
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 14 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, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 8,314 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 10s period with W 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 (Jul 14) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. 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 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Tue 14th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s brewing for the next couple weeks at Onrus (South Africa). We got a mixed bag, with some proper gems and some days that are just plain angry.
First up, Tuesday the 14th is a slow start. Waves are small and ordinary – 2ft from the west, low energy, and a cross-off breeze. Water temp’s 59°F, just about average for this time of year. Not worth paddling out for the morning or afternoon.
But Wednesday the 15th morning is where it gets real. A clean 4ft groundswell from the SW, 17-second period, energy swinging strong. With a light offshore breeze, it’s lined up and beautiful for an intermediate. The afternoon bumps to 7ft, period 16 seconds – still excellent for experienced surfers. The morning is the standout here.
Thursday the 16th is another good one: morning sees 8ft swells from the SW, 13-second period, glassy – that’s expert territory though. The afternoon is 7ft and clean. That morning glass is the pick.
Friday the 17th is a washout. Cross-onshore winds, lumpy, messy – skip it.
Saturday the 18th bounces back nicely. Smaller in the morning (3ft, 14-second period), cross-off, clean. The afternoon is the real treat: 5ft, 13-second period, glassy. Clean, fun, and worth the wait for the sets at this inconsistent reef.
Sunday the 19th morning is another highlight: 6ft from the SW, 12-second period, glassy, clean. But the afternoon gets a strong onshore wind, making it marginal.
Monday the 20th is messy again. Some waves around 6-6ft, but cross-on winds ruin the shape.
Tuesday the 21st brings a massive swell – 10ft from the SW, 15-second period, energy huge. Offshore wind at 15 mph keeps it clean, but it’s too big for this reef. Expert-only, borderline dangerous. Wednesday the 22nd is even bigger – 12ft, near-gale offshore winds. Not for paddling.
From Thursday the 23rd to Friday the 24th, waves settle to 6-7ft with mostly clean or light winds. Surfable, but nothing epic.
Saturday the 25th morning is a nice little surprise: 3ft from the SW with a massive 19-second period. That’s very long-period groundswell, and with light cross-off winds, it’ll be beautiful and lined up, though it might break a little too straight. The afternoon jumps to 8ft with a 16-second period, but has a cross-shore wind.
Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are dominated by strong onshore winds and lumpy surf. The 27th in particular has fresh cross-onshore winds of 18-22 mph, ruining the 4-6ft swell. That’s kite territory.
Tuesday the 28th sees a return to clean conditions with offshore wind and 6ft swell, 14-second period. Wednesday the 29th morning has a fresh offshore and 7ft from the west. The afternoon brings another massive pulse: 10ft, 11-second period, energy through the roof – but again, too big.
The real standouts are Wednesday the 15th and Thursday the 16th. Clean, long-period SW groundswell, glassy or offshore. Sunday the 19th morning and Saturday the 25th morning are also worth marking. Second week is a mix of too-big and blown-out, but there are clean windows.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SSW 10 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
96 | 108 | 745 | 2028 | 3195 | 2108 | 1471 | 1422 | 880 | 599 | 235 | 227 | 666 | 1522 | 1447 | 1214 | 952 | 1046 | 928 | 4153 | 8314 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | off | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:29PM1.60m | 3:44AM1.61m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:40PM0.12m | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | |
5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:51 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | 5:53 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 12 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 9 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SSW 10 | S 11 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 16 |
96 | 83 | 745 | 2028 | 3195 | 2108 | 1471 | 1422 | 880 | 599 | 235 | 227 | 666 | 1522 | 1447 | 1214 | 952 | 1046 | 928 | 4153 | 8314 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 11 | SW 10 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | S 14 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | SE 12 | W 9 | SE 11 |
39 | 108 | 258 | 269 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 132 | 92 | 146 | 83 | 34 | 38 | 68 | 65 | 6 | 25 | 31 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 11 | S 12 | SW 14 | WSW 9 | E 6 | — | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | SE 12 | — | — | — |
37 | 51 | 57 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 74 | 221 | 64 | 3 | — | 19 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | NW 4 |
15 | 12 | 169 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 43 | — | 17 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 10 |
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.











