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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 Thursday 21 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 6AM is: 2.4m 8s primary swell from a East-southeast direction and 1.9m 8s secondary swell from a East-southeast direction, 0.4m 14s secondary swell from a South-southwest direction (forecast issued at 01:00am May 21). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore and the swell rating is 3.
| Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height | Wave Period |
|---|---|---|
| Morning (21 May) | 7ft (2.1m) | 8s |
| Afternoon (21 May) | 5.5ft (1.7m) | 8s |
| Evening (21 May) | 5ft (1.5m) | 8s |
Table - waves today at The Heads. (Swell directed towards the surf break)
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Warm (max 23°C on Thu morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 |    |    |    | |||||||||||||||||||||
E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | |
857 | 730 | 603 | 439 | 380 | 338 | 286 | 235 | 192 | 121 | 96 | 178 | 202 | 303 | 330 | 322 | 294 | 472 | 529 | 514 | 503 | 480 | 466 | 319 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 6:44AM1.47m | 7:26PM1.46m | 7:46AM1.31m | 8:37PM1.39m | 9:05AM1.20m | 10:00PM1.37m | ||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 00:38AM0.37m | 1:02PM0.34m | 1:44AM0.50m | 2:04PM0.46m | 3:06AM0.58m | 3:18PM0.53m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | |  | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
 | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — |
2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 17 | 20 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 |
16 | 19 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 14 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 7 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
 kJ | 560 | 512 | 446 | 439 | 380 | 338 | 286 | 235 | 192 | 121 | 96 | 94 | 72 | 268 | 330 | 322 | 294 | 189 | 529 | 514 | 503 | 480 | 466 | 319 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 7 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 80 | 77 | 123 | 118 | 175 | 170 | 152 | 116 | 89 | 87 | 23 | 80 | 79 | 57 | 43 | 97 | 96 | 472 | 112 | 76 | 53 | 35 | 15 | 180 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | WSW 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SW 3 | SSW 20 | SW 4 | SW 5 | SW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 8 | E 8 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | SSE 6 | E 11 |
| kJ | 49 | 31 | 30 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 75 | 9 | 12 | 84 | 178 | 200 | 79 | 77 | 30 | 19 | 70 | 69 | 67 | 64 | 63 | 13 | 37 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | — | — | SW 3 | — | SW 4 | WSW 4 | — | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 857 | 730 | 603 | — | — | 2 | — | 3 | 7 | — | 71 | 69 | 202 | 303 | 192 | 212 | 260 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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)
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Ocean Swells (m)- Wind Speed (km/h)
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