
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 15 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, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 5,973 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 17s 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 9s. 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Wed 15th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's chew the fat on this patch of coast.
Right off the bat, we're looking at Onrus, a reef break that's a bit of a diva—it's inconsistent, so when it turns on, it's a special thing. The water temp is sitting right around average for this time of year, nothing to write home about. The first few days have some real promise, but we've got a mix of clean waves and some proper, growling, expert-only swell coming through.
Wednesday morning, the 15th, kicks things off with a clean 4ft SW groundswell. The period is a juicy 17 seconds, which is proper long-period energy, and the combined energy is a solid 1340. The wind is a gentle offshore, so the face will be smooth. It's a proper reef set-up, so that long period will wrap in nicely. This is a good one for the experienced crew.
Thursday the 16th is the standout of the first week. The morning is looking glassy with a 8ft SW swell, period easing to 13 seconds. That’s still a solid groundswell with plenty of push (energy reading 2108). The wind is dead calm, glassy conditions. It's nearly perfect. It's a bigger wave, so keep your wits about you, but for the confident surfer, this is the session to circle. The afternoon stays clean with a cross-off breeze and a 7ft swell.
Friday the 17th is a write-off. The wind swings onshore, and the waves get choppy. It’s a messy cross-on mess, so give it a miss.
We get a bit of a breather on the 18th and 19th. Saturday morning is small, down to 3ft, but clean. The afternoon picks up to 4ft with a 12-second period, and the energy is moderate at 551. It’s clean, fun, but not the big stuff. Sunday is a step up to 6ft, but the wind goes cross-shore, so it's a bit bumpy.
Monday the 20th morning is a real gem. A 7ft SW swell, 11-second period, and it's glassy again. The energy is solid at 1104. This is another top session for the experienced surfer, clean and powerful.
Now, listen up. From Tuesday the 21st all the way through to the end of the month, this place goes completely mental. We’re looking at swell heights of 10ft to 13ft, with massive energy readings between 3300 and nearly 7000. For a wave over 8ft, it's expert territory only. Onrus is a reef break, so it can handle the size, but the swell is just too big. Even with the offshore winds on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, the forecast notes say it's too big for the break. A few days in the second week, like the 24th and 26th, have cleaner conditions, but the swell is still in the 8ft to 12ft range, which is all big-wave territory. The 27th is a bit smaller, 4ft to 5ft, and glassy, which is a nice option for the end of the run.
The bottom line? The best surfing is on Thursday the 16th and Monday the 20th. Those are the ones with the clean conditions and manageable size. After that, it's a big-wave show for experts only, or a straight-up pass for the rest of us.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tue 21 | |||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
108 | 745 | 2028 | 3341 | 2108 | 1558 | 1249 | 897 | 588 | 380 | 218 | 341 | 902 | 1007 | 807 | 593 | 1027 | 829 | 2174 | 5920 | 5363 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 2:05PM0.53m | |||||||
— | 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 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
Feels °C | 10 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | S 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 |
83 | 745 | 2028 | 3341 | 2108 | 1558 | 1249 | 897 | 588 | 380 | 185 | 341 | 902 | 1007 | 807 | 593 | 1027 | 829 | 2174 | 5920 | 5363 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | WSW 11 | SW 10 | ESE 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 11 | S 14 | S 12 | SW 14 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 11 | W 11 | SSW 12 | W 10 | SSE 11 | SW 17 | SE 11 | ESE 11 |
108 | 300 | 262 | 17 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 74 | 218 | 146 | 82 | 153 | 110 | 264 | 65 | 12 | 640 | 30 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | E 11 | SW 16 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | SSE 9 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | W 10 | SSE 11 | WSW 14 | W 9 | — | — |
51 | 57 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 38 | 86 | 64 | 29 | 34 | 19 | 122 | 12 | 21 | 25 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 3 | E 4 | — | W 3 | W 5 | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — |
13 | 238 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | 5 | 34 | — | — | — | — | 164 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 65 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 32 | 4 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 25 | 31 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Overberg | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











