
Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 1 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 6 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SW swell with 5,796 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 31 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Friday (Jul 31) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 1.5m and 6s is also forecast. 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 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 06) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Fri 31st Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Yo, it's Rusty. Let's talk about what's cooking at Buffalo Bay Wildside. This spot is a wild one, and it's got a real mixed bag of conditions coming our way. It's an exposed, inconsistent break that's a bit of a sneaky spot, so don't expect it to be pumping every day. The water temp is sitting at 63°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
We start off on Thursday, the 30th of July, with a solid 6 ft SSW groundswell. The period is a tasty 13 seconds, and it's packing a ton of energy (1601). The morning is looking clean with a light cross-offshore breeze, making for excellent surfing for the experienced crew. The afternoon, however, gets a bit messy with the wind picking up, so bag that morning session.
Friday, the 31st, has a new swell filling in. The morning sees a 6 ft ESE swell, but it's a short period of 9 seconds, so it's not going to have the same punch. The wind is offshore, so it'll be clean, but the wave quality will be a bit weaker. The afternoon gets bigger with a 8 ft ESE swell, but again, the period is short at 7 seconds, and the wind goes cross-off, making it a bit of a bumpy ride.
Now, here's where it gets interesting. Saturday, the 1st of August, is a standout. The morning is glassy, with a 8 ft E swell at 9 seconds. The energy is massive (2076), and with no wind, it's going to be a ripper. This is a solid size for a more experienced surfer, and the glassy conditions will make for some clean, powerful waves. The afternoon stays clean but the wind picks up a touch.
Sunday, the 2nd of August, is another great call. The morning is glassy again with a smaller 6 ft ESE swell, and the energy is still good (889). It's clean, calm, and a great chance to get a few waves without the crowd. The afternoon sees a 4 ft SW groundswell with a 13-second period, offering a different, more lined-up wave.
The start of the week, Monday the 3rd, is a dream. The morning is glassy with a 4 ft SW groundswell, and it's got solid energy (1173). The waves will be clean and well-shaped. The afternoon is just as good with a light cross-offshore breeze.
Watch out for the middle of the week, though. Tuesday the 4th is a write-off with cross-onshore winds and poor surf. Wednesday the 5th gets a bit tricky. The morning has a 6 ft SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, but the wind is onshore, making it a bit of a gamble. The afternoon, however, is a different story. The swell jumps to 10 ft from the SW, with a 15-second period and massive energy (3530). The wind is glassy, but listen, at 10 ft, this is for experts only. It's a big, powerful wave that's going to be a beast.
Thursday the 6th and Friday the 7th are also too big for the average surfer, with the swell holding at 10 ft to 12 ft and a lot of power. The winds are favorable, but it's a serious, heavy wave that's only for the very experienced.
The surf settles down a bit for the weekend of the 8th and 9th, with 7 ft to 6 ft SW swell, but the wind is a problem. Saturday has cross-shore winds, and Sunday is a mess with a fresh breeze, making it lumpy and choppy.
The following week starts rough. Monday the 10th is a total blowout with rain showers and strong winds, definitely not for surfing. Tuesday the 11th is a massive 13 ft swell, but it's onshore and messy – that's a kiters' day, not a paddlers' day.
The outlook improves again from Wednesday the 12th through to Friday the 14th. The swell settles back to a manageable 5 ft to 7 ft from the SW with long periods (15-16 seconds), which will be great for a point break or reef, but at a beach break it might break a bit too straight. The mornings are glassy, and the afternoons are clean, so this is your best bet for some classic, quality waves in the second week. The best of the bunch is Thursday the 13th morning, with a 7 ft SW groundswell, a 16-second period, and glassy conditions. It's a solid, powerful swell that should offer some real gems.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 7 | E 8 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
841 | 769 | 477 | 639 | 997 | 1171 | 828 | 761 | 631 | 1066 | 619 | 600 | 472 | 878 | 624 | 486 | 332 | 1983 | 4018 | 3197 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | glassy | glassy | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 4:28PM1.71m | 4:33AM1.68m | 4:56PM1.75m | 5:01AM1.68m | 5:24PM1.77m | 5:31AM1.64m | 5:54PM1.75m | 6:03AM1.58m | 6:27PM1.70m | 6:39AM1.49m | 7:04PM1.62m | 7:21AM1.37m | 7:51PM1.50m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:32PM0.22m | 10:42AM0.08m | 11:02PM0.19m | 11:09AM0.08m | 11:32PM0.20m | 11:37AM0.11m | 00:05AM0.23m | 12:08PM0.18m | 00:40AM0.29m | 12:42PM0.27m | 1:23AM0.37m | 1:24PM0.39m | 2:18AM0.48m | |||||||
— | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:18 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | |
5:45 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:49 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 20 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 |
Feels °C | 15 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SW 13 | ESE 9 | SW 12 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | SW 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
841 | 769 | 477 | 374 | 618 | 761 | 125 | 761 | 631 | 1066 | 619 | 463 | 416 | 878 | 624 | 486 | 332 | 1983 | 4018 | 3197 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 9 | SW 13 | — | SW 12 | SW 11 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 13 | SW 15 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 9 |
— | 171 | 473 | — | 240 | 125 | 74 | 235 | 335 | 424 | 236 | 600 | 472 | 349 | 294 | 235 | 173 | 141 | 118 | 81 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SW 17 | SW 15 | — | S 10 | ESE 13 | S 9 | SSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 12 | — | — | — | SW 5 | SW 6 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 44 | 83 | — | 17 | 141 | 7 | 264 | 41 | 309 | — | — | — | 25 | 51 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | ESE 7 | E 8 | E 9 | ESE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 4 | — | — | — | — |
255 | 170 | 112 | 639 | 997 | 1171 | 828 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 19 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 38 | 1 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Garden Route | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











