The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 09 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
16.9° C
0.5° 

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 9 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with 3,708 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s 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 (Jul 09) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 16s. 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 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 12s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Thu 9th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 13s
Best Surf11PM (Thu 9th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 13s
Most Powerful11PM (Thu 9th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 13s

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


Alright, grab yourself a coffee, let's have a look at what's coming up.

Alright, so we've got a solid run of swell on the cards for The Heads, a sandbar setup that's fairly consistent and fairly exposed. The initial kick on Thursday morning is a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, but it's packing some serious energy (3573) and a 10ft SSW swell. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Thursday itself is a write-off for clean surfing, but hang tight. Friday the 10th is where it starts to get interesting. The swell is still a solid 10ft from the SSW, and we get *glass* conditions all day. That's a proper treat. The energy is still massive (3130 in the morning). This is a big, powerful swell, and with a 13-second period, it's got some proper grunt. This is a standout for experienced surfers only – the size and power will be pushing it for anyone not comfortable in overhead waves.

Saturday morning sees the swell dropping a touch to 8ft, but the wind goes cross-on, which bumps the quality down a notch. The energy is still strong (2032), but it won't be as clean as Friday.

Sunday and Monday are a bit of a letdown as the swell backs off and the wind gets messy. The energy drops into the hundreds (825 down to 688). It's a bit of a flat spell through the middle of the week. Nothing worth getting excited about on Tuesday or Wednesday as the swell bottoms out around 3ft, even if the wind is light.

Then, Thursday the 16th rolls around and we see a new pulse of energy. A 8ft SW swell with a 14-second period rolls in, and the morning is glassy. The energy is right back up (2127). This is another excellent window for the more experienced crew. The winds stay light through the afternoon, but it goes cross-shore, so get it early.

The weekend of the 18th and 19th is a mixed bag. Saturday morning looks clean with a cross-off wind and a 6ft ESE swell, but the period is short (8 seconds), so it won't have much push. The energy is moderate (696). Sunday afternoon sees a bigger 8ft WSW swell kick in, but the wind is up to 12 mph, creating a cross-chop, so it'll be a bit of a battle.

Now, the real standout for the entire forecast window is Monday the 20th. We've got a 10ft SSW swell, a 12-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off in the morning, going glassy in the afternoon. The energy is massive (2579). This is a proper, clean, powerful swell. For the experienced surfer, this is the pick of the bunch.

Now, Tuesday the 21st... the forecast is showing a 12ft SSW swell with a 16-second period and an energy reading of 6232. The wind is totally calm. But, and this is a big but, the guidance pretty much says it's going to be too big for The Heads. The sheer size and power of that groundswell will make it incredibly heavy, probably closing out most of the sandbar. For the absolute elite charging it, maybe, but for the rest of us, it's a day to watch from the beach. The following days through to the 24th keep a solid 8ft to 8ft SW swell running, with clean mornings, so the run of quality surf through the end of the week looks promising, but less certain that far out.

So, if you're an experienced surfer, get in the water on Friday the 10th and lock in Monday the 20th. Those are your two best windows. The rest of the time, you'll be picking through the leftovers or waiting for a clean patch.

- Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light.

Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
!
4
4
4
3
2
3
2
1
3
2
2
2
0
1
2
1
2
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
3
SSW
14
3
SSW
13
3.5
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
2.5
SSW
12
2.5
SSW
12
2.3
SSW
12
2.3
S
12
1.5
SSW
11
1.4
SSW
11
1.3
SSW
11
1.1
SSW
10
1.1
SSW
10
1.1
ESE
7
1.1
ESE
8
1
ESE
8
1
ESE
9
1
E
9
0.6
SSW
16
1.4
SW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
3562
3024
3708
3123
2773
2094
2032
1530
1431
560
452
371
265
260
121
143
140
166
162
179
1014
Wind (km/h)
10
W
10
SW
5
WNW
5
W
5
SSW
5
NE
10
ESE
15
E
15
E
10
E
20
E
10
NE
5
SSW
5
ESE
5
N
5
WSW
5
SW
5
NW
5
SW
5
S
5
N
Wind State
cross
cross-on
glassy
glassy
glassy
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
glassy
off
cross
glassy
cross-off
glassy
glassy
glassy
High Tide
10:33AM1.20m
11:10PM1.43m
12:05PM1.25m
00:31AM1.50m
1:19PM1.36m
1:38AM1.60m
2:17PM1.51m
2:34AM1.69m
3:08PM1.65m
3:23AM1.77m
3:53PM1.76m
4:08AM1.79m
4:37PM1.83m
4:50AM1.77m
Low Tide
4:29PM0.55m
5:49AM0.47m
6:00PM0.52m
7:05AM0.37m
7:18PM0.42m
8:06AM0.25m
8:21PM0.30m
8:57AM0.13m
9:15PM0.19m
9:43AM0.05m
10:03PM0.12m
10:24AM0.00m
10:48PM0.10m
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:33
7:31
7:31
7:31
7:31
7:31
7:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:31
5:32
5:32
5:34
5:35
5:35
5:36
 mm
1
Temp °C
14
14
14
14
15
13
16
17
15
17
19
16
18
18
16
19
20
15
17
19
15
Feels °C
12
11
13
12
13
12
15
14
13
15
16
14
17
16
15
17
18
14
16
17
14
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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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