Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,358 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m 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 2.4m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 7s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming down the line for Onrus. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with a whole lot of waiting for the good stuff.
First off, the water temperature is sitting at 59°, which is about 1° cooler than normal for this time of year – nothing too wild, just a touch on the chilly side.
We’re starting off with a rough patch. The first few days look pretty grim. Tuesday the 25th through Wednesday the 26th are a write-off with strong onshore winds and messy, choppy surf. The energy is there, but it’s all blown out. Don’t even bother paddling out.
Then we get a little window on Thursday morning the 27th. A light cross-offshore breeze from the west cleans things up. The swell is 5ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, and the combined energy is moderate (1034). It’s still a bit on the small side, but a good option for the intermediate crew if you’re desperate for a paddle. The afternoon stays clean, but the energy drops a bit.
Friday the 28th to Sunday the 30th is a real letdown. The swell stays small, the wind is not cooperating, and the conditions are just marginal at best. It’s a classic case of the ocean being a flat, lumpy mess. That’s a solid few days of nothing great.
Now, let’s talk about the real standout. Onrus is a reef break, so it handles bigger swell well, but you need the right wind. On Tuesday, the 1st of September, the afternoon session is looking huge. The combined swell energy is very strong (2843) with a 10ft swell from the SW with a 13-second period. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the west. This is the one to circle. However, this is a big swell – over 8ft – so this is for experts only. Beginners should stay well clear. The raw energy is massive.
The following day, Wednesday the 2nd of September, the morning is even more powerful. The swell is 10ft from the WSW, the period is 13 seconds, and the energy is a massive 3314. There’s a fresh offshore wind from the NW. It’s clean and powerful, but again, this is a serious, heavy wave. Only for the experienced. The afternoon turns ugly as the wind swings onshore.
After that, the second week is a bit of a letdown. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are blown out by strong east winds, and the surf drops off quickly. Saturday the 5th has a weird long-period 23-second swell, but it’s tiny and the wind is onshore, so it’s a no-go. The week after that fades into small, weak, and messy conditions through to the 9th.
So, the bottom line: the absolute best window is the afternoon of the 1st of September and the morning of the 2nd. That’s where the power and the clean wind line up. The rest of the forecast is a lot of waiting and hoping for the wind to play nice.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Tue morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Tue night, calm by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SSW 16 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2358 | 1637 | 1144 | 512 | 365 | 586 | 541 | 513 | 410 | 279 | 243 | 389 | 414 | 899 | 710 | 711 | 843 | 698 | 731 | 582 | 415 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on | cross | cross | cross | glassy | on | on | on | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:10PM1.34m | 2:15AM1.37m | 2:38PM1.46m | 2:45AM1.46m | 3:06PM1.56m | 3:15AM1.52m | 3:34PM1.64m | 3:45AM1.55m | 4:02PM1.68m | 4:16AM1.55m | 4:32PM1.68m | 4:48AM1.52m | 5:04PM1.65m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:02AM0.33m | 8:19PM0.37m | 8:29AM0.23m | 8:48PM0.27m | 8:56AM0.15m | 9:17PM0.18m | 9:23AM0.10m | 9:46PM0.12m | 9:50AM0.07m | 10:15PM0.09m | 10:19AM0.07m | 10:46PM0.09m | 10:49AM0.11m | 11:19PM0.13m | |||||||
7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | |
— | 6:19 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 19 | 14 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SSW 11 | S 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 14 | WSW 14 | SW 8 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
2358 | 1637 | 1144 | 512 | 337 | 586 | 541 | 513 | 410 | 279 | 214 | 389 | 414 | 899 | 710 | 413 | 843 | 698 | 731 | 582 | 415 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 11 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 14 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | WSW 13 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 7 |
248 | 144 | 103 | 296 | 365 | 167 | 193 | 145 | 95 | 91 | 243 | 123 | 151 | 86 | 39 | 711 | 230 | 200 | 75 | 48 | 14 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | S 11 | WSW 16 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 11 | S 13 | WSW 17 | SSE 11 | — | WSW 8 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 15 |
— | — | 89 | 291 | 357 | 169 | 300 | 26 | 87 | 123 | 90 | 117 | 117 | 140 | — | 212 | 12 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 56 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 3 | SE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | — | — | W 4 | — | — | — | SE 3 | — | W 4 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 9 | 112 | 145 | 151 | — | — | 22 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 12 | 241 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 23 | 91 | 23 | 38 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 32 | 32 | 0 | 199 | 250 | 272 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Overberg | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











