
Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, SW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, SSW swell with 8,098 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period with SSW 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m 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 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Tue 21st Jul) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
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.
We’re kickin’ off with a bit of a slow start, but don’t you worry – this 16-day window has a couple of real gems tucked in there, especially for the experienced crew. The first real recommendation hits Tuesday the 21st, and it’s a cracker.
Tuesday the 21st morning is the go. Head to Buffalo Bay Wildside. The water’s sitting at a normal 64°F for this time of year, so no surprises there. We’ve got a solid 6ft SSW swell with a 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell, lots of energy but longer waits between sets. The wind is glassy, SW at 5 km/h, making for a clean, smooth surface. The combined energy is strong at 1761. This is excellent for experienced surfers. It’s an inconsistent spot, so when it’s on, it’s a special thing – but you might have some company, as crowds are sometimes an issue.
Tuesday afternoon the wind swings cross-shore and the swell jumps to 8ft. It’s still a big SSW pulse, but the conditions are marginal, so I’d stick to the morning session.
Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd see the swell drop a bit, but the wind turns cross-on and choppy. Not worth paddling out for the quality on offer.
Friday the 24th is a standout for the big-wave hunters. The swell jumps to 12ft from the SSW, with a very long 16-second period. The combined energy is massive at 6830. The wind is light cross-off at 10 km/h, so the surface is clean. But listen – this is only for experts. 12ft is too big for anyone without serious experience. The break is exposed, and with that long period, it’ll be a freight train.
Saturday the 25th settles down a bit. The morning has 8ft SSW swell, 14-second period, clean cross-off winds. Still for experienced surfers, but a much more manageable size. The energy is still strong at 2441.
Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th are a write-off. Wind picks up strong, and conditions turn poor. Monday has 40 km/h onshore winds – don’t even think about it.
Tuesday the 29th morning is another glassy gem. 10ft SSW swell with a 14-second period, and the wind is glass again. That’s a big, clean line-up for the experts. Combined energy is 3175.
Wednesday the 30th morning is also glassy, with a smaller 7ft SSW swell. Excellent for experienced surfers, and much more forgiving.
Thursday the 31st and Friday the 1st of August are blown out or too big. The 1st of August has a massive 16ft SW swell – that’s a monster, only for the most experienced, and the wind is a fresh cross-off.
Sunday the 4th of August morning sees the swell drop right down to 6ft from the ESE, with a short 9-second period. Clean cross-off winds. This is a good option for intermediate surfers, but the energy is weak at 908.
Monday the 5th of August afternoon is the last real highlight. The swell is 7ft from the SW, with a 14-second period, and the wind is completely calm – glassy. Excellent conditions for experienced surfers, with combined energy of 1795. That’s a beautiful way to finish the run.
So, for the best on offer: Tuesday the 21st morning for the clean, glassy conditions and solid groundswell, and Friday the 24th for the big, clean, expert-only swell. The long-range stuff (like the 4th and 5th of August) is promising but less certain.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1447 | 2503 | 1942 | 1240 | 1129 | 590 | 1208 | 2529 | 8002 | 6779 | 4671 | 3066 | 2430 | 2386 | 1518 | 1094 | 882 | 652 | 1585 | 1537 | 2349 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 2:24PM1.32m | 2:30AM1.44m | 2:59PM1.44m | 3:04AM1.53m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:16AM0.47m | 8:26PM0.52m | 8:50AM0.36m | 9:01PM0.42m | ||||||||
7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | |
— | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Temp °C | 15 | 17 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 24 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 15 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 21 | 19 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
1447 | 2503 | 1942 | 1240 | 1129 | 590 | 1208 | 1838 | 8002 | 6779 | 4671 | 3066 | 2430 | 2386 | 1518 | 1094 | 882 | 652 | 1585 | 1537 | 2349 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSW 13 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | S 11 | E 8 | E 9 | E 10 |
311 | 270 | 222 | 186 | 190 | 581 | 127 | 125 | 91 | 51 | 49 | 30 | 11 | 11 | 23 | 15 | 9 | 35 | 20 | 16 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | — | — | ESE 4 | S 15 | ESE 12 | SE 7 | S 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 6 | S 9 | S 10 | — |
3 | — | — | 6 | 110 | 178 | 8 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 7 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 3 | WSW 4 | — | — | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | E 4 | E 5 | — | — | WSW 4 | SW 6 | SW 6 | — |
— | — | — | 4 | 25 | — | — | 2529 | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 62 | — | — | 30 | 137 | 114 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 415 | 1 | 1 |
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.










