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The Heads Surf Forecast
/ Garden Route (22 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surfForecast / Garden Route / South Africa
48hr Weather and Surf, issued 7 pm Tuesday 19 May 2026 SASTForecast 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
17.9° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)How big are the waves at The Heads today?
The current surf forecast for The Heads at 1AM is: 1.8m 8s primary swell from a Southeast direction and 0.8m 13s secondary swell from a Southwest direction, 1.8m 7s secondary swell from a East direction (forecast issued at 07:00pm May 19). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-shore.
| Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (20 May) | 8ft (2.5m) | 8s |
| Afternoon (20 May) | 8ft (2.5m) | 8s |
| Evening (20 May) | 7.5ft (2.3m) | 8s |
Table - waves today at The Heads. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 24°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Tue night, calm by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tue 19 | Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Fri 22 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | 5 AM | 8 AM | 11 AM | 2 PM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | |
1056 | 1236 | 1040 | 403 | 691 | 744 | 842 | 875 | 809 | 713 | 1142 | 1006 | 800 | 736 | 486 | 424 | 370 | 280 | 238 | 187 | 187 | 183 | 178 | 202 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | cross-on | |
High Tide | 5:35PM1.65m | 5:52AM1.63m | 6:26PM1.56m | 6:44AM1.47m | 7:26PM1.46m | 7:46AM1.31m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 11:42PM0.25m | 12:10PM0.22m | 00:38AM0.37m | 1:02PM0.34m | 1:44AM0.50m | |||||||||||||||||||
 |  | | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — |
 | 5:31 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 |
— | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 22 | 20 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 19 |
15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 18 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SE 8 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 |
 kJ | 330 | 325 | 202 | 403 | 231 | 190 | 120 | 116 | 94 | 69 | 731 | 705 | 554 | 554 | 486 | 424 | 370 | 280 | 238 | 187 | 187 | 183 | 149 | 124 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | SW 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SW 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 |
| kJ | 104 | 116 | 111 | 199 | 136 | 101 | 98 | 58 | 56 | 54 | 68 | 80 | 78 | 123 | 118 | 138 | 134 | 120 | 90 | 89 | 87 | 84 | 80 | 79 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSW 10 | SSE 13 | — | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | S 13 | SSW 20 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 |
| kJ | — | — | 19 | 106 | — | 16 | 16 | 8 | 47 | 43 | 84 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 22 | 12 | 14 | 38 | 47 | 43 | 131 | 180 | 178 | 202 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | SW 2 | SW 3 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | — | — |
| kJ | 1056 | 1236 | 1040 | 329 | 691 | 744 | 842 | 875 | 809 | 713 | 1142 | 1006 | 800 | 736 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 12 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 423 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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