Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.08° S 22.98° E

Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 16 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Buffalo Bay Wildside sea temperature is
13.8° C
3.4° 

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 16 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 13s period, SSW swell with 2,964 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 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 Sunday (Aug 16) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 16s. 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 3.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 8AM.

Wave TypeTime (SAST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5PM (Sun 16th Aug)4ft (1.2m) 12s
Best Surf 2PM (Thu 20th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 13s
Most Powerful11PM (Thu 20th Aug)10ft (3.0m) 13s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s cookin’ for Buffalo Bay Wildside. This exposed spot is in for a wild ride over the next couple of weeks, but it ain't gonna be for everyone. The water is sitting at a crazy 56.8°F, which is 6.1°F colder than it should be for this time of year. You're gonna want a thick winter suit and a hood.

The overall vibe is a building swell that keeps getting bigger and bigger, with the real treasure sitting about a week out. But there are some windows of clean, manageable surf before we get to the heavy stuff. The key is picking your moments because this break can get messy, and it doesn't break all that often.

Right off the bat, the forecast starts with a bit of a tease. Sunday the 16th has a messy morning with a cross-on breeze making things choppy. But by the afternoon, it glasses off nicely. The wind drops to almost nothing, and we've got a clean 4ft swell from the southwest with a 12-second period. It's not big, but it's clean and a fun little wave to get your feet wet. It might be a bit inconsistent, but it's a nice warm-up.

Monday the 17th is where things start to get interesting. The morning sees that swell jump to a solid 7ft from the southwest with a 13-second period. And the wind? Dead calm. Glassy conditions, moderate energy (1722). This is a fantastic window for experienced surfers. It's a proper step up in size, but the conditions are prime.

That energy stays with us into Tuesday the 18th. The afternoon is the pick, with a 7ft southwest swell and glassy conditions again (1524 energy). This is similar to the Monday morning window—a quality, clean, mid-sized swell. These are the days to get after it.

Now, the middle of the week gets trickier. Wednesday and Thursday have more size—8ft and climbing—but the winds get messy and unreliable, mostly cross-onshore or straight onshore. Thursday morning is a standout, though. It's glassy and the swell has jumped to 8ft from the southwest, bringing strong energy (2257). But we're in that zone now where it's getting serious.

By Thursday afternoon and into Friday, the swell is pushing 10ft, and the energy is climbing into the strong territory (2748). The wind is light, but the size is becoming a major factor. For most, this is leaving the fun zone and entering expert-only territory. There's a bit of a drop over the weekend, but it’s blown out.

The real story, the main event, is looking like Sunday the 23rd and Monday the 24th. This is when a big, long-period southwest swell arrives. We're talking 10ft to 12ft, with periods building from 13 seconds up to a very long 16 seconds. The energy readings are off the charts, hitting 6041 and 5822 respectively. This is huge, powerful groundswell. With 16-second periods, it's gonna be lining up perfectly, but it will be way too big for this spot for the average surfer. Strictly big-wave crew, and even then, you'd need to be very careful.

After that pulse, things settle down. The wind turns light offshore and we see cleaner conditions. The swell backs down to a more manageable 6ft through Tuesday the 25th. But the long-period nature of this swell, now from the SSW, might cause it to close out a bit on this beach. However, the clean conditions are a huge plus.

The following week is promising. Wednesday the 26th afternoon is one of the best calls of the period. We have a clean 8ft southwest swell with a very long 16-second period, and it's glassy. Strong energy (3331), and that long-period swell is perfect for this exposed point. This is a standout—a big, clean, powerful day for experts. It's a week out, so it's promising, but not guaranteed.

After that, the energy fades. The waves drop back under 7ft, and the wind patterns get messy with cross-on breezes making things lumpy. Then, right at the end of the period, on Sunday the 30th, we see another monster pulse. The swell balloons to a massive 13ft with a 17-second period and insane energy (8003). But the wind is gonna be howling cross-onshore, making it a complete mess. That's a no-go for paddling. That setup looks like it could be more interesting for the kite surfers.

So, to wrap it up: the short-term has some clean, mid-size windows on Monday and Tuesday. The true, clean, big-wave standout is looking like Wednesday the 26th. The massive pulses on the 23rd and 24th are going to be too much, and the end of the period is too blown out. Keep your eyes on that Wednesday. It's gonna be special.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
3
4
4
3
4
3
4
4
3
3
3
4
!
!
3
2
2
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
SW
12
1.2
SW
12
1.7
SW
15
2.1
SW
13
1.9
SW
13
1.6
SW
14
2
SW
13
2.2
SW
12
2.5
SW
12
2.4
SW
12
2.3
SW
12
2.1
SW
12
2.5
SW
13
3
SSW
13
3
SW
13
2.3
SW
12
2.1
SW
12
1.7
SW
11
1.6
SW
11
2.1
SW
12
3
SW
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
590
428
1229
1613
1288
990
1360
1474
1960
1721
1576
1298
2242
2742
2757
1472
1142
677
593
1250
2124
Wind (km/h)
15
W
5
WSW
5
NNW
0
SSE
10
SE
5
NW
5
WSW
5
S
5
ENE
10
WSW
10
SW
5
WNW
5
SW
10
SE
15
ENE
5
WSW
10
W
15
WNW
15
W
35
SW
25
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
glassy
cross
glassy
cross-on
glassy
off
on
on
cross-on
glassy
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
on
High Tide
5:57PM1.78m
6:08AM1.54m
6:27PM1.64m
6:38AM1.41m
6:58PM1.48m
7:10AM1.26m
7:31PM1.31m
7:49AM1.12m
8:20PM1.16m
9:23AM1.00m
10:47PM1.07m
12:37PM1.04m
00:51AM1.16m
Low Tide
11:40AM0.10m
00:10AM0.22m
12:09PM0.23m
00:40AM0.35m
12:38PM0.38m
1:11AM0.49m
1:08PM0.53m
1:49AM0.63m
1:47PM0.68m
2:58AM0.75m
3:17PM0.82m
6:04AM0.77m
6:39PM0.79m
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:05
7:05
7:03
7:03
7:01
7:01
7:00
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:58
5:59
5:59
6:00
6:00
6:00
6:01
 mm
2
Temp °C
17
17
15
18
19
15
15
15
14
16
16
15
15
16
13
17
18
14
19
19
14
Feels °C
15
15
13
17
18
15
15
15
14
15
15
15
14
14
11
16
16
12
15
13
8
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  • 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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