The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 01 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
17.2° C
0.0° 

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 1 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 6 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, SW swell with 6,936 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 1 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period with ESE 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 (Aug 01) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m 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 4.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 5AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2PM (Sat 1st Aug)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Thu 6th Aug)11ft (3.5m) 14s
Most Powerful 2PM (Sat 8th Aug)13ft (4.0m) 15s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let's talk conditions at The Heads (United States). Water temp is right where it should be for this time of year, about 63°, so nothing weird going on there. We’ve got a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, so let’s break it down day by day.

We kick things off with some fun, rideable swell on Saturday the 1st. It's a bit of a punchy 8ft ESE swell with a 9-second period, and the morning looks clean with light offshore winds. It's got some juice, but that period is a bit short, so it might be a bit lumpy. That afternoon, it drops a touch to 7ft and the wind goes cross, making it a bit messier. Not the best, but there are waves to be had.

Sunday the 2nd sees a drop in size to 6ft, but the morning is glassy and clean. It's a better bet than Saturday afternoon. It stays small and glassy into Monday morning, but that ESE swell with an 11-second period might be breaking a bit straight on the sandbar – keep an eye out for that.

Tuesday the 4th is a down day. The swell swings around to the SW, drops to 4ft, and the winds are just light and cross. Not worth your time.

Wednesday the 5th is interesting. The morning has a clean 4ft SSW groundswell with a 15-second period, but it’s weak. The afternoon brings a new 7ft SW swell with more energy but the wind goes onshore. Not great.

Now, we get to the bigger stuff. Thursday the 6th and Saturday the 8th see significant SW swells, but they're just too big for this break – 12ft and then 13-15ft. This is expert-only territory and even then, the sandbar might be closing out. It's a no-go for most of us, definitely a kite-surfing day if anything.

Sunday the 9th is a washout. Strong winds and rain mess up the 12ft swell. Just don't even look at it. Monday the 10th is still coming down, but the arvo cleans up nicely with a glassy 6ft S swell.

Tuesday the 11th is a real standout. We get a clean 7ft ESE swell, offshore winds in the morning, and decent energy. That's the pick of the first week, hands down.

The second week starts with a big SSW pulse on Wednesday the 12th (10ft, 16s period) but the wind is just cross and the period is super long, which can make the sandbar tricky. It's promising if it lines up, but not a sure thing.

Thursday the 13th is blown out with fresh cross-shore winds, and the swell is a mess. Friday the 14th is better, a clean 4ft SW swell with offshores – a fun, smaller day. The weekend (15th and 16th) goes quiet and then gets blown out again, so not much to write home about.

So, if you're looking for the best of it, I’d be circling Tuesday the 11th as the standout, with maybe a nod to Sunday morning the 2nd for a clean but smaller session. It's a mixed bag out there, but there are waves to be had if you pick your moments.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Thu afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
1
Sunday
2
Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
2
3
3
2
4
3
2
3
2
2
2
3
3
4
!
3
4
4
4
4
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.4
ESE
9
2
ESE
9
2
ESE
9
1.8
ESE
9
1.8
ESE
9
2
ESE
11
1.8
ESE
11
1.6
ESE
11
1.3
SW
12
1.2
SW
12
1.2
SW
11
1.1
ESE
10
1.2
SSW
15
2
SW
14
3
SW
13
3.5
SW
13
3
SW
13
3
SW
12
2.5
SW
14
2.5
SW
14
2.4
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
822
617
589
466
455
984
718
622
528
383
350
245
632
1626
3567
3936
2972
2613
2344
2238
2103
Wind (km/h)
5
NE
5
ESE
10
N
0
N
5
E
5
N
0
ESE
10
E
10
NNE
10
W
10
W
5
WSW
5
S
5
SSE
5
N
10
WSW
5
SW
5
NE
5
NW
5
SSE
5
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross
off
glassy
cross
off
glassy
cross
off
cross
cross
glassy
glassy
on
off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
5:24PM1.77m
5:31AM1.64m
5:54PM1.75m
6:03AM1.58m
6:27PM1.70m
6:39AM1.49m
7:04PM1.62m
7:21AM1.37m
7:51PM1.50m
8:19AM1.23m
9:00PM1.37m
9:56AM1.14m
10:48PM1.31m
Low Tide
11:09AM0.08m
11:32PM0.20m
11:37AM0.11m
00:05AM0.23m
12:08PM0.18m
00:40AM0.29m
12:42PM0.27m
1:23AM0.37m
1:24PM0.39m
2:18AM0.48m
2:22PM0.53m
3:41AM0.58m
3:58PM0.63m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:20
7:20
7:18
7:18
7:16
7:16
7:15
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:46
5:47
5:49
5:49
5:50
5:51
5:51
 mm
1
Temp °C
20
23
19
22
23
19
24
24
21
22
21
17
19
19
15
15
14
14
17
20
14
Feels °C
18
21
16
20
21
17
22
21
17
19
18
16
19
18
14
13
12
14
16
18
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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