
Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 4,903 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Buffalo Bay Wildside in the next 16 days are 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 11s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead for Buffalo Bay Wildside. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s get into it, but I’ll keep it real.
The first few days are looking messy. We’ve got some funky winds and a lot of chop through Saturday and Sunday. Sure, there’s swell, but it’s not doing us any favors. Sunday morning, the swell jumps to 10ft with a 13-second period, and the wave energy is cranking at (2567). It’s just too big for this break, and the cross-on wind is going to make it a washing machine. We’re on the South African coast here, and the water temp is pretty average for this time of year, nothing crazy.
Monday is more of the same, rain showers and a mix of cross and cross-on winds, with the swell staying big and unruly. The energy is strong (2015), but it’s all over the place. You’re probably better off waiting.
Tuesday brings a shift. The wind goes cross-off and the surf drops to a more manageable 10ft in the morning. It’s clean, but still on the big and challenging side. By the afternoon it’s down to 6ft, but the moderate breeze picks up. It’s surfable, but not a standout.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Wednesday and Thursday are looking much cleaner as the wind turns more offshore. Wednesday morning has a long-period 20-second SW groundswell at 5ft. That long period will make it a bit more lined up and perhaps a bit more straight at a beach break, but the glassy conditions will be a big plus. Then Thursday morning, we get a real treat: a gentle offshore wind, clean conditions, and a solid 5ft SW swell pushing in with a strong energy reading (3297). The period has dropped to 20 seconds, but it’s still got plenty of punch. This is looking like the pick of the first week for sure – a proper clean session.
The weekend mellows out. Saturday has to deal with some cross and onshore winds, and the swell is small, down around 4ft. Sunday eases off further to 3ft, but we get glassy conditions as the wind dies. It’s small, but clean. Monday the 17th is a real gem for early birds – completely glassy, calm, with a 6ft SW swell rolling through. The energy is still decent (1173), and those clean, hollow little waves will be worth the early paddle. This is another standout.
The middle of the second week, from the 18th to the 21st, is all about those clean, glassy, and cross-off mornings. Swell is in the 4ft to 5ft range, and it’s going to be clean and fun, if not huge. It’s the kind of consistent, user-friendly surf that’s hard to beat.
The end of the run, on the 22nd and 23rd, gets interesting again. It’s not good for paddle surfing. The swell is either tiny and onshore, or just way too big and messy. That Saturday afternoon, a massive 12ft SW swell shows up with the energy reading going off the charts (3795). It’s just not a paddle surf situation. Honestly, with that size and the wind kicking up chop, it’s looking more like a kiteboarding day.
So, to sum it up: the first few days are a write-off. The real winners are Thursday the 13th and Monday the 17th for clean, quality waves. The rest of the second week is fun and consistent, but nothing classic. Just keep an eye on that big, raw swell at the end – it’s one to watch from the beach.
Stay stoked,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 38mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Warm (max 20°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 23 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 20 | SW 18 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
3009 | 2020 | 2205 | 4903 | 2522 | 2878 | 2381 | 1656 | 1678 | 3451 | 2453 | 789 | 713 | 1560 | 1644 | 1796 | 1528 | 2875 | 1492 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 10:48PM1.31m | 12:01PM1.18m | 00:33AM1.38m | 1:23PM1.34m | 1:42AM1.52m | 2:17PM1.54m | 2:33AM1.66m | 3:01PM1.71m | 3:16AM1.75m | 3:41PM1.84m | 3:55AM1.80m | 4:18PM1.92m | 4:31AM1.80m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:38AM0.57m | 6:03PM0.60m | 7:09AM0.44m | 7:29PM0.46m | 8:06AM0.28m | 8:26PM0.29m | 8:51AM0.13m | 9:12PM0.15m | 9:30AM0.03m | 9:53PM0.06m | 10:05AM-0.03m | 10:31PM0.03m | |||||||
— | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
5:52 | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 7 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 18 | 20 | 18 |
Feels °C | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SSW 13 | S 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 20 | SSW 18 | ESE 8 | SW 16 | SW 18 | ESE 8 |
3009 | 2020 | 2205 | 4081 | 2522 | 2427 | 2381 | 1656 | 1678 | 3451 | 2453 | 789 | 379 | 1560 | 1644 | 865 | 1115 | 2875 | 549 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | E 9 | E 8 | E 8 | E 10 | E 10 | SSW 14 | SW 11 | SE 9 | S 26 | SSW 23 | SW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 20 | S 11 | SW 16 |
63 | 31 | 31 | 39 | 35 | 19 | 17 | 16 | 322 | 31 | 505 | 13 | 617 | 176 | 119 | 1796 | 1528 | 9 | 1492 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | — | — | E 11 | — | E 10 | — | E 9 | — | — | — | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SW 10 | S 11 | — | S 10 |
28 | 15 | — | — | 10 | — | 17 | — | 15 | — | — | — | 8 | 76 | 52 | 38 | 22 | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WSW 4 | — | SW 14 | — | SW 12 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | — | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 8 |
— | 34 | — | 4903 | — | 2878 | 2124 | — | — | — | — | 628 | 713 | 578 | 765 | — | 632 | 534 | 948 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 80 | 1 | 1044 | 38 | 40 | 19 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 19 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 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.











