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Surf Forecasts:

The Heads surfForecast / Garden Route / South Africa

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 7 am Friday 20 Mar 2026 SAST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
The Heads surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's The Heads sea temperature is
21.5° C
 (Which is slightly warmer than usual)

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 Saturday (Mar 21) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 9s. 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 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Mar 25) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Monday (Mar 23) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Sat 21st Mar)10ft (3.0m) 11s
Best Surf 2AM (Sat 21st Mar)10ft (3.0m) 11s
Most Powerful 5PM (Wed 25th Mar)11ft (3.5m) 11s

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

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
16 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 23°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Mon morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Wed morning).

Friday
20
Saturday
21
Sunday
22
Monday
23
Tuesday
24
Wednesday
25
Thursday
26
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
4
2
1
3
1
1
2
2
3
2
3
1
4
0
0
3
3
1
2
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
3
SW
2.5
SW
3
SSW
2.4
SSW
1.9
SSW
1.6
SSW
1.4
SW
1.4
SW
1.5
SSW
1.9
SSW
2.2
SSW
2.2
SSW
1.9
SSW
3
ESE
2.4
ESE
1.3
SSW
3.5
SW
3
SSW
2.2
S
1.9
SSE
1.6
SSE
Period(s) (?)1012111012121111111215141489121111111010
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)160818702041115310107225305125639932119189413221077939500296419411089698472
Wind
(km/h)
25
WSW
15
SW
0
NW
10
SE
20
ESE
10
NE
10
S
10
SSW
10
WSW
10
ESE
15
E
25
E
15
E
20
ESE
5
NE
30
WSW
25
WSW
10
W
10
S
15
SE
0
E
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
crosscross-
on		glasscross-
on		crosscross-
off		oncross-
on		crosscross-
on		crosscrosscrosscross-
on		cross-
off		crosscross-
on		crossoncross-
on		glass
High Tide
/ height (m)
4:36PM
1.83
4:52AM
1.99
5:10PM
1.77
5:26AM
1.89
5:45PM
1.66
6:03AM
1.74
6:24PM
1.51
6:44AM
1.54
7:11PM
1.33
7:39AM
1.32
8:30PM
1.16
9:29AM
1.15
11:12PM
1.14
Low Tide
/ height (m)
10:33AM
-0.07
10:38PM
-0.04
11:06AM
-0.03
11:11PM
0.03
11:41AM
0.07
11:47PM
0.15
12:18PM
0.22
12:26AM
0.32
1:02PM
0.40
1:16AM
0.52
2:07PM
0.59
2:48AM
0.70
4:23PM
0.69
Friday
20
Saturday
21
Sunday
22
Monday
23
Tuesday
24
Wednesday
25
Thursday
26
Sunrise6:30--6:31--6:31--6:31--6:33--6:33--6:35--
Sunset-6:38--6:37--6:37--6:35--6:34--6:31--6:30-
clear
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
rain showers
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
Rain (mm)
--1-----12---12------
Temp. °C222119212218232321202019262922212019212117
Feels °C (?)181819202017222222212017262924171717211916
  • 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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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our The Heads surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.

View detailed surf forecast for The Heads at:
surf-forecast.com

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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