
Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, S swell with 3,939 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Heads this week:
The surf forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 2.1m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Heads in the next 16 days are 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee. Let's have a look at what’s coming up for The Heads.
The first few days are a bit of a write-off. Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th are a mess with onshore and cross-shore winds and messy, choppy waves. The swell is there but it's not clean enough to get excited about. Best to give it a miss.
Things start to turn around on Wednesday the 12th. The morning is where it's at. We've got a clean 1.5m swell from the SSW with a very long period of 20 seconds. That's a proper groundswell. The combined energy is strong (2583), and with a gentle cross-offshore breeze, it's going to be clean. This is excellent surf for experienced surfers. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Thursday the 13th is a real standout. The morning session is the clear winner. Same solid SSW groundswell, pushing 1.7m, with a period of 19 seconds and a combined energy of 4711. The wind is a gentle cross-offshore breeze, keeping it clean. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers. This is the best on offer.
Friday the 14th is a beauty too. The morning has a clean 1.4m SSW swell (16-second period, 1463 energy) with a light offshore breeze. The afternoon goes glassy with a 1.3m swell, making for some very clean, user-friendly waves. The energy drops a bit but the quality is high.
The weekend of the 15th and 16th is small but clean. Saturday morning has a 1.1m swell with light offshore winds, and the afternoon goes glassy. Sunday morning is a bit of a dud with onshore wind, but Sunday afternoon turns glassy again with a 0.8m swell. Small but clean for the longboard.
Monday the 17th brings a new pulse. The morning is glassy with a 2.2m SW swell (16 seconds, 2542 energy). A bit of size for the experienced crew. The afternoon gets a cross-shore wind, so get in early.
The middle of the week (18th-19th) is consistent and clean. Tuesday morning is glassy, Wednesday morning is glassy, both with 1.6m to 1.7m SW swells. Great for a mid-week paddle.
Thursday the 20th looks interesting. The morning has a clean 1.5m swell from the ESE with a moderate offshore breeze. The period is short at 8 seconds, so it's a bit weaker, but it should be clean and fun.
Friday the 21st is a bit of a mess again with onshore winds and a 2.4m SW swell. Then Saturday the 22nd turns glassy with a 2.3m SW swell. That's a solid, clean day for the experienced surfers.
Looking further out, Sunday the 23rd has a big 3.0m to 3.5m SSW swell. The combined energy is massive (5268). For The Heads, this is too big for anyone but experts. The wind is light cross-shore, so it's rideable for the crew who know what they're doing.
Monday the 24th has a 2.5m SSW swell, still big but cleaner early. Tuesday the 25th morning looks promising with a glassy 1.8m ESE swell, a nice change of direction.
So, the best windows are Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th mornings. Thursday is the standout. Get it while it's good.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | S 14 | SSW 13 | ESE 8 | SSW 23 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | E 9 | SSW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1959 | 1552 | 1785 | 3939 | 1398 | 728 | 746 | 1748 | 1877 | 1796 | 1981 | 2600 | 1474 | 979 | 799 | 598 | 471 | 465 | 388 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | glassy | off | off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:42AM1.52m | 2:17PM1.54m | 2:33AM1.66m | 3:01PM1.71m | 3:16AM1.75m | 3:41PM1.84m | 3:55AM1.80m | 4:18PM1.92m | 4:31AM1.80m | 4:52PM1.93m | 5:05AM1.75m | 5:26PM1.88m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:06AM0.28m | 8:26PM0.29m | 8:51AM0.13m | 9:12PM0.15m | 9:30AM0.03m | 9:53PM0.06m | 10:05AM-0.03m | 10:31PM0.03m | 10:39AM-0.04m | 11:06PM0.05m | 11:10AM0.01m | 11:38PM0.12m | |||||||
— | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | |
5:52 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | |
mm | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 23 |
Feels °C | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 12 | 18 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 27 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 11 | S 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SW 18 | ESE 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | SW 13 |
1959 | 1552 | 1785 | 3939 | 1398 | 722 | 329 | 1748 | 1877 | 1047 | 826 | 2600 | 740 | 484 | 311 | 205 | 210 | 173 | 388 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | E 9 | SSW 14 | WSW 11 | — | SSW 26 | SSW 23 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 19 | S 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | E 8 |
322 | 39 | 331 | 69 | — | 65 | 744 | 211 | 180 | 1796 | 1981 | 2 | 1474 | 979 | 799 | 598 | 471 | 465 | 140 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 10 | SW 16 | — | — | — | — | — | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 |
17 | — | — | — | — | — | 8 | 46 | 31 | 38 | 875 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 7 | S 10 | ESE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | E 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | — | W 3 |
— | 152 | 942 | 254 | 547 | 728 | 746 | 578 | 804 | 1736 | 1029 | 675 | 1112 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 481 | 26 | 11 | 26 | 390 | 8 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Heads Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Heads provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Heads can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Heads surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (The Heads) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for The Heads may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Are you planning a holiday in Garden Route? If you are looking for accommodation near The Heads, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Garden Route, consider staying in Knysna which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Garden Route where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Plettenberg Bay which is 28 km (17 miles) away, George, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.











