Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with 3,567 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s 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 (Sep 01) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period. 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 13s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what Onrus (South Africa) has in store for us over the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a real mixed bag coming, with some absolute gems hidden in there, but we’ll have to be patient through a rough patch.
The window kicks off on Tuesday the 1st with some serious size. Tuesday morning you’re looking at a solid 8.2ft swell out of the SW, with a long 13-second period pushing a whole lot of energy onto the reef (combined energy of 2340). The wind is a light cross-offshore, keeping things clean. This is big, powerful stuff – definitely one for the experienced crew only, as the swell is over 8.2ft. Tuesday afternoon bumps up even more to 9.8ft (combined energy of 3257), with a slight wind shift, but it’s still cross-off. Again, experts only.
Wednesday the 2nd holds that same 9.8ft SW swell in the morning (combined energy of 2802), but the wind swings onshore from the SSE. It’s a light cross-on, so it’s not trashed, but that size with the wind putting a bit of texture on it means it’s still big and a bit lumpy. The afternoon drops to 8.2ft, but the onshore wind picks up and the forecast gets marginal.
Then we hit a long, windy dry spell. From Thursday the 3rd right through to Saturday the 5th, strong onshore winds (up to 28 mph) and messy, blown-out conditions ruin the fun. The swell drops and gets short-period. It’s a write-off for a paddle surfer. With that much wind and swell, it looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Sunday the 6th is still rubbish with strong cross-onshore winds, even though the swell gets a very long 18-to-19-second period from the SSW. That long period will make it break too straight on the reef, and with the wind, it’s a washout.
Now, here’s your standout. Monday the 7th. The magic happens in the morning. Glassy conditions – dead calm, with a clean 5.2ft SW groundswell at 13 seconds (combined energy of 1125). The wind is a perfect glass-off from the NE (0 mph). This is your session. It’s clean, it’s got push, and the reef will be working beautifully. It’s in the 5ft to 8ft range, so it’s still fairly solid for intermediates. Expect some crowd.
The rest of the first week is a letdown. Tuesday the 8th offers clean, smaller waves around 2.6ft to 3.3ft with cross-off winds, surfable but not a standout. Wednesday the 9th is back to poor conditions with onshore wind.
Then we get another promising window. On Thursday the 10th, it’s glassy again in the morning with a 6.2ft SW groundswell at a very long 15 seconds (combined energy of 1553). This is another excellent call for experienced surfers. The long period means that reef will handle it well, with nice lines. Friday the 11th morning is also clean with cross-off winds and a 6.2ft WSW swell (combined energy of 1232). These two mornings are your second-week highlights, though remember the long-range call is a bit less certain.
From Saturday the 12th onwards, things get messy again with onshore winds and lumpy conditions through the middle of the week. Wednesday the 16th shows a glimmer of hope with clean, cross-off winds and a 4.9ft SSW swell (combined energy of 735), which is decent but nothing compared to the 7th, 10th, and 11th.
So, for my money, the absolute best on offer is Monday the 7th morning – glassy, clean, and a solid swell. Right behind it are the glassy mornings of Thursday the 10th and Friday the 11th.
Stay stoked, get on it when you can.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Wed morning, strong winds from the SE by Thu afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Sun afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ESE on Fri night, light winds from the ENE by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | S 8 | S 8 | WSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | S 12 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2340 | 3257 | 3518 | 2802 | 2241 | 1338 | 683 | 1018 | 822 | 356 | 224 | 99 | 176 | 186 | 570 | 1463 | 1288 | 687 | 915 | 717 | 472 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 11:40AM1.14m | 00:06AM1.23m | 12:49PM1.30m | 1:08AM1.36m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 5:16AM0.51m | 5:56PM0.53m | 6:34AM0.38m | 7:05PM0.37m | ||||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | |
— | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:25 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 5 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 21 | 16 | 24 | 26 | 22 |
Feels °C | 11 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 14 | 10 | 24 | 25 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | S 8 | S 8 | SSW 9 | SSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | S 12 | S 12 |
2340 | 3257 | 3518 | 2802 | 2241 | 1338 | 668 | 458 | 260 | 356 | 224 | 77 | 176 | 186 | 570 | 1463 | 1288 | 687 | 915 | 717 | 472 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | — | — | — | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 |
— | — | — | — | — | 166 | — | — | — | 200 | 146 | 99 | 67 | 38 | 135 | 911 | 590 | 236 | 68 | 149 | 82 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | — | — | — | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | — | — | SE 7 | WSW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 19 |
— | — | — | — | — | 61 | — | — | — | 8 | 18 | 56 | 18 | 7 | 113 | — | — | 69 | 137 | 131 | 15 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 9 | S 9 | SSE 9 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | SE 5 | SE 6 | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 683 | 1018 | 822 | 56 | 59 | 84 | 70 | 115 | 122 | 88 | 209 | 17 | 5 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 23 | 4 | 86 | 532 | 1525 | 1495 | 302 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 86 | 40 | 38 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
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.











