
Surf Forecasts:
The Heads surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with 9,088 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m 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 4.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Heads over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's take a look at what's shaping up for The Heads over the next couple of weeks.
We've got a bit of a slow start, but don't let that fool you. The water's sitting at about 64°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. The opening act kicks off on Sunday the 19th. It's not going to be huge, but the conditions are a dream. We're looking at a 5ft SW swell with a 12-second period and clean, glassy conditions thanks to a light NW breeze. The combined energy is moderate at 837. It's a solid, clean start to the week for a paddle.
The real standout in this run, and I mean the one to circle on your calendar, is Tuesday the 21st. Get up early for it. The morning session is looking absolutely firing. We've got a 6ft SSW groundswell, pushing a 14-second period, and a solid combined energy of 1695. The wind is dead calm, making for perfect glassy conditions. This is the pick of the bunch for the whole forecast period – excellent surf for those with a bit of experience.
The rest of the first week stays busy. Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd hold onto waist to chest-high SW swell in the 6ft to 7ft range, but the winds turn a bit cross-shore, so it won't be as clean as Tuesday. Still plenty of fun to be had.
Now, things get a bit more serious towards the end of the week. Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th see a significant pulse of energy. We're looking at a 10ft to 12ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period, generating huge energy readings of 5488 and 3028. For most surfers, this is going to be too big at The Heads. It'll be a peaky, powerful beast. This is strictly for experts only. If you're not comfortable in solid overhead surf, give those days a miss.
After that, the surf settles back down into the 5ft to 8ft range for the next few days, but the wind becomes a factor. From the 26th onwards, we get a persistent easterly breeze that puts a cross-shore chop on things, so the quality drops off.
There's a brief look at the start of August, but it's the same story. The 31st of July through to the 2nd of August looks like it could be huge again, with 13ft to 15ft ESE swell predicted. For a sandbar break, this setup is likely going to be too big and unruly for paddle surfing. At that size, the math changes. It looks more interesting for kite surfing than a standard surf session.
The run ends on the 3rd of August with a big drop in size, down to a weak 4ft to 5ft. The window is essentially closed by then.
So, the plan is simple: Don't miss Tuesday the 21st. That's your day. The rest of the first week offers consistent, fun waves, but Tuesday is the gem.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 12 | SW 9 | SW 9 | SW 11 | ESE 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 10 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
672 | 525 | 1083 | 716 | 371 | 373 | 1370 | 2345 | 1942 | 1249 | 976 | 528 | 869 | 1593 | 9088 | 5457 | 3682 | 3246 | 3017 | 2275 | 1462 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | cross-off | glassy | on | off | glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:15PM1.61m | 7:27AM1.34m | 7:56PM1.47m | 8:12AM1.21m | 8:44PM1.33m | 9:14AM1.10m | 9:54PM1.22m | 10:58AM1.05m | 11:34PM1.19m | 12:41PM1.10m | 00:56AM1.24m | 1:43PM1.21m | 1:50AM1.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:52PM0.26m | 1:32AM0.42m | 1:29PM0.40m | 2:16AM0.53m | 2:10PM0.55m | 3:12AM0.63m | 3:07PM0.67m | 4:36AM0.69m | 4:43PM0.75m | 6:22AM0.67m | 6:36PM0.72m | 7:32AM0.58m | 7:43PM0.63m | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | |
— | 5:37 | — | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 17 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SE 10 | SW 9 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 10 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 |
672 | 241 | 1083 | 716 | 354 | 257 | 1370 | 2345 | 1942 | 1249 | 976 | 528 | 869 | 1593 | 9088 | 5457 | 3682 | 3246 | 3017 | 2275 | 1462 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SW 12 | SE 10 | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 12 | SW 11 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 5 |
83 | 202 | 207 | 319 | 371 | 373 | 317 | 242 | 226 | 135 | 109 | 236 | 133 | 55 | 51 | 31 | 31 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 60 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | SSE 9 | SSE 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 16 | E 10 | — | — | ESE 4 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | E 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 10 |
82 | 31 | 17 | 16 | 215 | 371 | 8 | — | — | 4 | 70 | 99 | 69 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | — | WSW 5 | SW 6 | WSW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | E 6 |
— | 525 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | 48 | 172 | 292 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 121 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 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.










