The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 29 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
14.9°C
2.4° 

The Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Heads surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,576 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s 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 Sunday (Aug 30) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. 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 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Sun 30th Aug)7ft (2.1m) 11s
Best Surf 8PM (Tue 1st Sep)8ft (2.5m) 13s
Most Powerful 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep)10ft (3.0m) 14s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's in store for The Heads over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of swell on the way but it’s not all smooth sailing. The surf kicks off this Sunday, the 30th of August, with a 7 ft SW swell and a period of 9 seconds. The wind is cross-onshore, and the water is churning with moderate wave energy (1077), but conditions are a bit messy. Not the best start.

Monday the 31st is where things start to get interesting. The morning is looking clean with a glassy 5 ft SW swell, period bumping up to 11 seconds, and a light offshore breeze. The water temp is about average for this time of year. The energy is still moderate (694), but the conditions are set for a good session. The Heads are a sandbar, fairly consistent, and the optimum swell direction is SSE, so this SW swell isn't perfect, but in the glassy morning, it's the pick of the early days.

Tuesday the 1st of September shows a building swell, hitting 7 ft in the morning from the SW with a 12-second period and offshore wind. The energy is ramping up (1400). The afternoon sees it get a bit bigger at 8 ft, but the wind swings cross-onshore. That morning window is the one to aim for.

Wednesday the 2nd of September sees a solid 10 ft SW groundswell with a 14-second period. That’s a big one. The combined energy is strong (3208). The wind is cross-onshore in the morning and gets stronger and cross-shore in the afternoon. This is big, powerful stuff. At 10 ft, this is for experienced surfers only. The long period (14s) means it’s a groundswell, which can be a bit straight at a sandbar, but the power will be there.

Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September take a turn for the worse. Strong winds, rain, and messy, poor conditions. The swell drops, and the energy is still there but the wind is howling. This stretch is a write-off for paddle surfing. The strong cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions on a beach setup make this look more interesting for kite surfing than a proper surf.

Saturday the 5th is more of the same – strong cross-shore winds and a dropping swell. Not much to get excited about.

Sunday the 6th of September sees a pulse of new swell, 7 ft from the SSW with a long 14-second period. The energy is back up (1871). The wind is a light cross-onshore, so it’s not perfect, but it’s a definite improvement over the weekend. This is a solid, consistent option.

The middle of the week from the 7th to the 9th of September is quiet. The swell drops away to the 3 ft to 4 ft range, and the wind is all over the place. The conditions are marginal at best. There’s a gap of a few days here with no real recommendations.

Now, the real standout. Keep an eye on Saturday the 12th of September. This is our best bet. The morning brings a clean 5 ft SW swell, glassy conditions, and a 14-second period. The energy is moderate (1448). The afternoon is even bigger, with a 10 ft SW swell, still glassy conditions, and the energy is a very strong 3434. The description says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers," and that’s exactly what it is. The Heads can get crowded sometimes, so get there early for the morning session. The afternoon is for the big-wave crew only.

Sunday the 13th of September looks like it gets messy again with rain and strong winds, so that Saturday is the clear highlight. The following Monday the 14th is a drop-off back to small, marginal conditions.

So, to wrap it up: Monday morning the 31st is your early clean window, but the real standout is Saturday the 12th of September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The rest of the period is a mixed bag with some poor days and a few gaps in between.

Stay safe out there.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Heavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, strong winds from the SE by Thu afternoon).

Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
2
3
3
1
3
3
3
4
2
2
4
1
0
0
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
10
2
SW
9
2.1
SW
12
1.8
SW
12
1.6
SW
11
1.5
SW
11
1.6
SW
11
2.2
SW
12
2.4
SW
13
3
SW
13
3
SW
14
2.5
SW
13
2.3
SW
13
1.8
SW
12
2.2
SSW
9
2
SE
8
1.8
SSW
9
1.6
SW
11
1.7
SSW
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
650
679
1111
826
663
563
553
1369
1972
3169
3201
2549
1847
944
741
507
528
637
686
Wind (km/h)
15
WSW
10
SW
5
S
10
N
5
SSW
10
SE
0
NE
10
SSW
10
SW
5
NNW
10
ESE
20
ESE
5
NW
15
SW
40
SE
30
ESE
30
ESE
30
ESE
20
E
Wind State
cross-on
cross-on
on
off
glassy
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
High Tide
4:37AM1.76m
4:54PM1.90m
5:06AM1.72m
5:24PM1.85m
5:38AM1.64m
5:57PM1.76m
6:13AM1.53m
6:34PM1.62m
6:54AM1.38m
7:20PM1.45m
7:52AM1.21m
8:36PM1.27m
Low Tide
10:35PM0.06m
10:40AM0.01m
11:05PM0.06m
11:09AM0.05m
11:36PM0.12m
11:40AM0.14m
00:11AM0.21m
12:14PM0.26m
00:51AM0.35m
12:56PM0.42m
1:45AM0.51m
1:58PM0.59m
3:22AM0.65m
light rain
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:48
6:48
6:47
6:45
6:43
6:43
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:07
6:07
6:07
6:08
6:08
6:09
6:10
 mm
2
1
5
13
2
Temp °C
14
14
15
13
14
16
12
16
16
12
17
19
14
16
14
16
17
18
15
Feels °C
11
12
13
12
12
13
11
14
14
11
15
16
12
14
8
10
11
12
10
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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