The Heads surfForecast / Garden Route / South Africa

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 7 am Wednesday 22 Apr 2026 SAST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
The Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's The Heads sea temperature is
19.1° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at The Heads today?

The current surf forecast for The Heads at 4PM is: 4.5m 15s primary swell from a South-southwest direction (forecast issued at 07:00am April 22). The wind direction is predicted to be onshore and the swell rating is 11.

Time (SAST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (22 Apr)15ft (4.5m)14s
Afternoon (22 Apr)15ft (4.5m)15s
Evening (22 Apr)13ft (4.0m)16s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Sat
25
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
2 AM
Rating
(10 max)
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
4
2
1
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
Swell
Height Map
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span><span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.components.forecast-table.maps.snow_map">Snow Map</span>
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
4.5
SSW
13
4.5
SSW
14
4.5
SSW
14
4.5
SSW
15
4.5
SSW
15
4.5
SSW
16
4
SSW
16
4
SSW
15
3.5
SSW
15
3.5
SSW
14
3
SSW
14
2.5
SSW
14
2.4
SSW
14
2.2
SSW
13
1.9
SSW
13
1.8
SSW
13
1.6
SSW
12
1.5
SSW
12
1.3
SSW
12
1.6
ESE
9
1.5
E
9
1.4
ESE
9
1.4
ESE
9
1.3
ESE
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
7012
7583
8921
9250
9324
8899
7862
6670
5153
4399
3697
2866
2049
1561
1236
1044
774
624
437
404
355
304
304
258
Wind (km/h)
20
WSW
20
SW
15
SW
10
SW
10
S
10
E
10
NE
15
NE
10
NE
10
NE
10
ENE
20
ESE
25
E
20
ENE
15
ENE
10
NE
10
NE
10
NNE
10
N
5
NE
5
ESE
10
N
10
N
15
N
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
glassy
glassy
off
off
off
High Tide
6:42AM1.47m
7:20PM1.35m
7:47AM1.28m
8:49PM1.24m
9:34AM1.15m
10:49PM1.26m
Low Tide
1:01PM0.41m
1:33AM0.55m
2:13PM0.56m
3:19AM0.67m
4:04PM0.62m
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:56
6:56
6:56
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:55
5:54
5:53
5:52
2
1
1
Temp °C
14
15
16
17
16
16
15
14
13
12
17
21
19
16
16
16
17
18
26
28
27
25
23
21
10
11
12
14
13
14
12
11
10
9
14
17
15
13
13
13
15
16
25
28
27
24
22
20
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
4.5
SSW
13
4.5
SSW
14
4.5
SSW
14
4.5
SSW
15
4.5
SSW
15
4.5
SSW
16
4
SSW
16
4
SSW
15
3.5
SSW
15
3.5
SSW
14
3
SSW
14
2.5
SSW
14
2.4
SSW
14
2.2
SSW
13
1.9
SSW
13
1.8
ESE
8
1.7
ESE
8
1.8
ESE
8
1.6
ESE
8
1.2
SSW
12
1.5
E
9
1.4
ESE
9
1.4
ESE
9
1.3
ESE
9
Energy kJ
7012
7583
8921
9250
9324
8899
7862
6670
5153
4399
3697
2866
2049
1561
1236
346
335
424
385
361
355
304
304
258
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SSW
13
1.6
SSW
12
1.5
SSW
12
1.3
SSW
12
1.2
SSW
12
1.1
SSW
11
0.9
SSW
11
1
SSW
11
0.9
SSW
11
Energy kJ
1044
774
624
437
368
290
221
226
186
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
S
10
0.2
S
10
Energy kJ
8
8
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
E
4
1.3
E
5
1.3
ESE
5
2.2
ESE
6
2.4
ESE
7
2.1
ESE
7
2.3
E
8
1.6
ESE
9
Energy kJ
36
85
82
381
527
432
604
404
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
8
5
5
9
9
9
8
7
6
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
Distance (km)
8
30
30
8
26
11
11
11
11
11
0
343
26
26
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route
Rating
(10 max)
9
7
8
9
9
9
8
7
6
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
2
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa
Rating
(10 max)
9
7
8
9
9
9
8
7
7
6
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
9
7
8
7
9
9
8
9
7
6
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

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