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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 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
18.0° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)How big are the waves at The Heads today?
The current surf forecast for The Heads at 4PM is: 1.7m 8s primary swell from a East-southeast direction and 0.6m 13s secondary swell from a Southwest direction, 0.4m 3s secondary swell from a Southwest direction (forecast issued at 01:00pm May 21). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.
| 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) | 4.5ft (1.4m) | 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 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thu 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sun 24 | |||||||||||||||||||||
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 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | |
428 | 380 | 338 | 280 | 229 | 155 | 118 | 94 | 178 | 200 | 268 | 330 | 322 | 294 | 472 | 529 | 514 | 503 | 480 | 466 | 386 | 277 | 251 | 623 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | |
High Tide | 7:26PM1.46m | 7:46AM1.31m | 8:37PM1.39m | 9:05AM1.20m | 10:00PM1.37m | |||||||||||||||||||
Low Tide | 1:02PM0.34m | 1:44AM0.50m | 2:04PM0.46m | 3:06AM0.58m | 3:18PM0.53m | 4:36AM0.59m | ||||||||||||||||||
 |  | |  |  | | | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7:18 | — |
 | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5:30 | — | — | — | — | 5:29 |
— | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
22 | 22 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 7 | SSW 7 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 |
 kJ | 428 | 380 | 338 | 280 | 229 | 155 | 118 | 94 | 70 | 52 | 268 | 330 | 322 | 120 | 110 | 529 | 514 | 503 | 480 | 466 | 386 | 277 | 190 | 623 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 11 | SW 11 | E 7 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | S 6 | S 6 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 14 | SSW 18 |
| kJ | 118 | 138 | 170 | 149 | 141 | 89 | 21 | 31 | 80 | 79 | 40 | 99 | 94 | 294 | 472 | 93 | 70 | 53 | 35 | 25 | 62 | 67 | 251 | 123 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | SW 3 | S 12 | S 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SW 11 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 11 | E 8 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | S 6 | SW 15 | SW 8 | SSE 12 |
| kJ | 30 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 47 | 43 | 87 | 84 | 178 | 200 | 99 | 41 | 28 | 96 | 19 | 98 | 67 | 64 | 59 | 58 | 16 | 220 | 77 | 56 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 3 | — | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | — | — | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 3 | — | 6 | 12 | — | — | 59 | 154 | 162 | 80 | 77 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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