Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 19 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 19 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 15s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 26 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,519 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 19 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period with SW 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 Saturday (Sep 19) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Heads in the next 16 days are 2.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 26) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 19th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 19th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 26th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 14°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Warm (max 32°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | Monday 21 | Tuesday 22 | Wednesday 23 | Thursday 24 | Friday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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 12 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | E 7 | ESE 8 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | S 9 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 565 | 435 | 1672 | 1783 | 1319 | 838 | 520 | 403 | 493 | 233 | 418 | 343 | 228 | 165 | 180 | 315 | 2276 | 1901 | 1182 | 874 | 787 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 9:23PM1.02m | 12:12PM1.04m | 00:26AM1.10m | 1:08PM1.20m | 1:13AM1.25m | 1:38PM1.37m | 1:45AM1.40m | 2:05PM1.54m | 2:14AM1.53m | 2:31PM1.69m | 2:42AM1.65m | 2:58PM1.82m | 3:11AM1.74m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:09PM0.83m | 5:05AM0.80m | 6:23PM0.81m | 6:51AM0.66m | 7:16PM0.65m | 7:25AM0.51m | 7:46PM0.50m | 7:53AM0.36m | 8:14PM0.34m | 8:19AM0.23m | 8:41PM0.20m | 8:46AM0.12m | 9:09PM0.08m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | |  | |  |  |  |  | | | | | |  | |
 | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:23 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 30 | 32 | 25 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 27 | 28 | 20 |
Feels °C | 17 | 17 | 15 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 30 | 32 | 24 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 27 | 29 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 6 | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 |
| kJ | 251 | 229 | 1672 | 1783 | 1319 | 838 | 520 | 403 | 233 | 214 | 418 | 343 | 228 | 64 | 180 | 197 | 2276 | 1901 | 1182 | 874 | 787 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | — | SSW 15 | SW 11 | SW 11 | S 14 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | S 9 | SSW 17 | SW 10 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 7 |
| kJ | 565 | 435 | 165 | 86 | 90 | 66 | — | 87 | 241 | 233 | 4 | 142 | 137 | 116 | 168 | 315 | 102 | 151 | 96 | 84 | 52 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | — | SSE 5 | — | SSE 5 | — | — | SSW 14 | SW 13 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 11 | E 8 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 127 | 217 | — | 8 | — | 4 | — | — | 183 | 183 | 4 | 32 | 44 | 165 | 69 | 104 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | E 6 | E 7 | — | ESE 8 | W 4 | WSW 5 | — | — | ESE 4 | ESE 6 | E 6 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 140 | 197 | 493 | — | 204 | 12 | 49 | — | — | 42 | 207 | 233 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 387 | 0 | 8 | 33 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our The Heads surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
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