
Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,903 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. 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 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here with the lowdown on the surf for the next couple of weeks.
The start is a bit of a mess. Saturday the 8th and Sunday the 9th are looking poor – big, messy swell with wind and rain messing everything up. That wave energy is reading in the thousands (2567) but the wind is just trashing any chance of clean waves. Not worth getting wet those days.
Monday the 10th is still a washout, but Tuesday the 11th is our first real standout. The Heads look clean Tuesday morning with a 10ft S swell, 13-second period, and light east cross-off wind. Combined energy is strong (2958), and those conditions will give some solid, well-shaped waves. This is a morning for experienced surfers only – that size is no joke, and the crowd could be there on a Tuesday.
Wednesday the 12th and Thursday the 13th offer more clean mornings, but the swell drops off. Wednesday morning is 5ft from the SSW with a super long 20-second period, clear skies, and light east cross-off wind. That long period means the waves will have serious push and shape, but at a beach break it might wall up. The energy is still moderate (2390). It’s a good option for those who can handle the lulls.
Thursday the 13th sees similar conditions: 5ft SSW at 20 seconds, light northeast cross-off, and clean. Another solid morning.
Friday the 14th is where we get another standout – glassy offshore wind from the north-northeast in the morning with a 4ft SW swell, 16-second period. The energy is strong (2303) and the waves will be clean and lined up. This is the pick of the week for a relaxed but punchy session.
From the 15th through the 18th, we see smaller but still rideable swell with some glassy periods. The morning of Saturday the 15th is only 4ft but super clean with light northwest winds. By Sunday the 16th morning, it’s small at 3ft but glassy and clean – a longboard morning.
The 17th and 18th keep the good form going with glassy conditions and waist to chest-high waves. The morning of Monday the 17th is a standout: 6ft SW, 13-second swell, dead calm, and glassy. The energy is solid (1299) and for a Monday, you might have it pretty quiet.
After that, the window closes up on Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th with onshore winds and deteriorating conditions. Friday the 21st morning offers a brief glassy window with a small 5ft SW swell, but the rain is back.
Now, for the long-range wild card. Saturday the 22nd of August is showing a massive 13ft WSW swell with glassy conditions and light northwest winds. That’s a huge amount of energy (4685) and the break is forecast to be too big. Only for the absolute elite crew. If you’re not a pro, give that one a wide berth. It’s a week and a half out, so keep an eye on it.
Overall, the best windows are the morning of Tuesday the 11th for big, clean surf, and the morning of Friday the 14th for a more manageable but still punchy session. The longboard crew should look at Sunday the 16th morning for some glassy little waves.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 23 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
3009 | 2020 | 2205 | 4903 | 2522 | 2878 | 2381 | 1656 | 1678 | 3451 | 2453 | 789 | 713 | 1560 | 1644 | 1796 | 1528 | 2875 | 1492 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:48PM1.31m | 12:01PM1.18m | 00:33AM1.38m | 1:23PM1.34m | 1:42AM1.52m | 2:17PM1.54m | 2:33AM1.66m | 3:01PM1.71m | 3:16AM1.75m | 3:41PM1.84m | 3:55AM1.80m | 4:18PM1.92m | 4:31AM1.80m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:38AM0.57m | 6:03PM0.60m | 7:09AM0.44m | 7:29PM0.46m | 8:06AM0.28m | 8:26PM0.29m | 8:51AM0.13m | 9:12PM0.15m | 9:30AM0.03m | 9:53PM0.06m | 10:05AM-0.03m | 10:31PM0.03m | |||||||
— | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
5:51 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 7 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 14 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | ESE 8 | SW 16 | SW 18 | ESE 8 |
3009 | 2020 | 2205 | 4081 | 2522 | 2427 | 2381 | 1656 | 1678 | 3451 | 2453 | 789 | 379 | 1560 | 1644 | 865 | 1115 | 2875 | 549 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SW 11 | SE 9 | S 26 | SSW 23 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 20 | S 11 | SW 16 |
63 | 31 | 31 | 39 | 35 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 322 | 31 | 505 | 13 | 617 | 176 | 119 | 1796 | 1528 | 9 | 1492 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | E 11 | — | E 10 | — | E 9 | — | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 10 | S 11 | — | S 10 |
28 | 15 | — | — | 10 | — | 17 | — | 15 | — | — | — | 8 | 76 | 52 | 38 | 22 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 4 | — | SW 14 | — | SW 12 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 8 |
— | 34 | — | 4903 | — | 2878 | 2124 | — | — | — | — | 628 | 713 | 578 | 765 | — | 632 | 534 | 948 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 88 | 8 | 1037 | 30 | 47 | 26 | 11 | 0 | 26 | 26 | 11 | 26 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 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.











