Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 8,512 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.9m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 2.5m 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 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 11PM. 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+) | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s see what’s cookin’ at The Heads. It’s a sandbar break, fairly consistent, and we’ve got a real mixed forecast ahead.
The first real chance comes on the morning of August 27th. We’re looking at a 7ft SSW swell with a 12-second period, and the wind is glassy, dead calm. That’s a major win, and it’ll give you some clean, inviting waves. The combined swell energy is moderate at 1587. The water temp is 60°, which is about 3° colder than average for this time of year, so you’ll want a thick wetsuit.
The morning of the 27th is the standout, no doubt. It’s the best combo of decent size, good period, and that rare glassy surface. It’s a surfer’s dream for a Thursday morning.
After that, it gets messy. The afternoon of the 27th and most of Friday, the 28th, see the wind turning cross-on and the swell dropping. Saturday the 29th is a total write-off, with poor conditions and a dropping swell.
Sunday the 30th has a bit of hope in the afternoon. The wind goes glassy again, and there’s a 5ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period. The energy is a moderate 1089. It’s not the size of the 27th, but it’ll be clean and worth a look.
The first week of September is a different beast. The 1st of September sees the wind howling from the WSW at 25 mph with an 12ft SW swell, but the surf quality is poor, and the setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The 2nd and 3rd have big swells, but the break is predicted to be too big for itself, with waves over 10ft, which is only for experts.
The 4th and 5th of September see a massive spike in energy, with 21ft ESE swells and combined energy readings in the four-digit range (10758 and 12551). These are very strong conditions, but it’s way too big for this break. The wind is clean, but the size makes it an expert-only zone, and even then, it’s a beast.
There’s a long gap after that. The 6th and 7th have some moderate to strong energy, but the wind is onshore or cross, and the quality is marginal. The 8th of September offers a brief return to calm with a 4ft SW swell and glassy conditions, but the energy is low at 604. It’s a small, clean window for a quiet session.
The forecast then runs out of steam with weak, short-period wind swells and onshore winds through the 9th and 10th of September. The energy is low, under 555, and it’s not worth paddling out.
So, the best on offer is the glassy morning of the 27th of August. The afternoon of the 30th of August is a second, smaller chance for clean waves. The big stuff in early September is a spectacle for the brave, but not for a fun paddle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Wed afternoon, calm by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | WSW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 8 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1552 | 2543 | 1310 | 1090 | 638 | 773 | 467 | 335 | 403 | 302 | 215 | 293 | 464 | 816 | 635 | 463 | 471 | 328 | 1067 | 4416 | 6533 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-on | on | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 3:06PM1.63m | 3:12AM1.65m | 3:32PM1.75m | 3:40AM1.72m | 3:59PM1.84m | 4:08AM1.76m | 4:26PM1.89m | 4:37AM1.76m | 4:54PM1.90m | 5:06AM1.72m | 5:24PM1.85m | 5:38AM1.64m | 5:57PM1.76m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:56AM0.23m | 9:11PM0.26m | 9:21AM0.12m | 9:39PM0.16m | 9:46AM0.05m | 10:07PM0.09m | 10:13AM0.01m | 10:35PM0.06m | 10:40AM0.01m | 11:05PM0.06m | 11:09AM0.05m | 11:36PM0.12m | 11:40AM0.14m | 00:11AM0.21m | |||||||
6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | |
— | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:08 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 18 | 20 | 15 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 19 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 14 | 15 | 11 | 25 | 26 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 19 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 14 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | ESE 8 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SW 14 | SSW 8 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
1552 | 2543 | 1310 | 1090 | 333 | 773 | 467 | 335 | 403 | 302 | 209 | 293 | 464 | 816 | 635 | 463 | 471 | 328 | 1067 | 4416 | 6533 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | WSW 13 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | S 12 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | SW 13 | WSW 13 | SW 10 | SW 13 | S 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 |
430 | 154 | 387 | 370 | 638 | 275 | 212 | 173 | 90 | 167 | 215 | 100 | 451 | 210 | 79 | 34 | 18 | 54 | 53 | 19 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | — | — | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | WSW 11 | SSE 14 | SW 14 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SE 6 | S 9 | E 6 | — |
527 | — | — | 127 | 330 | 11 | 46 | 160 | 200 | 116 | 121 | 92 | 64 | 63 | 38 | 36 | 57 | 8 | 2 | 6 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | ESE 7 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 3 | SW 4 | SW 4 | SSW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | SW 5 | — | — |
138 | 671 | 767 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | 20 | 375 | — | — | — | — | — | 74 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 343 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 26 | 0 | 30 | 7 | 84 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 464 | 8 |
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.











