The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

The Heads Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
14.4° C
2.9° 

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 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with 3,056 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 11s 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.8m and 4s 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 3.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Fri 21st Aug)4.5ft (1.4m) 11s
Best Surf 8AM (Sun 23rd Aug)8ft (2.4m) 11s
Most Powerful11AM (Tue 25th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 14s

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


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a yarn about the surf at The Heads for the next couple of weeks.

Alright, so the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag, but there's some real gold hiding in there if you're patient. The swell is coming, but the wind is gonna be a pest for a lot of the first few days. The key is to pick your windows.

Thursday the 27th of August is your standout. The morning kicks off with glassy conditions from a light ENE breeze, and there's a solid 6ft groundswell rolling in from the south with a 12-second period. The combined swell energy is moderate to strong at 2291. That afternoon, it turns into a dream session – glassy again, with the swell bumping up to 6ft and the period stretching to a very long 15 seconds from the south. The energy is still strong at 2201. This is a proper groundswell, so expect longer lulls between sets, but the waves that do come through will be well-shaped and powerful. It's going to be clean as a whistle. This is a real treat.

The week before that is a bit of a grind. Friday the 21st of August offers a 7ft swell from the SW, but the cross-on wind from the SE and a marginal tide comment make it a tough call. The water temp is a very unusual 58°, which is 5° colder than average for this time of year, so you'll be needing a thick wetsuit. The weekend is poor with moderate cross-shore winds and messy conditions.

Tuesday the 25th of August is one to watch, but it's a 'proceed with caution' day. The morning has a 10ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period, and the combined energy is very strong at 3056. The wind is a light cross-on from the SE. That's a big, powerful swell. For intermediate surfers, it's going to be a handful, and for beginners, it's a definite no-go. The afternoon drops to 8ft.

Then you've got a real juicy run starting Sunday the 30th of August. The morning sees a 13ft beast from the SW with a 13-second period and a whopping 5605 combined energy. The wind is a gentle cross-shore. The report says the wind and tide are good, but the swell is predicted to be too big for this break. That's expert territory only, and even then, it's a big call. The same goes for the afternoon with another 13ft swell.

Monday the 31st of August is your next best bet after the 27th. The morning is glassy with a 7ft swell from the south, 11-second period, and solid energy at 1422. It's labelled as excellent for experienced surfers. That's a proper clean session without the massive size.

The first week of September is a mix of big, unruly swells and clean windows. Thursday the 3rd of September is another day of massive 13ft groundswell from the SW with a 14-second period, glassy in the morning, but again, the report says it's too big for this break. That's a big, open ocean day for the brave.

So, to wrap it up: your top pick is Thursday the 27th of August for clean, glassy waves in the 6-6ft range. The window from Monday the 31st of August is also a strong option. The rest of the time, you're either fighting the wind or dealing with waves that are either too small or way too big. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, but for now, mark that Thursday down.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the E by Wed afternoon).

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
3
0
1
3
3
2
3
2
2
4
3
3
2
2
1
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)
2.1
SW
12
1.5
SSW
12
1.4
SSW
11
1.7
SSW
11
1.5
SW
12
2.1
SW
12
2.2
SW
11
1.7
SW
10
1.8
SW
12
1.7
SW
12
1.6
SW
12
2.4
SW
14
3
SW
14
2.5
SW
14
1.7
S
15
1.7
SSW
13
3
ESE
7
1.7
SSW
12
1.8
S
12
1.9
S
15
1.8
S
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1250
644
460
739
594
1229
1172
623
1019
760
628
2457
3056
2499
1331
968
749
797
879
1547
1358
Wind (km/h)
10
SE
20
ESE
10
NW
25
W
10
WSW
10
WNW
5
SSW
10
SSE
5
N
10
SW
10
SW
0
N
10
SE
10
SE
15
E
20
E
30
E
15
ENE
5
ENE
5
SE
5
WNW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
9:23AM1.00m
10:47PM1.07m
12:37PM1.04m
00:51AM1.16m
1:37PM1.19m
1:41AM1.29m
2:11PM1.34m
2:15AM1.43m
2:39PM1.49m
2:44AM1.55m
3:06PM1.63m
3:12AM1.65m
3:32PM1.75m
3:40AM1.72m
Low Tide
3:17PM0.82m
6:04AM0.77m
6:39PM0.79m
7:27AM0.63m
7:40PM0.65m
8:02AM0.49m
8:15PM0.51m
8:30AM0.35m
8:44PM0.38m
8:56AM0.23m
9:11PM0.26m
9:21AM0.12m
9:39PM0.16m
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:00
6:58
6:58
6:56
6:56
6:54
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:00
6:01
6:02
6:02
6:04
6:05
6:05
 mm
Temp °C
16
17
13
15
17
15
16
16
13
17
17
12
15
17
15
17
20
15
27
27
20
Feels °C
15
14
11
11
12
13
15
14
13
16
16
12
14
16
14
13
15
11
26
26
18
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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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