The Heads Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.07° S 23.06° E

Issued: 1 am 06 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Heads sea temperature is
16.8° 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 6 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SSW swell with 4,295 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 6 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s 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 (Jul 06) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore 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 Friday (Jul 10) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.1m 12s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 11) at 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Mon 6th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 11s
Best Surf11PM (Thu 9th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 13s
Most Powerful 2AM (Fri 10th Jul)11ft (3.5m) 13s

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


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s lining up for us. We’ve got a solid run of waves on the way, but we’ve gotta be patient and pick our moments.

We start off Monday, July 6th, with some energy in the water but conditions are just messy. There’s a SW swell around 6ft with moderate energy (1113) here at The Heads, but a light cross-shore breeze is putting a bit of chop on it. It doesn’t look clean enough to get excited about just yet.

The real turning point comes Tuesday afternoon, July 7th. The swell holds steady from the SW at 6ft and the wind goes glassy – that’s the kind of stillness we love. Wave energy is still strong (1029). This is the first real standout: clean, lined-up surf that’s going to be a pleasure to paddle into. Not too big, not too small, just right for an intermediate session.

Wednesday the 8th sees the swell building, hitting 7ft from the SW, and the energy jumps up (1859 to 2503). But a cross-shore breeze is making things a bit bumpy. The size is there, the power is there, but the surface won’t be perfect. It’s still doable if you’re keen on some punchy waves.

Then we hit a period of serious size, from Thursday July 9th through Friday the 10th. We’re talking a solid 10ft SSW swell with massive energy numbers (over 3000). That’s expert territory – too big for beginners, and even for a lot of regulars. There’s a lot of water moving around. Winds are mostly cross or light cross-onshore, so it won’t be perfect, but for the brave and experienced, there’s a heap of power on offer. This is a big, heavy ocean.

The swell drops back a bit over the weekend, but the quality improves in a big way. Sunday July 12th is a cracker. The morning has a fun 6ft ESE swell with a short period of 8 seconds, but the wind is offshore (WNW). It’s clean. Then the afternoon glass off? Magic. 8ft SE swell with glassy conditions and excellent surf for experienced surfers (score 4). This is another standout – the wind is perfect, the waves are powerful, and the energy is strong (1482). This is the window to get out there.

Monday the 13th keeps the good vibes rolling with glassy conditions and a 7ft ESE swell in the morning, dropping to 7ft in the afternoon. The energy is still high (1360). Clean, lined-up, and punchy. This is a top tier day for anyone comfortable in overhead surf.

After that, the swell eases through the middle of the week. The 15th (Wednesday) has a smaller 5ft to 5ft ESE swell, but it’s glassy and clean in the afternoon – a nice, relaxed option for a mellow session. Nothing massive, just fun.

The next real highlight pops up on Thursday July 16th. The afternoon brings an 8ft SW swell with glassy conditions and excellent surf for experienced surfers again (score 4). Energy is pumping at 2099. That’s a powerful, clean swell – another day for the experts to circle on the calendar.

The following week, July 19th (Sunday) brings a strange one. Morning sees a 3ft SW swell with a very long period of 16 seconds. That’s a deep ocean groundswell, but at a beach break setup like The Heads, it might break a bit too straight. Energy is still moderate (1002), but the wind picks up to a moderate cross-shore 12 mph by the afternoon, making it choppy. It’s not the best call.

The final few days, the 20th and 21st, drop off in size. The 20th has a clean 3ft SSW swell with offshore N wind in the morning, and glassy conditions by the afternoon. It’s tiny but clean – good for a longboard or a learner session. By the 21st, the swell is weak and the wind turns onshore, so it’s a quiet end to the outlook.

The standouts? Tuesday afternoon, July 7th, for that first taste of clean, glassy perfection. And Sunday afternoon, July 12th, and Monday July 13th – days with clean, powerful swell and no wind. Circle those. The big 10ft days are for the hardcore only.

