
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 15 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 6,716 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Onrus in the next 16 days are 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, breakin’ down the Onrus forecast for ya.
The water’s at 60°F, which is about 1°F cooler than average for this time of year – nothin’ crazy, just a bit on the fresh side. The surf’s gonna be a slow starter, but there’s a big pulse of energy comin’ next week that’s got my blood pumpin’.
The early part of the window, startin’ Wednesday the 15th, is just okay. Wednesday morning has a clean 4ft SW swell with a long 17-second period and a gentle offshore breeze from the NW. The energy is strong (1102), but the swell’s a bit small. Wednesday afternoon jumps to 7ft, but a cross-onshore wind messes with the face. Skip it.
Thursday the 16th is a real high point. The morning is completely glassy with a 8ft SW groundswell at 13 seconds. That’s big enough for the experienced crew only, with strong energy (2108) and no wind. Clean, powerful, and sweet. Thursday afternoon stays clean with a 7ft SW swell and cross-off wind. This is the best run of the first week.
Friday the 17th fades off – 6ft and 5ft SW swells, but cross-on and cross winds make it average. Saturday the 18th offers a bit of hope with a 5ft SW swell and offshore wind in the morning, makin’ it clean with moderate energy (782). A solid session, but not the standout.
Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th are pretty flat and weak – 4ft to 4ft SW swells with messy cross winds. Not worth wetting the suit.
Then things get huge. Tuesday the 21st of July is the big one for experts only. A massive 13ft SW swell with a 14-second period rolls in, and the offshore wind from the NNW is perfect. The energy is a monster at 6295. This is proper, dangerous, powerful surf. Onrus is a reef, so it can handle the size, but only the top dogs should be out. Wednesday the 22nd stays crazy big with 15ft, but the wind cranks up to 37 mph by morning – that’s near gale, and even with offshore wind, it’s miserable to paddle into. The afternoon is a bit cleaner at 22 mph cross-off, but still a 15ft SW swell. Thursday the 23rd is still 15ft+ with a 14-second period and clean offshore wind. Massive energy (8402). This is a week of serious, serious swell.
After that, the swell drops back to a more manageable 7ft to 8ft from Friday the 24th through Saturday the 25th, with glassy or offshore winds. Friday morning is glassy with a 7ft SW swell, and Saturday morning is clean with a 8ft SW swell. Very good, clean conditions, but not the standout of the week – that was Tuesday.
Sunday the 26th is glassy again with a 5ft SW swell and a 17-second period. That’s a long, clean groundswell – perfect for a reef break like Onrus. The energy is strong (2199). Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th fall off with cross-on winds and weaker energy, but the tail end of the forecast from Wednesday the 29th to Thursday the 30th looks clean again with 5ft to 7ft SW swells and glassy or cross-off winds. The 30th of July is a solid call: 7ft SW swell at 15 seconds, clean, with good energy.
So, the real standout is Tuesday the 21st of July – massive, clean, powerful, but only for the experienced. If you’re an intermediate, aim for Thursday the 16th or Friday the 24th for cleaner, smaller conditions. The long period swells this week mean the reef will handle ’em well, but beach breaks might be too straight. Keep an eye on the tides.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the WNW by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | |||||||||||||||
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 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
745 | 2028 | 3341 | 2108 | 1452 | 1088 | 835 | 551 | 299 | 442 | 576 | 617 | 442 | 357 | 344 | 341 | 887 | 2191 | 6295 | 4881 | 3305 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 4:14PM1.66m | 4:29AM1.59m | 4:57PM1.67m | 5:12AM1.52m | 5:38PM1.64m | 5:54AM1.43m | 6:19PM1.56m | 6:36AM1.32m | 7:00PM1.46m | 7:20AM1.21m | 7:44PM1.34m | 8:10AM1.10m | 8:34PM1.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:01AM0.01m | 10:27PM0.10m | 10:42AM0.02m | 11:12PM0.12m | 11:22AM0.08m | 11:56PM0.18m | 12:01PM0.17m | 00:40AM0.26m | 12:39PM0.28m | 1:24AM0.36m | 1:19PM0.41m | 2:12AM0.46m | 2:05PM0.53m | 3:12AM0.54m | |||||||
7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
— | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 10 | WSW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
300 | 2028 | 3341 | 2108 | 1452 | 1088 | 835 | 551 | 299 | 442 | 576 | 555 | 442 | 357 | 344 | 341 | 8 | 2191 | 6295 | 4881 | 3305 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | S 14 | S 12 | SW 13 | SW 12 | WSW 11 | W 11 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | SW 16 | — | ESE 11 | ESE 11 |
745 | 296 | 18 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 16 | 77 | 253 | 465 | 422 | 238 | 231 | 129 | 38 | 8 | 65 | — | 12 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 11 | SW 16 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | W 11 | W 10 | SW 16 | SE 12 | — | — | — | — |
57 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 10 | 87 | 59 | 58 | 164 | 181 | 94 | 10 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 2 | — | — | W 11 | — | — | — | W 10 | WSW 10 | — | — | — | NW 5 |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 617 | — | — | — | 149 | 887 | — | — | — | 103 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 32 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 8 | 32 | 0 | 65 | 72 | 17 | 253 | 335 | 206 |
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.










