The Heads 48 hour detailed Surf Forecast

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

Issued: 1 am 17 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in hr min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is

17.2° C

The Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Surf Forecasts:

How big are the waves at The Heads today (17 Jul):

Morning surf: Morning surf (17 Jul, local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 12s period with SW swell.
Afternoon surf: Afternoon surf (17 Jul, local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period with SW swell.
Evening surf: Evening surf (17 Jul, local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 11s period with SW swell.

The current surf forecast for The Heads at 8AM is: 2.3m 12s primary swell from a Southwest direction and 0.5m 11s secondary swell from a East direction (forecast issued at 01:00am July 17). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 4.

Time (SAST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (17 Jul)	7.5ft (2.3m)	12s
Afternoon (17 Jul)	7ft (2.1m)	11s
Evening (17 Jul)	6ft (1.8m)	11s

Table - waves today at The Heads. (Swell directed towards the surf break)

	Short Range Forecast Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light.
	Friday 17								Saturday 18								Sunday 19
	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	4	2	3	3	3	2	2	2	1	1	2	3	3	3	3	3	2	1	0	4	3
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 11	SW 11	SW 11	SW 10	SW 10	SW 10	S 12	S 12	S 11	SW 10	SW 10	SW 9	SW 9	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 8	SW 9	SW 12	SW 12
Wave Graph
kJ	1352	1298	1499	1448	1053	884	749	627	469	424	325	380	303	437	580	459	318	306	330	672	369	872	2683	2322
Wind (km/h)	WNW	NW	NW	WSW	SSW	S	NNE	NNW	NNW	NW	NW	WSW	WSW	WSW	NW	NW	NW	NW	NW	W	WSW	WSW	W	W
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	glassy	on	glassy	glassy	off	glassy	cross-off	cross-off	cross	cross-on	cross-on	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross	cross	cross-on	cross	cross
High Tide			5:30AM1.70m				5:58PM1.81m				6:09AM1.60m				6:37PM1.73m				6:47AM1.48m				7:15PM1.61m
Low Tide	11:31PM0.12m				11:41AM0.05m				00:12AM0.20m				12:17PM0.14m				00:52AM0.30m				12:52PM0.26m


	—	7:30	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:30	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	7:28	—	—	—	—	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	5:37	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:37	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:37	—	—
mm	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Temp °C	14	13	14	17	18	16	15	15	15	15	15	18	19	17	15	15	15	14	14	18	19	17	16	15
Feels °C	13	12	13	17	18	16	15	15	14	14	14	17	18	17	14	14	14	13	13	17	16	14	14	14
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SW 13	SW 12	SW 12	SW 12	SW 11	SW 11	SW 11	SW 10	SW 10	SW 10	SW 10	S 12	S 11	SW 10	SW 10	SW 9	SW 9	SW 9	SW 12	SSE 10	SSE 10	SE 10	SW 12	SW 12
kJ	1352	1298	1499	1448	1053	884	749	627	469	424	273	380	303	437	580	459	318	225	330	187	190	117	2018	2322
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	E 11	E 11	E 11	E 11	E 10	E 10	E 10	S 14	S 13	S 13	S 12	SW 10	SW 9	S 12	S 12	S 11	SW 13	SW 12	SW 9	E 10	SW 12	SW 12	SE 10	SE 10
kJ	82	56	56	55	53	52	51	93	119	206	325	188	196	271	271	160	265	306	168	18	236	149	110	94
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	—	S 14	S 14	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	SSW 14	SW 14	SW 13	S 11	S 11	S 10	E 10	E 10	S 10	SE 14	ESE 13
kJ	—	—	—	—	—	16	36	33	33	33	33	50	32	131	151	238	151	227	225	31	18	50	47	68
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	WSW 8	SW 12	SW 8	SW 9	SW 12	—
kJ	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	230	672	369	872	2683	—
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	The Heads Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	Murphys (Buffalo Bay Beach) Garden Route	The Wreck Garden Route	Buffalo Bay Garden Route	Buffalo Bay Garden Route
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	2	2	2	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	5	4
Distance (km)	0	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	7	7	0	0	0	0	0	7	7	30	8	8
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route	Goukamma River Mouth	Goukamma River Mouth	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Robberg	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Goukamma River Mouth	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Goukamma River Mouth	Groenvlei	Victoria Bay	Gerickes Point	Goukamma River Mouth	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Gerickes Point	Brak River	Groenvlei	The Wreck	Buffalo Bay	Dias Beach
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	5	4
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Whispering Waves Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Super Tubes Eastern Cape (S)	Yellow sands Point Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Periwinkles Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Periwinkles Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Periwinkles Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Whispering Waves Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Whispering Waves Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Periwinkles Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Periwinkles Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Haga-Haga Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Country Club (African Beach) Durban/KZN South	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Whispering Waves Eastern Cape - Wild Coast	Buffalo Bay Garden Route	Whispering Waves Eastern Cape - Wild Coast
Rating (10 max)	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	3	3	4	4	4	4	3	5	4
Header Global	Easter Reef Australia	Easter Reef Australia	Kleinemonde South Africa	Easter Reef Australia	Dunedin - Kuri Bush New Zealand	Dunedin - Kuri Bush New Zealand	Dunedin - Bobs Beach New Zealand	Dunedin - Bobs Beach New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Otago Peninsula - Allans Beach New Zealand	Seconds (White Rock) New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Kaka Point New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Otago Peninsula - Papanui Beach New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Otago Peninsula - Papanui Beach New Zealand	Otago Peninsula - Papanui Beach New Zealand	Otago Peninsula - Allans Beach New Zealand
Rating (10 max)	6	6	5	5	6	7	6	6	9	7	8	9	8	6	5	6	6	5	6	6	7	7	7	6

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)

Latest Updates

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The Heads 48 hour detailed Surf Forecast

How big are the waves at The Heads today (17 Jul):

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