Surf Forecasts:
Tubes surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 4,084 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Tubes this week:
The surf forecast for Tubes over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Tubes in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 29) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Tubes over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's coming up for Tubes.
Alright, the pattern here is that we get a bit of a slow start, but once it kicks in, there's a serious run of quality swell for Tubes. The water's much colder than normal for this time of year, sitting at 59°F, which is a big drop from what you'd expect – so bring the thickest rubber you've got.
The first window of surfable waves shows up on Saturday the 29th of August, but honestly, don't get too excited. We've got a 3 ft SW swell with a 13-second period, but the wind is a fresh 30 km/h offshore from the WSW. The combined energy is weak (394), and the report says poor surf conditions. It's a bit of a tease.
Skip that. The real action starts to build on Sunday the 30th of August. The morning brings a solid 8 ft SW swell, period 10 seconds, with a moderate 20 km/h offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to a strong 1366, and it's expecting very good surf conditions. The afternoon is similar, with a 7 ft SW swell and gentle offshore breeze. This is where it gets good.
Monday the 31st of August is a standout morning. The swell drops a touch to 6 ft from the SW, but the period lengthens to 12 seconds and the wind goes glassy from the SSE. It's a beautiful morning for clean, lined-up waves. The combined energy is still a solid 924.
Tuesday the 1st of September keeps the quality high. The morning has a 7 ft SW swell, period 12 seconds, and a gentle offshore breeze. Combined energy is a strong 1295. The afternoon gets a bit bumpier with a 25 km/h offshore wind, but the swell is 8 ft with a 13-second period, pushing energy to 1863.
Now, if you're an experienced surfer, Wednesday the 2nd of September is the best on offer. The morning is a proper highlight: a 12 ft SW swell with a 13-second period, glassy conditions, and a combined energy of 3789. That's a powerful, heavy wave. It's only for the experts, but it will be a session to remember. The afternoon gets lumpy with a cross-shore wind.
Thursday the 3rd of September morning is still very good – 8 ft SW swell, 13-second period, gentle offshore, and energy at 1984. The afternoon gets messy with a strong cross-shore wind.
From Friday the 4th of September through to Wednesday the 10th of September, it's a write-off. The wind is consistently onshore or cross-onshore, and the swell direction shifts to S and SSW. The waves are lumpy, choppy, and poor. There's a gap of about 6 days here with no real recommendations.
Things clean up again on Thursday the 11th of September. The morning has a 5 ft SW swell, 12-second period, and a light offshore breeze. Combined energy is a moderate 1018. The afternoon is even better: 6 ft SW swell, a 14-second period, and a slight air offshore. This is a very long period groundswell, so it'll be a bit more powerful with longer lulls between sets – perfect for the reef and point setup at Tubes.
Saturday the 12th of September morning is another standout for the second week. The swell is 8 ft from the SW with a 14-second period, a light cross-offshore breeze, and combined energy of 2366. Clean, powerful, and good for experienced surfers. The afternoon goes light cross-shore, so it's a bit less clean.
Sunday the 13th of September wraps it up with a solid 5 ft to 5 ft SW swell, moderate offshore winds, and clean conditions both morning and afternoon. A good way to finish the run.
The standout for the whole period is hands-down Wednesday morning the 2nd of September. That 12 ft SW swell with glassy conditions is a rare combo. The Saturday the 12th of September morning is a close second for the more distant outlook – big, clean, and powerful.
Crowds at Tubes are listed as "sometimes," so you could get lucky with a quiet session, especially mid-week.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, calm by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed morning, strong winds from the SSE by Thu afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 6 | SW 10 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 11 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
230 | 301 | 925 | 712 | 1250 | 913 | 807 | 836 | 1291 | 1863 | 3314 | 3789 | 2923 | 2187 | 1915 | 1795 | 747 | 980 | 976 | 561 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross | cross-on | off | off | cross | glassy | cross | cross-on | off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:29PM1.77m | 4:39AM1.64m | 4:57PM1.78m | 5:08AM1.61m | 5:26PM1.74m | 5:40AM1.54m | 5:58PM1.65m | 6:14AM1.43m | 6:35PM1.52m | 6:53AM1.29m | 7:20PM1.36m | 7:49AM1.14m | 8:32PM1.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:38PM0.05m | 10:42AM-0.00m | 11:07PM0.06m | 11:11AM0.04m | 11:38PM0.10m | 11:41AM0.11m | 00:12AM0.19m | 12:15PM0.23m | 00:51AM0.32m | 12:56PM0.38m | 1:44AM0.48m | 1:55PM0.54m | 3:16AM0.61m | |||||||
— | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
5:59 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:02 | — | — | 6:02 | — | |
mm | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 16 | 7 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 10 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 11 | E 11 | SW 13 | SW 10 | SW 12 | SW 12 | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | S 11 | S 12 | SSW 11 |
233 | 166 | 406 | 712 | 1250 | 913 | 807 | 836 | 1291 | 1863 | 3314 | 3789 | 2923 | 2187 | 1915 | 1795 | 747 | 980 | 976 | 561 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 15 | E 11 | SW 12 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 | E 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SSW 14 | WSW 12 | WSW 12 | WSW 11 |
230 | 139 | 121 | 558 | 47 | 78 | 100 | 70 | 64 | 70 | 29 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 16 | 15 | 239 | 215 | 285 | 261 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | E 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | S 7 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 16 | E 8 | SSW 13 | S 15 | E 8 |
164 | 66 | 35 | 53 | 10 | 11 | 33 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 51 | 12 | 229 | 112 | 47 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 5 | SW 6 | SW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 3 | — | — | — | ESE 5 | SE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | — | — | — |
59 | 301 | 925 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | 37 | 69 | 188 | 211 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 140 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 198 | 1 | 0 | 140 | 0 | 0 | 183 | 1 | 0 | 514 | 1736 | 672 | 598 | 198 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Eastern Cape (South) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Tubes Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Tubes provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Tubes can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Tubes 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 (Tubes) 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 Tubes 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.
Tubes is 19 km (12 miles) from the city of Kruisfontein. If you plan a holiday in Eastern Cape (South), look for hotels and other accommodation in Kruisfontein. Kruisfontein has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











