
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,499 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Onrus this week:
The surf forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Onrus in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the outlook for this region. The first week starts off a bit slow, but the end of week one and the start of the second have some real standouts. We’re looking at a solid run of South West groundswells, but you’ll need to pick your windows carefully, especially when the swell gets hefty.
The forecast kicks off with a bit of a wait. Saturday the 1st and Sunday the 2nd offer surf, but it’s marginal. Early Saturday morning we’ve got a 4ft SW swell, but it’s a bit crossed out with a light NE wind. The energy is moderate (514). Sunday morning is glassy from the NW, with the same 4ft SW swell, but it’s just not pushing enough for a real session. It’s a tease.
The first real standout comes on Monday the 3rd. The swell ticks up to 4ft in the morning, pushing to 5ft by afternoon, all from the SW. The energy jumps to a solid moderate (720). The wind is glassy out of the west in the morning, and only a light S breeze in the afternoon. It’s clean, it’s building, and this is where you want to be. The water temp is about average for this time of year.
Tuesday the 4th holds some clean 5ft waves in the morning with a cross-offshore wind, but the energy dips a bit.
Now, hold onto your boards. Wednesday the 5th is a day for experienced surfers only. The morning brings a 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and the energy is strong (2305). The wind is a clean offshore from the NW. By the afternoon, it’s a beast: 10ft from the WSW with a 14-second period, and the energy is very strong (6859). The wind is a fresh offshore from the WNW, but the wave comment says it’s predicted to be too big for this break. This is a big, powerful, expert-only swell.
Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are still big, but conditions are hit or miss. Thursday morning is an 12ft SW swell, but the wind is onshore from the SSE, so it’s junk. Friday morning is a better bet: 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period, cross-offshore wind from the west, and clean conditions. Still expert territory.
We have a bit of a lull on the 10th and 11th with poor conditions and a short-period SSE windswell, but then the second week delivers a true gem.
The absolute best on offer for the whole period looks like Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th. On Wednesday the 12th, the morning offers a clean 4ft SW swell, but the period is a very long 15 seconds. The energy is strong (1337). The wind is a moderate offshore from the NW. This is a classic groundswell. On a reef like Onrus, that long period will produce some gorgeous, lined-up waves. The afternoon is even better with a 5ft SW swell and an 18-second period (very long) and the energy is strong (1950). Same clean offshore wind.
Thursday the 13th is not far behind. The morning gives us a 6ft SW swell with a 16-second period, cross-offshore wind from the NNW, and clean conditions. The energy is strong (1769). This is a solid, powerful, and clean window for a few days.
The run fades out a bit from the 14th to the 16th with smaller, cleaner swells, but the 16th sees a massive 12ft SW swell return, which is predicted to be too big for the spot.
So, to sum it up: the first week has a solid call on Monday the 3rd, and the second week has a great run from Wednesday the 12th to Thursday the 13th. The 12th and 13th are the standouts – clean, long-period SW groundswell, perfect for this reef. Just remember, Onrus can be inconsistent, and when it’s pumping, it won’t be empty.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the WNW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
182 | 514 | 431 | 431 | 424 | 386 | 609 | 555 | 580 | 568 | 439 | 286 | 167 | 2263 | 3803 | 3801 | 3403 | 4499 | 3066 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 4:41AM1.47m | 5:03PM1.58m | 5:13AM1.44m | 5:34PM1.57m | 5:47AM1.39m | 6:08PM1.53m | 6:26AM1.32m | 6:48PM1.46m | 7:13AM1.23m | 7:37PM1.37m | 8:16AM1.13m | 8:47PM1.27m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:43PM0.22m | 10:48AM0.13m | 11:14PM0.21m | 11:17AM0.16m | 11:47PM0.23m | 11:49AM0.22m | 00:25AM0.27m | 12:25PM0.30m | 1:09AM0.33m | 1:10PM0.39m | 2:06AM0.41m | 2:11PM0.50m | 3:28AM0.47m | ||||||
— | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | |
6:00 | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 14 | 17 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 6 | SW 14 | SW 14 | ESE 10 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
182 | 514 | 431 | 431 | 424 | 386 | 609 | 555 | 580 | 568 | 439 | 286 | 90 | 2263 | 3056 | 19 | 3403 | 4499 | 3066 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 16 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SW 16 | SE 14 | WSW 15 | WSW 13 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SW 16 | SW 10 | W 9 | ESE 10 | — | SW 18 | WSW 14 | E 9 |
166 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 10 | 122 | 31 | 142 | 102 | 12 | 11 | 40 | 122 | 15 | 32 | — | 155 | 389 | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | — | — | S 9 | S 9 | SE 10 | SE 14 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | WSW 11 | SW 18 | WSW 11 | SW 14 | W 9 | — | — | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | — |
33 | — | — | 15 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 23 | 14 | 130 | 12 | 12 | 167 | 27 | — | — | 18 | 9 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 4 | W 4 | NW 4 | NNW 5 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 28 | 7 | 27 | 3803 | 3801 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 335 | 66 | 32 | 38 | 10 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Overberg | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Onrus Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Onrus provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Onrus can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Onrus 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 (Onrus) 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 Onrus 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.
Onrus is 6 km (4 miles) from Hermanus. If you plan a holiday in Overberg, look for hotels and other accommodation in Hermanus. Hermanus has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











