The Heads surfForecast / Garden Route / South Africa

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 1 am Sunday 17 May 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
17.7° C
(Which is 1.2°C colder than average for this time of year)

How big are the waves at The Heads today?

The current surf forecast for The Heads at 9AM is: 1.1m 11s primary swell from a South direction and 0.9m 11s secondary swell from a West-southwest direction (forecast issued at 01:00am May 17). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 2.

Time (SAST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (17 May)3.5ft (1.1m)11s
Afternoon (17 May)3.5ft (1.1m)12s
Evening (17 May)3ft (0.9m)11s

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 8mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 21°C on Sun morning, min 16°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
17
Monday
18
Tuesday
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)
3
3
2
2
1
2
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
2
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
SW
12
1.2
S
11
1.2
S
11
1
S
11
1.1
SW
13
1.1
SW
12
0.9
S
11
0.9
S
11
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
13
1.1
SW
13
1.2
SW
13
1.1
SW
13
1.3
SW
15
1.4
SW
14
1.5
SW
14
1.3
SW
13
1.3
SW
13
1.3
SW
12
1.8
SSE
8
1.1
SW
13
2
SSE
8
2.4
SE
8
2.5
SE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
549
354
342
233
364
347
185
206
471
451
444
503
458
757
813
790
618
505
473
430
431
525
830
978
Wind (km/h)
10
N
10
N
10
NNW
5
W
10
SW
5
W
10
NW
5
NW
5
NNW
5
NNW
5
NNW
5
SE
10
SE
10
ESE
15
E
10
ESE
15
E
15
E
15
E
20
E
20
ESE
25
ESE
25
E
25
E
off
off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
3:35AM1.91m
4:04PM1.74m
4:19AM1.87m
4:48PM1.71m
5:04AM1.77m
5:35PM1.65m
Low Tide
9:55AM-0.02m
10:06PM0.09m
10:38AM0.02m
10:53PM0.15m
11:22AM0.11m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:13
7:13
7:15
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:32
5:32
5:31
1
2
2
2
1
Temp °C
16
16
16
21
20
18
16
16
16
16
16
19
20
18
17
18
17
17
17
18
18
18
18
17
14
14
14
19
18
18
15
15
15
16
16
19
20
17
16
18
16
16
16
16
16
15
16
14
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
SW
12
1.2
S
11
1.2
S
11
1
S
11
1.1
SW
13
1.1
SW
12
0.9
S
11
0.9
S
11
1.1
SW
14
1.1
SW
13
1.1
SW
13
1.2
SW
13
1.1
SW
13
1.3
SW
15
1.4
SW
14
1.5
SW
14
1.7
S
8
1.9
S
8
1.8
SSE
8
1.8
SSE
8
1.7
SSE
8
1.1
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
Energy kJ
549
354
342
233
364
347
185
189
471
451
444
503
458
757
813
790
415
505
459
414
385
380
282
245
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
S
12
1.1
SW
11
1
WSW
11
0.9
WSW
11
1
S
11
1
S
11
0.8
WSW
10
0.7
SW
14
1
S
12
0.9
S
13
0.8
S
12
0.7
S
12
0.8
S
12
0.9
S
12
0.6
S
12
0.5
S
12
1.3
SW
13
1.3
SW
13
1.3
SW
12
1.2
SW
12
1.1
SW
13
0.5
SSE
13
0.6
SSE
13
0.6
SSE
13
Energy kJ
454
273
247
204
233
233
138
206
309
259
171
132
199
225
101
69
618
504
473
430
431
102
116
111
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
ESE
6
0.8
SW
13
0.8
ESE
6
0.8
ESE
6
0.8
ESE
6
0.8
ESE
6
0.7
ESE
6
0.7
ESE
6
0.6
E
6
0.5
E
6
0.5
E
6
0.4
ESE
6
0.5
SSW
16
0.1
S
18
0.1
S
17
0.1
SE
16
0.4
SSE
11
0.3
E
7
0.3
E
7
0.4
SSE
14
0.4
SSE
14
0.1
E
11
0.3
SSW
10
Energy kJ
34
212
41
49
44
47
43
43
29
20
20
13
149
6
6
10
40
9
8
81
74
2
20
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
ESE
6
0.6
ESE
6
1.1
SE
6
1.3
SSE
6
2.1
SSE
8
1
E
5
0.5
E
7
0.3
E
7
2
SSE
8
2.4
SE
8
2.5
SE
8
Energy kJ
30
24
69
107
589
49
22
8
525
830
978
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
2
2
3
3
3
3
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
Distance (km)
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
26
8
26
8
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
26
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
3
4
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
4
4
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
4
4
6
9
9
7
4
4
5
7
5
4
5
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
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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