
Surf Forecasts:
Onrus surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 16 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,110 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period with SSW 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.8m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore 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 Thursday (Jul 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 16th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Onrus over the next 16 days.
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
We’ve got a 16-day window for Onrus, a reef setup that’s exposed to the SW. The water temp is sitting at about 59°F, which is a touch cooler than usual for this time of year – nothing wild, but you’ll feel it. The first week is a bit of a write-off, but there’s a couple of promising windows if you’re patient.
The first few days are a slog. The swell is solid enough, with 8ft to 7ft SW swell, but the wind is all cross-on from the east, making things choppy and lumpy. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong (values between 1143 and 2644), but it’s not clean. The scores are low, and honestly, it’s not worth the paddle.
We get a brief reprieve on the morning of Tuesday, 14 July. The wind goes glassy – a light NW at 3 mph – and the swell drops to 2ft from the west, period 10 seconds. The combined energy is weak (217), but it’s clean. This is a tiny, glassy option for a longboard or a foamie, but it’s not going to fire.
Wednesday, 15 July afternoon sees a spike in energy. The wind shifts to a clean cross-off from the west at 12 mph, and the swell jumps to 4ft from the SW with a very long period of 18 seconds. This is a groundswell. The combined energy goes moderate (1248). It’s just a marginal call, but the clean conditions and the long period could make for some fun, organised lines on the reef. It’s a looker, but not a standout.
Now, the real standout comes on the morning of Thursday, 16 July. The swell pumps up to 12ft from the SW with a 14-second period. The combined energy is strong (4293). The catch is the wind is cross-on from the SSE at 12 mph, making it choppy. And the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. This is big, powerful, and dangerous. Experts only, and even then, it’s a gamble. The afternoon is a no-go with onshore winds.
The next big moment is on Wednesday, 22 July. The morning already looks good with offshore wind from the WNW at 6 mph, 6ft SW swell at 13 seconds, and a combined energy of 1796. But the afternoon is the highlight: 8ft from the SSW with a very long period of 15 seconds, cross-off wind from the WSW at 6 mph, and a combined energy of 3040. The conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. This is the one to circle. The long period groundswell will favour the reef, giving you nice, long, powerful walls. Crowds are possible here, so be ready for a few others with the same idea.
Thursday, 23 July morning is also a gem. The wind goes glassy from the east at 3 mph, with a clean 6ft SW swell at 14 seconds and combined energy of 1220. It’s another excellent session for the experienced crew. The wind drops off later in the day, so make the most of the early.
The forecast beyond that gets a bit messy again. Friday, 24 July has a big 10ft SW swell with a 15-second period and a combined energy of 4674, but the cross-on wind makes it too big and messy for this spot.
Bottom line: The first week is mostly a dud. The real action is on the 22nd and 23rd of July. The 22nd afternoon is the best bet – big, clean, and powerful. The 23rd morning is a close second with glassy conditions. Both are for experienced surfers only. The long period swells will make the reef work.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 10°C on Sat morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSE 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | SW 16 | SW 18 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
2644 | 2386 | 2638 | 2081 | 1913 | 1474 | 1289 | 1036 | 691 | 524 | 432 | 296 | 111 | 173 | 74 | 94 | 68 | 58 | 206 | 895 | 1753 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:19AM1.13m | 10:43PM1.33m | 11:41AM1.18m | 11:59PM1.38m | 12:51PM1.28m | 1:06AM1.46m | 1:50PM1.39m | 2:04AM1.54m | 2:42PM1.51m | 2:56AM1.59m | 3:29PM1.60m | 3:44AM1.61m | 4:14PM1.66m | 4:29AM1.59m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:11PM0.51m | 5:24AM0.37m | 5:37PM0.48m | 6:36AM0.29m | 6:52PM0.39m | 7:37AM0.19m | 7:55PM0.28m | 8:30AM0.10m | 8:50PM0.19m | 9:17AM0.04m | 9:40PM0.12m | 10:01AM0.01m | 10:27PM0.10m | ||||||||
7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | |
— | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:51 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Temp °C | 12 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | SW 18 | SW 15 |
2644 | 2386 | 2638 | 2081 | 1913 | 1474 | 1289 | 1036 | 691 | 524 | 432 | 296 | 111 | 173 | 74 | 94 | 68 | 58 | 57 | 895 | 1753 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 13 | — | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | SSE 9 | W 10 | SSE 9 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 12 | SW 16 | WSW 11 | SW 9 |
— | — | 437 | — | 14 | 72 | 60 | 85 | 98 | 58 | 57 | 50 | 88 | 29 | 70 | 64 | 41 | 53 | 206 | 40 | 538 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | W 10 | WSW 12 | SSW 10 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSE 9 | WSW 12 | W 11 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 1 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 41 | 36 | 33 | 48 | 29 | 52 | 59 | 51 | 25 | 27 | 61 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 3 | SE 7 | ENE 3 | SE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | W 4 | WSW 8 | SW 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 210 | 1 | 70 | 93 | 70 | — | — | — | 20 | 252 | 734 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 10 | 221 | 10 | 10 | 23 | 10 | 23 | 38 | 23 | 23 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 50 | 67 |
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.










