South Africa ยท Southern Africa
Each location is refreshed once every three hours. The hourly view, 7-day forecast, luck factor and packing notes come from the same stored update.
We compare the 7-day forecast with the version-matched historical observations available for the same time of year at Kommetjie. The delta shows whether conditions look better, worse or about the same as a typical late July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Moderate swell providing fun waves for a session. Heavy offshore making for difficult paddle-outs but textbook faces.
PeakWave scores are planning signals, not safety clearance. Check local authorities, official bulletins and on-site conditions before you go. Read our editorial policy.
Kommetjie, focusing on breaks like Inner Kom and Outer Kom, features highly exposed, heavy-water reef breaks on the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. The bathymetry comprises a deep, jagged granite reef heavily carpeted in dense kelp forests. This formidable structure intercepts raw, unattenuated south-westerly groundswells tracking up from the deep Southern Ocean. When the swell encounters the reef ledge, it pitches abruptly into a massive, heavily plunging left-hand wall. A south-easterly wind provides the optimal offshore conditions, grooming the chaotic Atlantic surface. Due to the immense hydraulic power, the unforgiving nature of the granite base, the thick kelp dragging on leashes, and the freezing, heavily shark-populated marine environment, Kommetjie is strictly reserved for advanced surfers. The wave demands decisive, steep take-offs and high-speed carving manoeuvres to stay ahead of the rapidly pitching lip in a highly consequential arena.
Heads up: rocks exposed at low tide, and cold-shock risk.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Air quality is currently 494% worse than the average comparison city.
Air quality is currently worse than a typical city. Consider shorter outdoor sessions.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NOโ 5, Oโ 3, PM10 2, SOโ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 09:12
Good water clarity: ~10m visibility
Daily scores over the last 12 months at Kommetjie
Historical quality only. Safety is not reconstructed for this view.
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Create Profile โPartly. The model uses stored spot geometry, swell ranges and tide preferences where configured. It cannot see changing banks, crowds, access, closures or everything visible on a local cam, so treat it as a starting point.
The best week for surf at Kommetjie is the week of 30 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
This guide was generated from conditions data. Know this spot? Submit your own tips below.
Kommetjie is a heavy-water reef break on Cape Town's Atlantic seaboard, where raw Southern Ocean swells detonate over deep granite reef smothered in kelp. Inner Kom and Outer Kom offer different intensities of the same brutal Atlantic power. The setting is dramatic: the Slangkop lighthouse on the headland, dense kelp forests stretching offshore, and the rugged Chapman's Peak mountains as a backdrop. This is serious, cold-water surfing that rewards commitment and punishes hesitation.
South-westerly winter groundswells from April through September deliver the most powerful conditions. The breaks need at least 5-6ft of swell to properly activate. Outer Kom handles genuine big-wave conditions on major swells. South-easterly winds blow offshore, providing clean conditions. The best sessions occur when a south-east wind event coincides with a solid west to south-west swell.
Inner Kom breaks closer to shore and offers a heavy, plunging left on 4-8ft swells. The take-off is beside a prominent rock formation. Outer Kom sits further offshore and activates on larger swells (8ft-plus), producing massive, grinding lefts. The kelp-filled channels provide paddle-out routes and safety zones. At Inner Kom, sit just outside the boil where the reef creates visible disruption.
The granite reef is unforgiving and the wave breaks with immense hydraulic force. The kelp is thick and can entangle leashes and bodies during hold-downs. Great white sharks patrol the kelp forests and this area has had documented encounters. The water is freezing (8-14C) year-round. Strong currents sweep across the reef on bigger swells. The shore entry crosses slippery, kelp-covered rocks.
Parking is available along the main road above the break. The walk to the waterline involves crossing rocky terrain to reach the paddle-out channel. The rocks are sharp and slippery. No formal facilities at the break. The village of Kommetjie has basic shops and cafes. Cape Town centre is a 40-minute drive.
The cold water, heavy conditions, and shark presence keep crowds naturally thin. Expect 5-15 surfers on a good day, all experienced and committed. The local crew is tight-knit and respects those who paddle out regularly regardless of conditions. The barrier to entry is high, creating a self-selecting group.
A thick wetsuit (5/4mm minimum with hood, boots, and gloves) is non-negotiable. Many local surfers wear 6/5mm in winter. The kelp feels oppressive at first but actually provides useful landmarks for positioning and dampens surface chop. Paddle through the kelp channels rather than fighting across the beds. A step-up board (6'6" to 7'0") with extra volume handles the powerful drops. The Shark Spotters programme operates in the area; check for alerts before paddling out.
Solid swell
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Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 30 days of logged conditions.
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Kommetjie tend to be best between 08:00 to 11:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 42/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
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