Stay stoked,
Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
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
2
3
2
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
!
3
3
4
3
2
2
3
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)
1.8
SW
12
1.6
SW
11
1.7
SW
12
1.9
SW
12
1.8
SW
12
2.1
SW
13
2.1
SW
13
2.2
SW
12
2.5
SW
12
3
SSW
14
3
SSW
13
3.5
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
2.4
SSW
12
2.1
SSW
12
1.7
SSW
12
1.6
SSW
12
1.9
ESE
8
2.4
SE
8
1.7
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
865
650
819
1065
970
1417
1468
1474
2089
3122
2695
4295
3621
3045
1761
1269
816
669
389
805
1034
Wind (km/h)
5
E
10
E
5
WNW
5
W
5
SSE
5
NNW
15
W
15
W
10
SW
10
WSW
5
WSW
5
NNW
10
E
15
E
5
ENE
10
WSW
15
SE
5
W
5
WNW
5
SE
5
NNE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
glassy
glassy
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
7:43PM1.53m
7:59AM1.31m
8:36PM1.48m
9:05AM1.23m
9:46PM1.44m
10:33AM1.20m
11:10PM1.43m
12:05PM1.25m
00:31AM1.50m
1:19PM1.36m
1:38AM1.60m
2:17PM1.51m
2:34AM1.69m
Low Tide
1:18PM0.34m
2:03AM0.46m
2:05PM0.42m
3:05AM0.50m
3:08PM0.50m
4:23AM0.51m
4:29PM0.55m
5:49AM0.47m
6:00PM0.52m
7:05AM0.37m
7:18PM0.42m
8:06AM0.25m
8:21PM0.30m
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
light rain
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:33
7:31
7:31
7:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:30
5:30
5:31
5:31
5:32
5:32
5:34
 mm
2
2
4
1
Temp °C
18
20
16
17
19
15
19
19
16
13
13
13
14
16
14
16
15
14
16
16
14
Feels °C
16
17
14
15
17
15
16
16
16
12
12
12
12
13
12
14
11
13
16
15
14
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
12
1.6
SW
11
1.7
SW
12
1.9
SW
12
1.8
SW
12
2.1
SW
13
2.1
SW
13
2.2
SW
12
2.5
SW
12
3
SSW
14
3
SSW
13
3.5
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
3
SSW
13
2.4
SSW
12
2.1
SSW
12
1.7
SSW
12
1.6
SSW
12
1.5
S
8
2.4
SE
8
1.9
ESE
8
Energy kJ
865
650
819
1065
970
1417
1468
1474
2089
3122
2695
4295
3621
3045
1761
1269
816
669
317
805
481
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1
ESE
11
0.9
ESE
11
0.8
ESE
10
0.7
ESE
10
0.5
ESE
10
0.4
ESE
10
0.8
SSW
18
1.2
SSW
17
1.2
SW
16
0.1
SE
17
0.1
SE
16
0.1
SE
15
0.1
SE
14
0.1
SE
13
1.4
SE
6
1.7
SE
7
1.3
SSE
8
1.4
SSE
8
1.2
SSW
11
1.2
SSW
11
1.7
SSW
14
Energy kJ
247
180
123
90
57
38
360
771
720
11
10
9
7
7
153
271
223
204
323
334
1034
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
S
8
0.1
S
8
0.8
ESE
10
0.1
E
10
0.4
SSW
20
0.4
ESE
10
0.3
ESE
10
0.2
ESE
9
0.1
SW
18
0.6
S
14
0.9
S
15
0.1
W
11
Energy kJ
1
1
123
2
127
31
18
8
12
142
343
2
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SW
7
2.2
SE
7
2
ESE
7
1.3
ESE
7
1.9
ESE
8
Energy kJ
240
440
435
186
389
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
3
4
3
4
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
3
4
4
Distance (km)
8
8
0
7
0
0
7
7
7
8
8
8
11
26
0
7
8
7
0
0
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa
Rating
(10 max)
4
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
4
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
5
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
6
7
8
7
5
5
9
6
9
9
5
6
5
4
5
5
4
5
4
4
5
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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