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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 1 pm Wednesday 20 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
18.1° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)How big are the waves at The Heads today?
The current surf forecast for The Heads at 8PM is: 2.4m 8s primary swell from a East-southeast direction and 0.5m 12s secondary swell from a Southwest direction, 0.4m 12s secondary swell from a South-southeast direction (forecast issued at 01:00pm May 20). The wind direction is predicted to be glassy and the swell rating is 3.
| Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (20 May) | 7.5ft (2.3m) | 8s |
| Afternoon (20 May) | 8ft (2.5m) | 8s |
| Evening (20 May) | 8ft (2.4m) | 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 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 15°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Sat 23 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | 5 AM | 8 AM | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    |    | ||||||||||||||||||||
ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 14 | |
679 | 740 | 795 | 723 | 659 | 836 | 857 | 719 | 504 | 450 | 389 | 338 | 235 | 197 | 159 | 121 | 178 | 200 | 268 | 330 | 322 | 236 | 372 | 529 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | |
High Tide | 6:26PM1.56m | 6:44AM1.47m | 7:26PM1.46m | 7:46AM1.31m | 8:37PM1.39m | |||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 12:10PM0.22m | 00:38AM0.37m | 1:02PM0.34m | 1:44AM0.50m | 2:04PM0.46m | 3:06AM0.58m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  | |  |  |  | | | |  |  |  | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:18 | — |
 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | 5:30 |
— | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Temp °C | 19 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
17 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SW 15 | SW 7 | SSW 7 |
 kJ | 120 | 116 | 96 | 69 | 659 | 547 | 560 | 512 | 504 | 450 | 389 | 338 | 235 | 197 | 159 | 121 | 99 | 99 | 76 | 330 | 322 | 236 | 149 | 123 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SE 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 5 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 16 | E 8 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 98 | 57 | 37 | 54 | 68 | 80 | 78 | 123 | 156 | 138 | 170 | 120 | 116 | 89 | 87 | 22 | 80 | 79 | 268 | 58 | 97 | 96 | 372 | 529 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSE 11 | S 13 | SSW 20 | S 12 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 10 | E 12 |
| kJ | 29 | 8 | 24 | 43 | 84 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 38 | 47 | 9 | 14 | 84 | 178 | 200 | 101 | 99 | 42 | 28 | 51 | 98 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | — | — | SW 3 | SW 3 | SW 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 5 | SW 6 | — | — |
| kJ | 679 | 740 | 795 | 723 | — | 836 | 857 | 719 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 32 | 46 | 33 | 85 | 132 | 96 | 55 | 82 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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