The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

Issued: 1 pm 22 Jun 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
17.3° C

Slightly cooler than normal

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 22 Jun 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 24 Jun, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 24 Jun, 11AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SW swell with 8,168 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 22 Jun, 5PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 13s 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 Monday (Jun 22) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. 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 17s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jun 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Jun 25) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Mon 22nd Jun)5ft (1.6m) 13s
Best Surf11AM (Wed 24th Jun)13ft (4.0m) 17s
Most Powerful11AM (Wed 24th Jun)13ft (4.0m) 17s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Mon
22
Tuesday
23
Wednesday
24
Thursday
25
Friday
26
Saturday
27
Sunday
28
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
3
1
!
!
5
4
4
4
4
3
4
3
2
3
3
4
!
5
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SW
13
1.6
SW
12
1.4
SW
12
2
SW
11
2.5
SW
12
4
SW
17
4
SW
17
3
SW
16
2.4
SW
14
2.1
SW
13
1.5
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
16
2.4
SSW
14
2
SSW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.9
SW
13
2.3
SW
13
2.4
SSW
18
3.5
SW
16
3
SW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
892
741
537
947
1870
8168
7935
4717
2293
1544
1194
3294
3436
2412
1576
1127
1242
1600
3589
6545
4705
Wind (km/h)
0
SE
10
WNW
5
W
0
SW
20
SW
5
WNW
10
ESE
10
ENE
5
ENE
0
SSW
5
NNW
5
W
5
S
10
NNE
10
WSW
5
SSW
5
N
5
W
10
SSW
10
SSW
10
WNW
Wind State
glassy
cross-off
cross
glassy
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross
on
on
cross-off
High Tide
10:04PM1.37m
10:42AM1.14m
11:13PM1.34m
11:59AM1.16m
00:17AM1.34m
1:01PM1.22m
1:11AM1.38m
1:49PM1.29m
1:57AM1.43m
2:30PM1.37m
2:37AM1.49m
3:07PM1.44m
3:13AM1.54m
Low Tide
3:23PM0.56m
4:41AM0.60m
4:34PM0.62m
5:52AM0.58m
5:50PM0.64m
6:53AM0.53m
6:55PM0.60m
7:41AM0.47m
7:46PM0.54m
8:21AM0.40m
8:29PM0.48m
8:57AM0.33m
9:07PM0.41m
9:31AM0.28m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
light rain
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:25
5:25
5:25
5:25
5:27
5:27
5:27
5:28
 mm
3
4
5
Temp °C
25
20
17
18
17
14
15
14
17
18
16
19
20
18
18
19
16
19
18
15
12
Feels °C
24
19
17
17
16
12
14
12
16
18
16
19
20
19
17
19
16
18
17
13
10
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SW
13
1.6
SW
12
1.4
SW
12
2
SW
11
1.2
SSW
19
4
SW
17
4
SW
17
3
SW
16
2.4
SW
14
2.1
SW
13
1.6
SW
12
2.5
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
16
2.4
SSW
14
2
SSW
14
1.8
SW
13
1.9
SW
13
2.3
SW
13
2.5
SW
12
3.5
SW
16
3
SW
16
Energy kJ
892
741
537
947
993
8168
7935
4717
2293
1544
799
3294
3436
2412
1576
1127
1242
1600
1760
6545
4705
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
E
9
0.6
SSW
16
1
SSW
14
0.7
SW
15
0.9
ESE
6
1.2
ESE
7
1.5
SSW
16
1.4
SE
8
1.1
SE
7
0.6
SE
6
0.8
ESE
8
0.8
ESE
9
0.6
ESE
8
1.4
SSW
20
2.4
SSW
18
0.4
E
9
Energy kJ
14
191
437
223
55
136
1194
210
116
27
75
90
45
1394
3589
24
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
SE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.2
E
10
0.2
E
10
1.1
ESE
8
0.5
E
7
0.1
S
24
0.2
SSW
22
0.4
ESE
7
0.4
ESE
7
Energy kJ
2
6
9
8
147
25
11
45
17
15
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SW
3
2.5
SW
12
0.9
ESE
4
1.3
E
6
0.5
W
3
Energy kJ
5
1870
32
112
5
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
4
9
8
5
4
4
4
4
5
4
4
4
3
5
6
7
5
Distance (km)
0
0
7
0
30
8
26
0
0
0
0
0
26
0
7
7
0
7
7
8
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route
Rating
(10 max)
3
4
4
4
4
9
8
5
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
6
7
6
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
4
4
9
8
5
4
4
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
5
6
9
9
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
6
5
5
5
7
9
8
6
5
5
5
6
5
5
5
5
5
8
6
9
9
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for The Heads:

join our community of surf reporters

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.

Nearest locationNearest