
Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 13 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 11AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 4,915 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 13s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Buffalo Bay Wildside this week:
The surf forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 11) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Buffalo Bay Wildside in the next 16 days are 3.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 9s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. This forecast is all about one spot: Buffalo Bay Wildside. It’s a bit of a quirky stretch of coast that’s inconsistent, so you can’t just rock up and expect perfect waves every day. But when the stars align, it can turn on. The water is sitting at 58° right now, which is 5° colder than normal for this time of year – that’s proper chilly, so don’t forget the thick suit.
The window kicks off on Thursday the 10th but honestly, it’s a write-off. We’ve got a 5ft SW groundswell (16-second period) but the wind is cross-on and the combined energy is just moderate (1568). This is marginal at best, and the afternoon jumps to 7ft but the wind stays onshore. Leave the board in the car.
We finally get a little glimmer on Friday the 11th. The early morning is glassy – yes, glassy! – with a 5ft SW swell rolling in (13 seconds, 903 energy). That’s clean surf, though the break is inconsistent, so you might have to wait for your set. The afternoon stays clean with a nice cross-off breeze as the swell drops back to 5ft.
Saturday the 12th morning is the standout. You’ve got 4ft of SW swell (14 seconds, 1188 energy) and a cross-off breeze that’s light. It’s clean, it’s got decent energy, and the crowds are only *sometimes* a problem. This is the one to aim for. The afternoon picks up to 6ft and 2635 energy, but the moderate breeze makes it a bit less tidy.
By Sunday the 13th, things get chunky. Morning is 6ft SW with fresh cross-off wind (2823 energy) – still rideable for the keen. But the afternoon brings a 12ft ESE swell that is simply too big for this break. That’s expert territory only, and even then it’s a beast.
Monday the 14th morning is another gem – glassy conditions, 8ft ESE swell (10 seconds, 1597 energy). That’s solid, clean, and if you’re experienced, you’ll be stoked. The afternoon turns messy with a cross-on breeze and the same size swell.
From Tuesday the 15th into the middle of the month, it’s a mixed bag. A long 19-second SSW groundswell hits Tuesday afternoon at 3ft, but it’s clean and cross-off – a classic long-period swell that’ll wrap in nicely, though it might be a bit walled at this beach setup. Then Wednesday the 16th gets blown out by a massive 12ft SW pulse (5125 energy) with onshore wind – that’s not surfing, that’s survival.
Moving into the second week, it’s all about cleaner but smaller windows. Thursday the 17th has 8ft SE swell but a short 8-second period, so it’ll be bumpy. Friday the 18th morning is the pick of this stretch: 7ft ESE, 10 seconds, cross-off breeze, clean. Energy is moderate at 1174. Saturday the 19th also looks promising with a nice 5ft SW groundswell and 17-second period, clean and light wind.
By late September, the swell drops off. Wednesday the 25th has some small 3ft SW swell (12-13 seconds) with offshore or light cross-off winds – perfect for a longboard if you’re desperate, but the energy is weak (400-558). The crowds might still be around, but it’s inconsistent and pretty tame.
If I had to pick one: Saturday 12th morning is the standout – glassy, chest-high SW groundswell, clean, and the energy is solid. For the second week, Friday 18th morning is your next best bet. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, fresh winds from the ESE by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the WSW by Tue night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | |||||||||||||||
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 16 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 11 | E 11 | SSW 19 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 9 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1057 | 1784 | 1162 | 784 | 580 | 427 | 736 | 1672 | 2262 | 1576 | 2496 | 2138 | 1186 | 973 | 734 | 466 | 701 | 1611 | 4915 | 1441 | 1155 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:19PM1.90m | 3:34AM1.79m | 3:51PM1.96m | 4:06AM1.79m | 4:21PM1.95m | 4:36AM1.75m | 4:50PM1.88m | 5:04AM1.68m | 5:18PM1.77m | 5:32AM1.58m | 5:45PM1.63m | 5:58AM1.45m | 6:11PM1.47m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:08AM0.03m | 9:34PM0.02m | 9:40AM-0.02m | 10:05PM-0.01m | 10:09AM-0.01m | 10:35PM0.01m | 10:38AM0.04m | 11:02PM0.08m | 11:05AM0.12m | 11:29PM0.18m | 11:31AM0.24m | 11:54PM0.31m | 11:57AM0.38m | 00:21AM0.45m | |||||||
6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:19 | — | — | 6:19 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 9 | 2 | 2 |
Temp °C | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 13 | 15 | 15 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 17 | 9 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 16 | E 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
1057 | 1784 | 1162 | 784 | 580 | 427 | 736 | 1672 | 2262 | 1576 | 1170 | 2138 | 1186 | 973 | 734 | 466 | 279 | 1611 | 106 | 1363 | 1155 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | E 10 | ESE 10 | SSW 7 | S 7 | E 10 | SSW 10 | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 12 | SW 9 | E 10 | E 10 | SW 9 |
455 | 53 | 35 | 82 | 97 | 8 | 77 | — | — | — | — | 651 | 411 | 373 | 478 | 384 | 349 | 396 | 104 | 73 | 215 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 10 | SSE 9 | — | E 11 | — | — | SE 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 12 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 | E 11 | — | — | E 10 |
56 | 8 | — | 37 | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 259 | 45 | 701 | 181 | — | — | 50 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | — | — | SW 6 | — | — | — | — | SW 15 | SSW 9 | SSE 8 |
— | — | — | — | 162 | 273 | 367 | 963 | 1256 | 1247 | 2496 | — | — | 129 | — | — | — | — | 4915 | 1441 | 758 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 424 | 0 | 0 | 1195 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 80 | 335 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Buffalo Bay Wildside provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Buffalo Bay Wildside can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Buffalo Bay Wildside 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 (Buffalo Bay Wildside) 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 Buffalo Bay Wildside 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 Buffalo Bay Wildside, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Garden Route, consider staying in Knysna which is 8 km (5 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 36 km (22 miles) away, George, Mossel Bay and Oudtshoorn.










