
Surf Forecasts:
Strand (Pipe) surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 10 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 17s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 16s period, SW swell with 2,201 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 16s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Strand (Pipe) this week:
The surf forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 1.2m and 7s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Strand (Pipe) in the next 16 days are 2.1m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) 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 1.7m 7s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Thu 10th Sep) | 7ft (2.1m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strand (Pipe) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a long look at what's on the table for Strand (Pipe). This is a beach and reef setup that's fairly consistent, exposed to the SW, and it's got a bit of a colder feel right now with the water temperature anomaly sitting at -2°F, so that's a bit colder than normal for this time of year.
Right off the bat, we've got a nice little pulse of energy coming through. The combined swell energy is strong (1098), coming from the SSW with a very long period of 16 seconds. That's proper groundswell. It's 5ft, which is solid for intermediate surfers but getting a bit much for beginners. The real kicker here is the offshore wind from the ESE and clear skies on Sunday the 6th – it's gonna be clean. Just keep in mind with that 16-second period, it'll be best on the reef section as it might straighten out a bit on the beach.
Moving into Monday morning the 7th, it's glassy with a light WNW wind, and the swell holds at 4ft from the SSW, period dropping to 14 seconds. That's still very good surf, and the combined energy is moderate to strong (671). The afternoon looks clean too with a cross-off wind, but it's a touch smaller.
Tuesday the 8th is a drop-off. Swell backs down to 3ft, but the morning is glassy again, so if you're desperate for a longboard, it's an option. Afternoon gets a bit cross and messy with only 2ft. Wednesday the 9th is a write-off – cross winds and dropping swell, poor conditions.
Now, here's a standout. Thursday the 10th morning, the swell jumps back up to 7ft from the SW with that long 16-second period again. The combined energy is very strong (2201). This is big, expert-level surf. The wind is a clean cross-off from the SE, so the conditions will be good. This is the pick of the window for the experienced crew. The afternoon drops to 6ft but the wind picks up to a moderate breeze, so it's still rideable.
Friday the 11th gets blown out with fresh winds, and the swell is down. Not great. Saturday the 12th looks promising again, especially the morning with a moderate offshore ESE wind and a clean 3ft SW swell. The afternoon builds to 5ft from the SSW with a 16-second period and strong energy (1509), but the cross-off wind will keep it clean enough.
Sunday the 13th turns nasty with strong cross winds from the NNW and rain. Swell drops and it's choppy. Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 15th is mostly poor, with onshore winds and lumpy conditions, though Tuesday morning sees a 6ft SW swell – it's just too windy to be good for paddling, that looks more like a kite day.
Wednesday the 16th brings a shift. The morning is still messy, but the afternoon throws a curveball: 10ft from the SSE with a short 8-second period. That's a lot of water moving, but short period windswell will be a challenge. Combined energy is strong (1769). It's clean, but it's for experts only and it's going to be a battle.
Thursday the 17th has a strong offshore ESE wind, gusting hard at 25 mph, with a 8ft SSE swell. The wind will make paddling out a mission, but the faces will be smooth. Another one for the pros.
Friday the 18th eases back, with a 5ft SSE swell and lighter winds, making for a decent morning. The afternoon is smaller but clean.
The real late bloomer is Saturday the 19th. The morning is glassy with a light WSW wind, and a 4ft SW swell with that beautiful 16-second period again. Combined energy is moderate to strong (656). It'll be clean, long lines – a great way to finish the run. The afternoon gets a light onshore, so get it early.
After that, Sunday the 20th and Monday the 21st fade out with onshore winds and smaller, weaker swell. Not worth getting wet for.
Overall, the standout is Thursday the 10th morning for the big, clean, powerful SW groundswell. And if you want something a bit more user-friendly, Saturday the 19th morning looks like a glassy gem.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri afternoon). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SE 7 | SW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
969 | 656 | 662 | 653 | 387 | 144 | 96 | 74 | 109 | 108 | 330 | 2201 | 1344 | 801 | 473 | 324 | 351 | 336 | 1289 | 947 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:05AM1.21m | 12:47PM1.28m | 1:06AM1.34m | 1:36PM1.45m | 1:53AM1.45m | 2:16PM1.58m | 2:33AM1.53m | 2:52PM1.68m | 3:10AM1.57m | 3:26PM1.72m | 3:44AM1.57m | 3:58PM1.71m | 4:16AM1.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:55PM0.51m | 6:33AM0.36m | 7:03PM0.35m | 7:24AM0.23m | 7:51PM0.20m | 8:05AM0.12m | 8:32PM0.09m | 8:42AM0.05m | 9:09PM0.01m | 9:16AM0.01m | 9:43PM-0.01m | 9:48AM0.03m | 10:15PM0.01m | |||||||
— | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
6:29 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:32 | — | — | 6:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 25 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 18 |
Feels °C | 23 | 17 | 25 | 27 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 19 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 |
969 | 656 | 662 | 653 | 387 | 144 | 96 | 40 | 109 | 108 | 330 | 2201 | 1344 | 801 | 473 | 324 | 336 | 336 | 1289 | 947 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 9 | SW 18 | SW 12 | S 10 | SW 14 | SSE 9 | SSW 8 | SW 21 | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | WSW 12 | S 8 | — | SSE 8 |
63 | 41 | 9 | 118 | 12 | 112 | 70 | 74 | 15 | 6 | 151 | — | — | — | — | 25 | 274 | 52 | — | 133 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ESE 9 | — | SE 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSE 9 | SSW 8 | SSE 8 | SSE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 17 | — | — |
— | — | 8 | — | 74 | 10 | 38 | 16 | 7 | 7 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 243 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 6 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 2 | S 3 | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | — | S 5 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SSE 8 | — |
66 | 278 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 18 | — | 85 | 369 | 228 | 248 | 351 | 231 | 220 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 25 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 364 | 302 | 177 | 1244 | 41 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Cape Town | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Strand (Pipe) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Strand (Pipe) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Strand (Pipe) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Strand (Pipe) 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 (Strand (Pipe)) 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 Strand (Pipe) 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.
Strand (Pipe) is 18 km (11 miles) from the city of Grabouw. If you plan a holiday in Cape Town, look for hotels and other accommodation in Grabouw. Grabouw has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










