellville. Bellville has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as cheap car hire and transport links.











