Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,783 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 31 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 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 Monday (Aug 31) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m 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 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 8s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 31st Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let's get into it.
First up, we've got a bit of a mixed bag on the cards for the next couple of weeks. The ocean's not entirely flat, but it's going to take some patience to find the good ones. The first couple of days are okay, but the real standout window is shaping up for Tuesday and Wednesday. We've got a solid SW groundswell pushing in, with moderate to strong energy (1761 on Sunday morning, building to 2248 by Tuesday morning), and the winds are looking favorable. This is the time to be in the water.
Sunday, August 30th: Morning is your better bet. We've got a clean 7.9ft SW swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a bit on it from the SE at 10 km/h. The wave energy is moderate, but the forecast is marginal. It's not a write-off, but it's not a hero wave either. The afternoon sees the wind pick up from the SSE to 20 km/h, making things messier. This is a 'maybe get a few if you're keen' kind of day.
Monday, August 31st: The morning glass-off is the winner here. Light SSE wind at 5 km/h, almost nothing, and a clean 5.9ft SW swell. The energy drops a bit, but the conditions are much cleaner. This is your classic morning session before work. The afternoon brings a light cross-onshore breeze, which will put a bit of texture on the face but could still be fun. Don't sleep on the early one.
Tuesday, September 1st: This is our first big standout. The morning is looking excellent for experienced surfers. We have an 8.2ft SW swell with a 13-second period, and a light WSW cross-offshore wind. The energy is strong (2248) and the waves are going to have some push. This is a proper reef-break day. The afternoon gets even bigger, up to 9.8ft, but that's pushing into 'too big' territory for a lot of folks. It's powerful, and it's going to be a handful. If you're an expert, it could be a blast, but this is not the day for beginners.
Wednesday, September 2nd: The swell is still very much in the water, but the wind has shifted to a cross-on from the ESE at 10 km/h. It's still big, around 9.8ft, and the energy is strong (2887). The quality will be down a touch from Tuesday, but there are still waves to be had if you're comfortable in heavier surf. The afternoon gets windier and choppier, so the window is the morning.
Thursday, September 3rd: We get a bit of a breather. The swell drops to 5.6ft in the morning and we have a glassy SSW wind at 5 km/h. This is another excellent, clean morning session. The period is a long 13 seconds, so there's some great shape. However, the afternoon turns ugly with a strong 40 km/h SE wind and a short-period swell. That's a hard no for the afternoon.
Friday, September 4th to Sunday, September 6th: This is the dead zone. A strong ESE wind blows for most of this stretch, making a mess of any swell that's left. The swell size drops off, and the conditions are poor. It's not worth paddling out, honestly. You're better off doing something else. This gap runs for a few days, from Friday morning through to Sunday afternoon. The winds are strong and onshore, and the waves are going to be chopped up.
Monday, September 7th: The wind finally eases. We get a glassy morning with a small 2.6ft WSW swell. It's not big, but it's clean. The energy is still weak (329), so it's a grovel session, but a fun, clean one if you're desperate.
Tuesday, September 8th: The wind is back on it from the E and ESE, making things choppy again. The swell is around 4.3ft, but the quality is poor. Skip it.
Wednesday, September 9th: This is a hidden gem. The wind drops to nothing, completely glassy. We have a small 3.9ft WSW swell with a 12-second
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Wed morning). Mainly strong winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SSW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1739 | 1472 | 1162 | 828 | 821 | 1259 | 2248 | 3066 | 3783 | 2887 | 2275 | 1452 | 900 | 659 | 421 | 429 | 458 | 584 | 260 | 407 | 1500 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:32PM1.68m | 4:48AM1.52m | 5:04PM1.65m | 5:22AM1.46m | 5:38PM1.57m | 6:00AM1.36m | 6:18PM1.46m | 6:47AM1.24m | 7:09PM1.32m | 7:53AM1.12m | 8:28PM1.19m | 9:44AM1.06m | 10:28PM1.15m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:19AM0.07m | 10:46PM0.09m | 10:49AM0.11m | 11:19PM0.13m | 11:22AM0.18m | 11:55PM0.20m | 11:59AM0.29m | 00:39AM0.31m | 12:45PM0.42m | 1:37AM0.44m | 1:53PM0.55m | 3:13AM0.54m | 3:56PM0.62m | ||||||||
7:05 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | |
— | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 11 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | S 8 | S 8 | WSW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SSW 14 | SW 14 |
1739 | 1472 | 1162 | 828 | 821 | 1259 | 2248 | 3066 | 3783 | 2887 | 2275 | 1452 | 900 | 616 | 331 | 219 | 458 | 584 | 260 | 407 | 1500 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 10 | — | S 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | S 8 | SSW 13 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | — |
22 | 20 | 17 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 421 | 429 | 177 | 18 | 118 | 190 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 12 | E 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 9 | WSW 12 | — | ESE 8 | SSW 19 | WSW 10 | — |
12 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | 239 | — | 59 | 34 | 160 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 9 | S 7 | S 8 | — | — | SE 8 | E 2 | ESE 3 | SE 4 | E 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 158 | 353 | 659 | — | — | 201 | 1 | 6 | 26 | 45 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 23 | 272 | 10 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 250 | 10 | 10 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 389 | 874 | 1182 | 3020 | 89 | 220 | 86 | 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.











