Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.08° S 22.98° E

Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 02 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Buffalo Bay Wildside sea temperature is
15.5°C
1.7° 

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 2 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 3 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, SSE swell with cross-shore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 18s period, SSW swell with 4,185 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.4m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Buffalo Bay Wildside in the next 16 days are 2.5m 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 8PM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Wed 2nd Sep)8ft (2.4m) 13s
Best Surf 5PM (Thu 3rd Sep)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Most Powerful 5PM (Sun 6th Sep)8ft (2.5m) 18s

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


The Lowdown

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve had a good look at the charts for Buffalo Bay Wildside. The next 16 days are a mixed bag, with some real promise but plenty of frustration too. We’ve got a decent run of swell, but the wind and consistency are going to be the deciding factors. Let’s break it down.

The water’s a bit colder than usual for this time of year, sitting at 60°F – a solid 3°F below the average. So, you’ll want a thicker wetsuit if you’re heading out.

Right now, there’s a bit of a slow start. The first real standout doesn’t hit until Monday, September 7th. The morning session is the one to circle. We’ve got a clean 6 ft SSW swell rolling in with a 14-second period, and the wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. The combined energy is strong (2248), and for an experienced surfer, this is a magic window. The swell direction is SSW, which isn’t the optimum SE for this spot, but the quality of the wave and the wind make it the best on offer. Be aware that this break is inconsistent, so you might have to wait for the sets, but they’ll be worth it.

The day before, on Sunday, September 6th, there’s also a pulse of energy, but it’s a bit messier. The morning has a 6 ft SSW swell with a 19-second period, offering very long-period groundswell. The energy is very strong (3382), but with a 15 mph cross-offshore wind, it’ll be clean. The afternoon bumps up to 8 ft with an 18-second period, and the energy is massive (5145), but the wind picks up to 19 mph. It’s more of a challenge than a classic session.

Thursday, September 3rd, is a write-off. The afternoon sees an 12 ft SSE swell, but with a 22 mph cross-shore wind and heavy rain, it’s too big and messy for this spot. That’s expert-only territory, and even then, it’s not pretty.

The second week of the forecast gets sketchy. From September 12th onwards, there are a few days of poor conditions with onshore winds and choppy seas. A couple of days, like September 14th, have a clean 6 ft SSW swell with a 13-second period and a cross-offshore breeze, but the energy is moderate (1350). It’s a solid option, but nothing like the Monday morning. After that, it’s a lot of offshore wind and onshore slop, so the window is pretty narrow.

The top pick is without a doubt Monday morning, September 7th. That glassy 6 ft with a long period is the one to plan for. The rest of the week has a few other moments, but nothing that hits the same high.

Stay frothing, and keep an eye on the sky.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the SE by Thu night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 25°C on Mon morning, min 14°C on Sat night). 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
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
!
!
2
2
2
2
1
2
3
4
4
4
4
3
2
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.3
SW
13
1.6
SW
12
3.5
SSE
9
3.5
SSE
9
2.4
SE
9
2.3
SE
9
2.4
ESE
8
1.4
SSW
10
1.4
SSW
10
2.2
ESE
7
1.9
SSW
19
2.5
SSW
18
2.1
SSW
16
1.7
SSW
14
1.7
SSW
14
1.6
SW
13
1.1
SW
12
1.1
SW
12
0.6
SW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1671
811
2058
2184
850
769
698
400
377
432
2753
4185
1997
1244
1159
841
367
314
181
Wind (km/h)
5
E
5
SSW
30
SSE
35
SE
30
ESE
30
ESE
20
ENE
20
E
30
ESE
20
E
25
E
30
E
15
ENE
5
SE
5
S
5
W
10
SSE
5
S
0
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
glassy
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
glassy
cross-on
cross
cross-on
glassy
High Tide
6:54AM1.38m
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
Low Tide
00:51AM0.35m
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
part cloud
light rain
heavy rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<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
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:09
6:09
6:10
6:12
6:12
6:13
6:14
 mm
5
22
5
1
Temp °C
15
15
15
16
16
16
14
16
17
15
19
21
17
25
24
20
23
21
17
Feels °C
16
15
12
11
10
10
9
12
12
11
15
16
14
26
24
20
23
20
18
  • 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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