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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 am Friday 24 Apr 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
18.8° 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 6AM is: 1.6m 12s primary swell from a South-southwest direction and 1.6m 7s secondary swell from a East-southeast direction (forecast issued at 01:00am April 24). The wind direction is predicted to be offshore and the swell rating is 3.
| Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (24 Apr) | 4.5ft (1.4m) | 12s |
| Afternoon (24 Apr) | 4ft (1.2m) | 12s |
| Evening (24 Apr) | 4.5ft (1.4m) | 9s |
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 Sun night. Warm (max 29°C on Sat morning, min 14°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri afternoon, fresh winds from the W by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 | |
Swell Height Map |    |    |    | |||||||||||||||||||||
SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 12 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | E 9 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 | |
1044 | 774 | 624 | 437 | 361 | 331 | 297 | 264 | 220 | 269 | 275 | 235 | 217 | 203 | 168 | 140 | 134 | 212 | 204 | 136 | 168 | 293 | 465 | 1431 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | |
High Tide | 9:34AM1.15m | 10:49PM1.26m | 11:31AM1.18m | 00:11AM1.38m | 12:41PM1.28m | |||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 3:19AM0.67m | 4:04PM0.62m | 5:27AM0.64m | 5:44PM0.57m | 6:43AM0.51m | 6:45PM0.47m | ||||||||||||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  | |  |  | |
 | — | 6:56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6:58 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:52 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Temp °C | 16 | 16 | 17 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 29 | 29 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 |
13 | 14 | 15 | 25 | 28 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 28 | 27 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 11 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 10 | SW 10 | E 9 | WSW 10 | SW 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
 kJ | 1044 | 774 | 306 | 359 | 333 | 331 | 297 | 264 | 220 | 269 | 275 | 235 | 217 | 203 | 160 | 127 | 99 | 212 | 204 | 136 | 168 | 206 | 73 | 60 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 9 | E 10 | SW 10 | E 9 | E 9 | SW 15 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 233 | 268 | 624 | 437 | 361 | 290 | 217 | 210 | 186 | 211 | 195 | 220 | 205 | 145 | 168 | 140 | 134 | 74 | 115 | 122 | 127 | 96 | 55 | 34 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 11 | S 17 | SW 4 | SW 4 | E 10 | SSE 15 | WSW 6 | SSW 10 | SW 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 2 | 6 | 25 | 22 | 5 | 6 | 33 | 23 | 20 | 10 | 34 | 20 | 19 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | SW 3 | — | — | SW 4 | — | — | — | WSW 9 | WSW 7 | WSW 9 |
| kJ | 437 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | 293 | 465 | 1431 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 464 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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