Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 13s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 3,175 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 13s period. 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 2.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) 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 2.0m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break this down for Buffalo Bay Wildside. This spot is exposed to the swell, but it doesn’t fire all the time, so you gotta pick your moments. The water’s sitting at 58°, which is about 5° colder than it should be for this time of year, so you’ll be wanting a thick wetsuit.
It starts on Sunday, the 23rd of August. The morning has a clean 7ft SW swell running at 11 seconds, with a light offshore wind. The combined energy is a strong 1243 – plenty of grunt. But the forecast says it’s marginal, likely tide-sensitive. That afternoon the wind turns cross-shore, messing with the face.
Monday the 24th drops to 5ft SW, with moderate energy. The wind is cross-on in the afternoon, so it gets bumpy. Nothing special.
Tuesday the 25th sees the swell jump to 8ft SW, with a very long 14-second period. That’s proper groundswell, and the combined energy hits 2704. This is serious. The morning has light cross-on wind, but the afternoon cleans up with a light cross-shore. Still, over 8ft is expert territory, and the long period might make it close out on this beach setup.
Wednesday the 26th stays big at 8ft SSW, with a 16-second period – very long period groundswell. The morning has a 15 mph cross-off wind keeping it clean, and the energy in the afternoon is a massive 3665. Big, powerful, clean, but only for the crew who know what they’re doing.
Now, Thursday the 27th is the standout session. The morning is glassy – zero wind – with a 7ft SSW swell on a 12-second period. The combined energy is 1543, and it’s labelled as excellent. The afternoon stays glassy with 6ft. This is the one: clean, powerful, well-shaped. Crowds are possible, so get there early.
After that, it drops off. Friday the 28th has 5ft S swell but with cross-on wind, and it fades through the weekend. Saturday the 29th is only 3ft with strong 19 mph wind, turning it into a kitesurfing setup rather than a paddling one. Sunday the 30th is junk – strong onshore and tiny.
There’s a gap until Tuesday the 1st of September. That morning brings a clean 7ft SW swell with a 13-second period and light cross-shore wind. Then Tuesday afternoon gets wild: 10ft SW with a 14-second period, combined energy of 3388, and clean cross-off wind. But it’s flagged as too big for this break. Expert only.
Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon is another good call: glassy with 8ft SW on a 13-second period. That’s excellent for experienced surfers, with strong energy (2085). Crowds are possible.
The rest of the run into early September is mostly messy or small. Thursday the 3rd has fresh onshore wind and lumpy conditions, and it stays poor through the weekend.
So, to sum it up: Thursday the 27th of August is your golden window – glassy, solid 6-7ft groundswell, and clean. Wednesday the 2nd of September afternoon is the next best bet, with glassy conditions and a solid 8ft swell. Everything else is either too big, too windy, or too small.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Fri night, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 14 | SSE 11 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1034 | 1352 | 1003 | 638 | 663 | 2171 | 2704 | 2509 | 2278 | 1483 | 3175 | 1430 | 1090 | 1047 | 865 | 553 | 401 | 403 | 245 | 191 | 264 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy |
High Tide | 1:37PM1.19m | 1:41AM1.29m | 2:11PM1.34m | 2:15AM1.43m | 2:39PM1.49m | 2:44AM1.55m | 3:06PM1.63m | 3:12AM1.65m | 3:32PM1.75m | 3:40AM1.72m | 3:59PM1.84m | 4:08AM1.76m | 4:26PM1.89m | 4:37AM1.76m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:40PM0.65m | 8:02AM0.49m | 8:15PM0.51m | 8:30AM0.35m | 8:44PM0.38m | 8:56AM0.23m | 9:11PM0.26m | 9:21AM0.12m | 9:39PM0.16m | 9:46AM0.05m | 10:07PM0.09m | 10:13AM0.01m | 10:35PM0.06m | ||||||||
6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
— | 6:02 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:04 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:06 | — | — | 6:07 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 34 | 27 |
Feels °C | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 20 | 22 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SW 14 |
1034 | 1352 | 1003 | 638 | 663 | 2171 | 2704 | 2509 | 2278 | 1483 | 3175 | 1430 | 1090 | 1047 | 865 | 553 | 401 | 403 | 242 | 191 | 264 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | — | — | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SE 11 | — | — | E 13 | S 16 | SW 13 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSE 10 |
209 | — | — | 80 | 366 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 1029 | 45 | — | 408 | 389 | 372 | 355 | 193 | 92 | 245 | 183 | 104 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 11 | SE 10 | — | — | — | — | SW 13 | — | — | S 16 | WSW 12 | SW 17 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | SW 14 | E 11 | ESE 5 | E 11 |
— | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | 45 | — | — | 45 | 46 | 11 | 165 | 156 | 198 | 22 | 17 | 88 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 5 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | NW 4 | WSW 4 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 113 | 490 | 443 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 83 | 16 | 16 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 380 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 333 | 4 | 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.











