
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 11s period, S swell with 6,349 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s 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 Tuesday (Aug 04) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s 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 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 4th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 5th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 16ft (5.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, I’m looking at the charts for Onrus, and I’ve got the full 16-day picture. This is a reef break that’s exposed to the SW, and it’s inconsistent by nature, so when it lines up, you’ve got to move. The water temperature is sitting at 60°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The first solid window opens up on Monday, August 4th. Tuesday morning is glassy, dead calm, with a clean 4ft SW swell at 11 seconds. It’s not massive, but with the wind off the water and the energy reading at 401 (moderate), it’s a fun, user-friendly wave. The afternoon stays glassy with a slight sea breeze, so that whole day is a good one to get wet.
Wednesday, August 5th, is where the real power shows up. The morning brings a 7ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and a clean NW offshore wind of 12 mph. The combined energy hits 1915 (strong). This is proper groundswell, and Onrus being a reef, it’ll handle that long period beautifully. This is the standout of the whole forecast. The afternoon stays clean with a 7ft swell, but the wind picks up to 19 mph, so get out there early.
Thursday, August 6th, is a write-off. The swell jumps to 10ft, which is too big for this spot, and the wind is onshore from the SE. Not worth looking at.
Friday, August 7th, is also unworkable. Swell is 10ft to 12ft, and the wind is cross-onshore. That’s just messy and dangerous.
The weekend, August 8th and 9th, is a mixed bag. Saturday has a 8ft to 8ft SW swell with a cross-offshore wind, so it’s clean but the period drops to 13 seconds. The energy is still strong at 2005. It’s a solid option if you’re experienced. Sunday, though, is a total mess with 25 mph cross-onshore winds and a 10ft to 12ft swell. Kite surfers might be loving it, but for paddle surfing, it’s a no-go.
Monday, August 10th, is more of the same: big, lumpy, and cross-onshore. Not for us.
Tuesday, August 11th, things start to settle. The swell drops to 5ft, but the wind is cross-shore and the period is short at 10 seconds. It’s marginal, but the energy is weak at 767. Not a priority.
Wednesday, August 12th, we get another highlight. The afternoon session is glassy with a 6ft SW swell carrying a very long 18-second period. The energy is 2390 (strong). This is a proper groundswell that will wrap into the reef beautifully. The long period means longer lulls, so the paddle out is easier. This is the second standout of the forecast.
Thursday, August 13th, is similar. The afternoon is glassy with a 7ft SW swell at 15 seconds. It’s clean, powerful, and for the experienced surfer, this is a gem.
Friday, August 14th, is a nice, clean option with a 5ft to 6ft WSW swell, glassy in the afternoon. The energy is moderate at 864. It’s a fun, less intimidating day.
The following week, from August 15th to 19th, the swell stays in the 4ft to 8ft range, with some clean windows. Monday, August 17th, has a morning with a 8ft WSW swell and a NW offshore wind, making it clean and powerful. The afternoon gets too strong at 10ft with a 28 mph offshore, which is hard to paddle into. Tuesday, August 18th, is marginal with onshore winds. Wednesday, August 19th, is back to clean with a 7ft SW swell and cross-offshore winds, a solid end to the run.
To sum it up: the absolute best is Wednesday, August 5th, morning. The second best is Wednesday, August 12th, afternoon. Both are reef-handling groundswells with clean wind. The rest of the period is a mix of clean windows and messy, big days. Don’t sleep on the early mornings.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue morning, fresh winds from the WNW by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Fri night, fresh winds from the SSE by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 10 | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
389 | 292 | 255 | 1871 | 2038 | 3819 | 2800 | 2267 | 2614 | 3536 | 4676 | 3163 | 2005 | 2248 | 3126 | 2690 | 2475 | 5998 | 2938 | 2294 | 1795 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | glassy | off | off | off | off | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:48PM1.46m | 7:13AM1.23m | 7:37PM1.37m | 8:16AM1.13m | 8:47PM1.27m | 9:48AM1.08m | 10:22PM1.23m | 11:33AM1.12m | 11:57PM1.28m | 12:51PM1.25m | 1:08AM1.39m | 1:47PM1.41m | 2:02AM1.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:25PM0.30m | 1:09AM0.33m | 1:10PM0.39m | 2:06AM0.41m | 2:11PM0.50m | 3:28AM0.47m | 3:45PM0.57m | 5:11AM0.46m | 5:37PM0.54m | 6:35AM0.36m | 6:59PM0.41m | 7:35AM0.23m | 7:58PM0.27m | ||||||||
7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | |
— | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | — | SW 10 | SSW 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 |
389 | 292 | 144 | 1871 | 2038 | 3819 | 2800 | 2267 | 2614 | 3536 | 4676 | 3163 | 2005 | 2248 | 3126 | — | 2475 | 4026 | 2363 | 1429 | 1004 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 9 | E 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | SW 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 8 | — | — | — | SSW 12 |
12 | 40 | 255 | 44 | 50 | 33 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 727 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 623 | — | — | — | 29 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | WSW 11 | W 10 | ESE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
12 | 12 | 73 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | WNW 4 | W 6 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 4 | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | — | S 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 |
— | — | — | 9 | 139 | — | — | — | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | — | 2690 | — | 5998 | 2938 | 2294 | 1795 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 67 | 25 | 38 | 25 | 10 | 32 | 10 | 17 | 60 | 206 | 334 | 2625 | 2651 | 245 | 45 | 38 |
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.











