Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.08° S 22.98° E

Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 am 03 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Buffalo Bay Wildside sea temperature is
15.6°C
1.6° 

Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 3 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, SSW swell with 4,671 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period with SSE 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Buffalo Bay Wildside in the next 16 days are 3.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 12s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 03) at 5PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8PM (Thu 3rd Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Best Surf 8PM (Thu 3rd Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Most Powerful 5PM (Sun 6th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

G'day, I'm Rusty, and I've got the lowdown on the surf at Buffalo Bay Wildside for the next couple of weeks. Let's get into it.

Alright, so we've got a bit of a mixed bag here. The early part of the week is looking pretty average, but there's some serious potential firing up for the second week, especially if you're an experienced surfer.

We kick things off on Thursday, the 3rd of September. The morning's got a bit of a 5ft SW swell rolling in, with a period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is moderate (1245). The wind is a light cross-on from the W, so nothing too clean, and the water is a bit colder than normal at 60°. It's a marginal start, not the best.

The next few days are pretty ordinary. Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are all clean, but the swell is mixed up and inconsistent. The energy drops right off to around 600-700, and the waves are just not doing much. It's a bit of a waiting game.

Now, Sunday the 6th of September is where the energy starts to build. The morning has a 7ft SSW swell with a very long period of 19 seconds. The energy is moderate (3703), but it's still a bit windy. The afternoon, however, gets a 10ft SSW swell with an 18-second period and the energy jumps to 5518. But here's the thing – the data says it's predicted to be too big for this break. That's a real shame.

Monday the 7th of September is the first real standout. In the morning, we've got a 6ft SSW swell with a 14-second period. The energy is strong (2350). But the wind is glassy – a perfect 3 mph from the ENE. That's a rare treat. The data says it's excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers. This is a solid window for the crew who know what they're doing. Keep in mind, this spot is inconsistent, so when it's on, it's a gem, but you might have some company as crowds are sometimes around.

After that, we go through a few smaller days. Tuesday the 8th has a bit of a cleanup, but it's nothing to write home about. Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th are a total write-off with poor conditions and onshore winds.

Then Friday the 11th of September, the afternoon picks up again with a 7ft SW swell, but the period is a short 8 seconds. The energy is moderate (793). It's clean, but the short period means it's not the best shape.

The next real standout window is Sunday the 13th of September. The morning has a 8ft SSW swell with a 13-second period and strong energy (1861). The wind is a light offshore from the E, making for clean conditions. The data calls it excellent for experienced surfers. This is a top pick.

Then, into the second week, we've got another cracker. Tuesday the 15th of September afternoon sees a 7ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period. The energy is strong (2002). The wind is a light cross-off from the ESE, so it's clean. Again, excellent for experienced surfers.

Wednesday the 16th of September morning is also a beauty. A 7ft SW swell with a 14-second period, strong energy (1735), and a glassy wind from the SW. That's a dreamy setup.

The system then goes a bit wild. Thursday the 17th of September and Friday the 18th of September see a massive jump in size. The morning of Friday the 18th has a 15ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the energy is massive (11945). The data says it's going to be too big for the break. This is one for the big-wave chargers only, and even then, it's a question mark.

So, to wrap it up, the best on offer is Monday the 7th of September morning for the glassy conditions and Sunday the 13th of September morning for the clean, powerful swell. These are the ones to circle.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Mainly strong winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Tue morning, min 15°C on Sun morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Sun afternoon, calm by Mon morning).

Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
0
0
2
2
3
2
1
3
3
!
4
4
3
3
2
3
3
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
SW
12
3.5
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
9
2.4
SE
9
2.5
SE
8
2.2
ESE
8
1.4
SSW
11
1.3
SSW
10
2.2
ESE
7
2.1
SSW
19
3
SSW
18
2.3
SSW
16
1.9
SSW
14
1.7
SSW
14
1.5
SSW
13
1.5
E
10
1.1
SW
12
0.9
SW
11
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
13
0.9
SW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
811
1957
2194
870
868
531
408
320
431
3136
4671
2518
1468
1193
784
431
361
202
447
335
248
Wind (km/h)
10
W
40
SSE
35
SSE
25
ESE
30
ESE
20
ENE
20
ESE
25
ESE
20
E
25
E
35
E
20
ENE
5
ENE
5
SE
5
NW
5
SE
10
ESE
5
N
20
WSW
15
WSW
10
W
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
7:20PM1.45m
7:52AM1.21m
8:36PM1.27m
9:53AM1.10m
10:59PM1.21m
12:15PM1.21m
00:43AM1.33m
1:22PM1.41m
1:40AM1.49m
2:07PM1.61m
2:23AM1.63m
2:45PM1.78m
3:00AM1.73m
Low Tide
12:56PM0.42m
1:45AM0.51m
1:58PM0.59m
3:22AM0.65m
4:09PM0.71m
5:49AM0.61m
6:29PM0.60m
7:09AM0.45m
7:36PM0.42m
7:57AM0.28m
8:22PM0.24m
8:34AM0.13m
9:00PM0.11m
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:43
6:43
6:41
6:39
6:39
6:37
6:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:09
6:10
6:12
6:12
6:13
6:14
6:15
 mm
5
20
9
1
1
Temp °C
15
15
16
15
16
14
16
17
16
18
20
16
23
23
22
26
26
21
23
19
16
Feels °C
15
14
10
9
10
9
12
13
13
14
15
12
23
22
22
26
25
20
22
18
15
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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