Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 28 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, SSW swell with 3,720 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.7m and 7s. 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 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here with the lowdown on The Heads. Water temp is about 17°, which is normal for this time of year, so no worries there.
The week starts off a bit rough. Tuesday, July 28th, is pumping a solid 3.0m SSW swell with a very long 15-second period, and the energy is huge (3722). But the wind is cross from the ESE at 20 km/h, making it a lumpy mess – only for the hardcore. Wednesday the 29th is similar, with 1.9m but still cross.
Thursday the 30th morning is our first real chance – a clean 1.6m SW swell with a 13-second period, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the ENE at 10 km/h. The wave comment says "expect very good surf conditions," and the energy is moderate (1107). That’s a good one for intermediates.
But the best of the first week is Saturday, August 1st. The morning brings 2.1m of ESE swell, a 9-second period, and a light offshore wind from the N at 10 km/h. The energy is moderate (937). Then Saturday afternoon turns glassy, with the wind dropping to nothing out of the ENE. The waves hold at 2.1m, and it’s smooth as glass. That’s your pick of the week.
Sunday the 2nd is still rideable, but the wind goes cross. Monday, August 3rd, morning is a special one for the experienced crew – 1.1m of SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, glassy calm, and the wave comment says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." The energy is moderate (1388). Those long-period waves will peel beautifully, but be ready for long waits between sets.
We hit a patch of iffy conditions from Tuesday the 4th through Thursday the 6th. Thursday is especially nasty with fresh cross winds at 30 km/h and a 3.0m SW swell – blown out.
The next big standout is Tuesday, August 11th. The morning is glassy, with a 2.1m SW swell and a 12-second period, and the wave comment calls it "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." The energy is strong (1731). Then Tuesday afternoon goes glassy again with a 1.8m SSW swell, a very long 16-second period, and massive energy (3199). That afternoon session is a gem for anyone who knows what they’re doing.
The final day, Wednesday, August 12th, pushes up to 3.5m SW with a 16-second period, but the wave comment warns it’s too big for the break. The energy is massive (5810). That’s strictly for experts, and the wind is light cross-onshore, so it won’t be pristine.
If you’re planning a session, lock in Saturday, August 1st, for that glassy perfection. The Tuesday, August 11th, afternoon is a close second for the raw power of that long-period groundswell. The first week has a few decent windows, but the second week brings the real quality, though it’s a bit less certain.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 8 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 3720 | 2518 | 1570 | 1182 | 1144 | 1061 | 854 | 784 | 690 | 473 | 711 | 1080 | 729 | 708 | 940 | 696 | 479 | 546 | 581 | 1432 | 1069 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | off | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:30PM1.55m | 3:35AM1.61m | 3:59PM1.64m | 4:04AM1.66m | 4:28PM1.71m | 4:33AM1.68m | 4:56PM1.75m | 5:01AM1.68m | 5:24PM1.77m | 5:31AM1.64m | 5:54PM1.75m | 6:03AM1.58m | 6:27PM1.70m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:20AM0.26m | 9:32PM0.33m | 9:48AM0.18m | 10:03PM0.26m | 10:15AM0.12m | 10:32PM0.22m | 10:42AM0.08m | 11:02PM0.19m | 11:09AM0.08m | 11:32PM0.20m | 11:37AM0.11m | 00:05AM0.23m | 12:08PM0.18m | 00:40AM0.29m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | | | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — |
 | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 20 |
Feels °C | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 15 | 20 | 20 | 13 | 20 | 23 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 8 | SW 12 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SW 15 | SW 13 |
| kJ | 3720 | 2518 | 1570 | 1182 | 1144 | 1061 | 854 | 784 | 690 | 273 | 286 | 727 | 729 | 708 | 940 | 696 | 479 | 369 | 326 | 1432 | 1069 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 8 | SE 7 | — | — | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | — | E 9 | SW 13 | S 19 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | E 10 | E 10 |
| kJ | — | 90 | 164 | — | — | 252 | 253 | — | 158 | 473 | 7 | 207 | 125 | 127 | 325 | 437 | 418 | 546 | 481 | 326 | 225 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 17 | SW 15 | SW 14 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 20 | SW 16 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | 83 | 132 | 18 | 8 | 7 | 97 | 581 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | ESE 6 | E 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | E 7 | — | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 6 | ESE 8 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | WSW 4 | W 4 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 2 | 239 | 96 | 198 | 438 | 312 | — | 386 | 247 | 98 | 711 | 1080 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 7 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 26 | 8 | 26 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
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.
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