Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 14s period, SW swell with 2,746 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 12s 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 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 9s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, let’s get into it. Rusty here with the rundown on Buffalo Bay Wildside.
So, we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag coming up over the next couple of weeks. The overall pattern sees some decent swell pulses, but the timing isn’t always perfect. We’re looking at a run of days where the size gets up, but the wind can be a little tricky. There are a few real standout windows though, so let’s break it down.
The first real chance for a surf kicks off on the morning of the 24th of August. We’re looking at a 5 ft southwest swell with a 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate (723), so it’s not a ripper, but it's a start. The wind is light from the SW, almost glassy, which will keep things clean. It’s a bit inconsistent here and the crowd can show up sometimes, so you might have to share, but it’s clean.
The size bumps up on the 25th. The morning of the 25th has a solid 8 ft SW swell with a 14-second period, giving us strong energy (2533). The wind is a light cross-on from the SSW, so not perfect but still workable. By the afternoon the swell nudges up to 8 ft, same period, but the wind swings more SSE and picks up to 6 mph, putting a few bumps on the surface. That size is pushing into expert-only territory, so keep that in mind.
We get a cleaner look on the 26th with a 7 ft south swell on Wednesday morning, and the wind is a cross-off from the E at 16 mph, scrubbing the faces up nicely. That’s a good-looking 7 ft wave with strong energy 2060. The afternoon drops to 5 ft from the SSW but with a very long 16-second period, and the offshore wind holds. That longer period will make for some drawn-out lines, which is a bonus.
Now here’s the standout window. The morning of the 27th of August. We’ve got a 6 ft SSW swell (1413), a 12-second period, and the wind is glassy from the WSW. That’s about as clean as it gets. The report says “excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers,” and you can see why. That 6 ft is a manageable size for the experienced crew, and glassy conditions mean the faces will be perfect. The crowd factor might be an issue with conditions this good, but it’s the session to aim for. The afternoon holds on to a 5 ft S swell and stays glassy, so you get a full day of clean waves.
Friday the 28th keeps the fun rolling with a 5 ft S swell and clean cross-off winds in the morning. The afternoon drops to 4 ft, and the wind picks up a touch, but it’s still clean.
Things go flat and messy from the 29th through the 31st of August. The swell drops under 3 ft and the wind gets onshore or just messy. That first week gap is about three days of basically nothing worth paddling for.
September kicks off with a return of energy on the 1st. The morning shows a 7 ft SW swell with clean cross-off winds from the ESE (897). That’s a solid option. The afternoon the swell hits 7 ft and the wind remains cross-off, though a bit stronger. That is good for the experienced lot, but be aware that by the 2nd of September the wind gets a bit more tricky.
The big stuff arrives from the 4th of September onward. We see 10 ft SSW swells (2135) on the 4th, but the wind is onshore and choppy, turning it into a washing machine. Nothing recommended for paddling there. On the 6th of September, we have another 10 ft SW swell with light cross-on winds (3237), but the guidance specifically calls it too big for this break. That is a massive amount of water moving (6464 in the afternoon), and the break just can’t handle it. It’s expert territory, and even then, it’s a maybe. If you’re not an expert, don’t even think about it.
The final call on the 8th of September morning offers a 4 ft S swell with clean cross-off winds (328). It’s clean, but the energy is weak. A small, clean wave to finish the run.
If you’re picking your days, the standout is absolutely the morning of the 27th of August. That glassy, 6 ft SSW swell is the pick of the period. The 25th also offers a bigger, cleaner image, but you’re fighting a bit of cross-on wind.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, fresh winds from the E by Wed afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Fri night, min 14°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Wed night, calm by Thu night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | S 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SW 13 | SW 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
1003 | 638 | 652 | 2323 | 1837 | 2509 | 1858 | 1292 | 1180 | 1197 | 985 | 544 | 759 | 476 | 335 | 351 | 205 | 245 | 783 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 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 | |||||||
— | 6:56 | — | — | 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 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 27 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 17 |
Feels °C | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 28 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | S 12 | SSW 16 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | ESE 9 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SW 9 |
1003 | 638 | 652 | 2323 | 1837 | 2509 | 1858 | 1292 | 1180 | 1197 | 985 | 394 | 759 | 476 | 335 | 351 | 205 | 167 | 783 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SE 11 | SSW 16 | — | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 11 | SW 12 | ESE 8 | S 12 | E 9 | ESE 10 | SSE 14 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | SW 13 | E 10 |
— | 80 | 394 | 4 | 696 | — | 269 | 768 | 447 | 149 | 428 | 544 | 397 | 328 | 215 | 102 | 79 | 245 | 138 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 11 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | WSW 13 | SW 13 | — | WSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | S 15 | SW 16 | E 9 | SW 13 | WNW 5 | SSE 11 |
— | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 458 | 388 | — | 56 | 355 | 11 | 109 | 88 | 57 | 167 | 20 | 66 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 6 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | — | — | — | — | ESE 10 | N 3 | NW 4 | SW 3 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 165 | 640 | 526 | — | — | — | — | 322 | 11 | 35 | 6 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 382 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 37 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
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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.











