
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 19 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 6,715 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 12s period with WSW 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.7m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Onrus in the next 16 days are 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 18th Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid run of surf on the cards for Onrus, but it’s a window that’s going to demand a bit of respect. The water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so no major surprises there.
The overall pattern starts with a building swell and clean conditions, but the middle of the week gets a bit wild and blown out, before we see a cleaner finish towards the end of the month and into early August.
First up, Sunday morning the 19th. It’s a bit cloudy with a fresh 19 mph offshore wind from the NW, keeping the 6 ft WSW swell (12-second period) clean. The wave energy is pumping at 1135, but it’s a bit marginal with the tide, so it’s a session for the keen ones. By Sunday afternoon, the swell jumps to 10 ft from the WSW, and while the wind is still offshore, it’s simply too big for this reef – that’s one for the experts only, and even then, be careful.
Monday morning the 20th is where it gets interesting. The wind drops to glassy, a light 3 mph from the NNW, and the swell is a clean 6 ft from the SW. The energy is moderate at 604, but the conditions are predicted to be very good. This is a standout window for the intermediate surfer looking for a clean, fun session.
Tuesday morning the 21st is a real highlight for experienced surfers. The swell picks up to 7 ft from the SW with a very long 14-second period, and combined with glassy ENE winds at 3 mph, the conditions are called excellent. The wave energy is strong at 1914. That long period will make it punchy and powerful, perfect for the reef. Just be aware that this crowd can get busy, so you might be sharing the peak.
The 22nd and 23rd keep the quality going with clean offshore winds, but the swell is still in the 6 ft to 7 ft range, so it remains a solid intermediate-to-expert playground.
Friday morning the 24th brings another massive swell – 10 ft from the SW with a 15-second period and a massive 4110 wave energy. The morning is glassy, but again, it’s too big for this spot. That’s a no-go for paddle surfing.
We hit a rough patch from the 25th through the 29th. Strong onshore winds and messy, choppy conditions with big, unruly swell make it a poor call for the surfboard. It’s the kind of setup that would be more interesting for the kite surfers than us.
Things start to turn around on Thursday morning the 30th. The wind goes light offshore from the NNW, and the swell drops to a cleaner 6 ft from the SE. It’s a good sign.
The real standout of the second week is Monday morning, the 3rd of August. The swell is a solid 8 ft from the SW with a 14-second period, and the wind is a gentle 9 mph offshore from the NW. The wave energy is strong at 2544, and the conditions are called excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle on the calendar, but it’s a long way out, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
In summary, the best bets are Monday morning the 20th for a clean, glassy session, and Monday morning the 3rd of August for the bigger, more powerful expert swell. Enjoy the ride.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat night, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sun afternoon, calm by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 10 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SSW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1220 | 1000 | 1657 | 1167 | 561 | 229 | 314 | 1868 | 2140 | 1594 | 1150 | 1083 | 865 | 814 | 1044 | 6715 | 4110 | 2903 | 2426 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | glassy | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:36AM1.32m | 7:00PM1.46m | 7:20AM1.21m | 7:44PM1.34m | 8:10AM1.10m | 8:34PM1.23m | 9:16AM1.02m | 9:41PM1.14m | 10:45AM1.00m | 11:04PM1.11m | 12:12PM1.04m | 00:20AM1.14m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:40AM0.26m | 12:39PM0.28m | 1:24AM0.36m | 1:19PM0.41m | 2:12AM0.46m | 2:05PM0.53m | 3:12AM0.54m | 3:08PM0.63m | 4:32AM0.59m | 4:43PM0.67m | 5:58AM0.57m | 6:16PM0.65m | |||||||
— | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | |
5:52 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 13 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | W 11 | WSW 9 | SW 11 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 7 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
795 | 83 | 1057 | 1167 | 561 | 229 | 75 | 1868 | 2140 | 1594 | 1150 | 1083 | 865 | 814 | 612 | 6715 | 4110 | 2903 | 2426 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | S 10 | W 11 | SSE 9 | W 10 | SW 11 | SSW 16 | W 9 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | SSW 15 | SE 14 | SE 13 | SE 13 | SSW 20 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SSW 18 | SE 11 |
123 | 52 | 56 | 17 | 30 | 140 | 314 | 25 | 21 | 75 | 42 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 259 | 35 | 32 | 348 | 19 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | — | SSE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | W 10 | SW 12 | SE 12 | W 9 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | ESE 11 | SE 12 | SSW 12 | — | — | SE 11 | — |
110 | — | 32 | 15 | 13 | 45 | 93 | 21 | 14 | — | 42 | 71 | 24 | 39 | 54 | — | — | 31 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 10 | — | — | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 | NW 4 | — | WSW 13 | — | — | — | — |
1220 | 1000 | 1657 | — | — | 121 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 38 | — | 1044 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 60 | 31 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 10 | 23 | 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.










