
Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 17s period, SSW swell with 8,292 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 21 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 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 Tuesday (Jul 21) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 11s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Buffalo Bay Wildside 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-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are shaping up to be a wild ride for Buffalo Bay Wildside. We're looking at a solid run of Southern Ocean groundswell, but it's going to be a game of two halves – some absolute magic for the experienced crew, and some serious size that'll keep the beginners well out of the water.
The first real action hits us on the morning of Tuesday, July 21st. The water is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, sitting at 63.7°F with a glassy 3 mph offshore breeze from the SW. The swell is a clean 6.2 ft from the SSW, with a long 14-second period generating a very strong wave energy (1809). This is prime territory for the experienced surfer, with clean, glassy conditions. The afternoon sees the size bump up to 8.2 ft, but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit more of a handful, so the morning window is the real sweet spot.
The standout session, no question, is the morning of Friday, July 24th. The swell jumps to 11.5 ft from the SSW, with an incredibly long 16-second period pushing a massive amount of energy (6831). Now, this is big, thumping groundswell. With a light 6 mph cross-offshore breeze from the East, it's going to be clean and lined up. This is expert-only territory. The wave will be holding its shape beautifully on the point, offering some proper long, heavy walls. The afternoon stays just as good but with a slightly shorter 15-second period. This is the best of the best on offer, but you need to have your wits about you.
The weekend of July 26-27 cleans up nicely. Saturday morning, July 25th, sees the swell drop to a more manageable 8.2 ft from the SSW, with a 13-second period and a light cross-off breeze. It's still a solid wave, but now it's in the realm of the strong intermediate, too. The energy is still strong (2178). Sunday, July 26th, is a beauty with 6.6 ft swell and glassy conditions in the afternoon. It's worth noting that this spot is inconsistent, so when it's on like this, you grab your board and go.
Looking further ahead, the first week of August has a couple of promising windows. Monday morning, July 28th, is back to 9.8 ft from the SSW, but with a glassy 3 mph breeze and a long 14-second period. Again, that's big, powerful stuff for experts only (3677). The real sleeper hit might be the afternoon of Friday, July 31st. It's 7.5 ft from the SW with a 16-second period and glassy conditions. The energy is very strong (3509), and it's described as excellent conditions. That's a solid bet for the more experienced surfers.
After that, things get a bit messy. The first week of August sees a few more 9.8 ft days, but they're borderline for the break. The second week fades fast. The morning of Monday, August 3rd, is small and weak, and by Tuesday, August 4th, the wind is howling onshore, making a mess of things. The swell energy drops dramatically (243). The very end of the window on Wednesday, August 5th, shows a faint pulse of 3.3 ft swell with glassy conditions, but it's very weak. Keep an eye on that forecast, though.
Standout Pick: The Friday, July 24th morning session. 11.5 ft SSW groundswell, 16-second period, clean cross-off breeze. It's a serious, expert-level wave, but it's the best the window has to offer.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1447 | 2503 | 1942 | 1240 | 1200 | 590 | 1193 | 2164 | 8292 | 6779 | 4671 | 3066 | 2148 | 2143 | 1493 | 1094 | 1040 | 954 | 800 | 752 | 1280 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
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 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 30 |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 24 | 26 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 20 | 23 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 13 |
1447 | 2503 | 1942 | 1240 | 1200 | 590 | 1193 | 1773 | 8292 | 6779 | 4671 | 3066 | 2148 | 2143 | 1493 | 1094 | 1040 | 954 | 800 | 752 | 1280 | |
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 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | E 6 | E 7 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 |
359 | 270 | 222 | 186 | 190 | 581 | 127 | 125 | 93 | 52 | 49 | 30 | 30 | 11 | 27 | 16 | 15 | 38 | 288 | 411 | 280 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | — | — | — | S 15 | ESE 12 | SE 7 | S 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | E 10 | S 10 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 |
3 | — | — | — | 109 | 175 | 14 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 38 | 41 | 16 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | W 3 | WSW 4 | — | NNW 3 | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 4 | E 5 | — | — | — | W 3 | — | SSW 5 |
— | — | — | 7 | 20 | — | 1 | 2164 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 52 | — | — | — | 6 | — | 56 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 77 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 476 | 3 |
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.










