
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 18 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SSW swell with 3,599 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period with S 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 Monday (Jul 13) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. 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 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 18) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Mon 13th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the upcoming 16-day stretch for Onrus, a reef setup that’s exposed to the southwest swell. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first few days, from Saturday the 11th through Monday the 14th, are pretty much a write-off. You’ve got a moderate to fresh cross-onshore wind blowing, which is making a mess of things. The swell is there, but it’s chopped out and lumpy, not worth paddling out for. The energy is moderate to strong (1399 down to 158), but the wind is just ruining it.
Now, Wednesday the 15th is where things start to get interesting. The morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore wind from the WSW. We’ve got a solid 7 ft SW swell with a 10-second period, and the energy is pumping (1213). This is a good window for experienced surfers. The afternoon though, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the SW with a very long 15-second period, and the energy is massive (3275). The wind is light, but the size is going to be too much for this break – that’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s gonna be a beast.
Thursday the 16th morning is glassy, with a 10 ft SW groundswell at 13 seconds. The energy is wild (2641), but again, it’s too big for the average surfer. The afternoon drops a bit to 8 ft, but the wind comes onshore, making it marginal.
Friday the 17th and Saturday the 18th are back to being blown out and choppy with fresh cross-onshore winds. Not worth your time.
Sunday the 19th is a real standout. We’ve got a clean morning with a light offshore wind from the NW. The swell is a very manageable 4 ft from the SSE, with a 12-second period. The energy is solid (787), and the conditions are clean. This is the best window for the average intermediate surfer in the first week. It’s inconsistent, so you’ll have to be patient, but the waves will be worth it.
Monday the 20th is poor again.
Then, Tuesday the 21st through Thursday the 23rd builds into another solid run. Tuesday morning is marginal with a 3 ft SSW swell, but by Tuesday afternoon we’re looking at 5 ft from the SSW with a 16-second period. The energy is climbing (1099). Wednesday the 22nd is clean with a light cross-offshore wind, and the morning has a 4 ft SSW swell. But the real standout is Wednesday afternoon – a 3 ft SSW swell with a crazy long 23-second period. That’s a very long, powerful groundswell, and it’s clean. The energy is high (1723). This is a dream for the reef setup at Onrus – long, snaking lines.
Thursday the 23rd is the pick of the bunch for the second week. Clean, light offshore wind from the NNW in the morning, with a 8 ft SSW swell at 15 seconds. The energy is huge (2479). The afternoon is even better, with a light offshore from the NW and a 7 ft SSW swell. This is excellent for experienced surfers, but it’s going to be a big, powerful day.
Now, from Friday the 24th onwards, it’s just too big. We’re looking at 13 ft and 12 ft SW swells with periods over 18 seconds, and the energy readings are off the charts (11224, 8305). The wind is glassy, but the size is for experts only, and honestly, for most of us, it’s just a show. That run continues through the weekend of the 25th and 26th, with the swell peaking at 15 ft from the WSW on the 25th afternoon. It’s a sight to see, but unless you’re a tow-in crew, stay on the beach.
So, to sum it up: the best bets are Sunday the 19th for the average surfer looking for a clean, fun day, and Wednesday the 22nd afternoon through Thursday the 23rd for the experienced crew looking for some serious, clean, long-period swell. The crowds are listed as “sometimes” at Onrus, so on those good days, you might have a few others out, but it’s a reef, so it handles the crowd better than most.
Stay safe, and I’ll see you in the water.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Sat afternoon, light winds from the NE by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1240 | 1180 | 800 | 606 | 496 | 296 | 235 | 184 | 137 | 112 | 96 | 108 | 208 | 2553 | 3519 | 2609 | 2143 | 2430 | 3254 | 2860 | 3599 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:51PM1.28m | 1:06AM1.46m | 1:50PM1.39m | 2:04AM1.54m | 2:42PM1.51m | 2:56AM1.59m | 3:29PM1.60m | 3:44AM1.61m | 4:14PM1.66m | 4:29AM1.59m | 4:57PM1.67m | 5:12AM1.52m | 5:38PM1.64m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:52PM0.39m | 7:37AM0.19m | 7:55PM0.28m | 8:30AM0.10m | 8:50PM0.19m | 9:17AM0.04m | 9:40PM0.12m | 10:01AM0.01m | 10:27PM0.10m | 10:42AM0.02m | 11:12PM0.12m | 11:22AM0.08m | 11:56PM0.18m | ||||||||
7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | |
— | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 12 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 4 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 8 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 14 |
1240 | 1180 | 800 | 606 | 496 | 296 | 235 | 184 | 137 | 112 | 96 | 85 | 102 | 2553 | 3519 | 2609 | 2143 | 2430 | 3254 | 2860 | 3599 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 11 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | S 9 | SW 18 | W 9 | W 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SSE 10 |
60 | 60 | 68 | 58 | 57 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 64 | 46 | 39 | 108 | 57 | 25 | 28 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 16 | 201 | 671 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SW 13 | SSE 8 | SW 16 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
87 | 12 | 12 | 41 | 38 | 33 | 31 | 15 | 60 | 31 | 56 | 22 | 208 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 3 | ENE 3 | E 4 | E 4 | SE 7 | ENE 3 | — | — | — | — | W 3 | W 4 | NNW 3 | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | E 10 | ESE 5 |
8 | 3 | 14 | 9 | 205 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 185 | — | — | 8 | 80 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 23 | 40 | 23 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 40 | 88 | 45 | 45 |
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.










