Surf Forecasts:
Buffalo Bay Wildside surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 23 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, SW swell with cross-onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 16s period, SSW swell with 6,779 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 20 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 12s period with ESE 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 (Jul 20) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 1.2m and 10s. 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 3.5m 16s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 8s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 23) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Mon 20th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 11ft (3.5m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Buffalo Bay Wildside over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for Buffalo Bay Wildside. We’ve got a run of solid swell coming through, but it’s a bit of a mixed bag with the wind and size, so you gotta pick your moments.
The week kicks off Monday, 20 July, and it’s a bit of a slow start. The morning has a 5.9ft SW swell with a cross-on breeze, making for a messy surface. The combined energy is strong (1127), but the wind is just not playing ball. It’s a marginal call at best. The afternoon sees the swell drop to 3.9ft from the ESE with a long 12-second period, but the wind turns onshore, which kills the vibe. No real standouts here.
Tuesday, 21 July, is where it starts to get interesting. The morning is the real deal. We’re looking at a clean 6.6ft SSW swell with a very long 14-second period and glassy conditions. The combined energy is strong (1893). That’s a proper groundswell, and with the wind flat, it’s going to be clean. This is a standout window. The water temp is 63.7°, which is pretty much average for the time of year. The afternoon stays solid but the wind swings cross-shore, making it a bit less perfect.
Wednesday, 22 July, the swell holds at 6.6ft-6.9ft from the SW, but the wind gets messy with a cross-on breeze picking up through the day. The energy is still strong (1395-1471), but the chop will be a factor. It’s a pass for me.
Thursday, 23 July, is a write-off. The morning is a short-period 5.2ft SW swell with a weak 8-second period and cross-on wind. The afternoon gets huge – 9.8ft from the SW – but with a cross-on breeze and that size, it’s only for the proper crew, and the wind is ruining it.
Now, Friday, 24 July, is an absolute monster. We’re talking 11.5ft SSW swell with a very long 15-second period and clean, cross-off winds all day. The combined energy is massive (5871 in the morning, 4516 in the afternoon). This is a big, powerful groundswell. For the average surfer, this is too big. This is expert territory only. The wind is clean, but the size makes it a formidable beast.
Saturday, 25 July, the swell drops to a still-chunky 7.9ft-8.2ft from the SSW, with a long 13-14 second period. The wind is clean and cross-off all day. This is a much more manageable size for experienced surfers, and the combined energy is still strong (2081-2146). This is another standout window.
Sunday, 26 July, the swell is 6.6ft from the SW with a 12-second period. The morning is clean with a cross-off breeze, and the afternoon turns glassy. That afternoon glass-off is a beauty. The energy is moderate (1137-1095). This is a great option for the weekend.
The following week gets a bit wild. Monday, 27 July, has a 5.2ft SW groundswell in the morning with strong 40 km/h winds. That’s a no-go. The afternoon jumps to 9.8ft SW with a short 9-second period and fresh winds. Just a messy, big combo.
Tuesday, 28 July, through Wednesday, 29 July, is a total write-off. Big, choppy, and onshore. The swell is 11.5ft-13.1ft with terrible winds. The combined energy is huge (3343-7594), but the conditions are poor. Don’t bother.
Thursday, 30 July, the swell is still big at 9.8ft-8.2ft from the SSW, but the wind is onshore and messy. The afternoon is a bit better but still cross-on. Not worth it.
Friday, 31 July, things clean up. The morning is a nice 6.6ft SSW swell with a 12-second period and clean cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (1107). That’s a good morning session. The afternoon jumps to 11.5ft SW, which is back to expert-only territory.
Saturday, 1 August, the swell is 11.5ft from the SSW, but the wind is cross-shore, creating a lumpy cross-chop. The energy is very strong (5132-4142), but the conditions are not favorable.
The last few days are a mix. Sunday, 2 August, is onshore and choppy. Monday, 3 August, shows a small 3.9ft-4.3ft SE swell with clean wind in the morning. It’s a small wave, but the wind is right. The energy is weak (528). Tuesday, 4 August, is cross-shore and lumpy.
The Standouts: If you’re an experienced surfer, the real highlight is Tuesday, 21 July morning. That 6.6ft SSW groundswell with glassy conditions is the cleanest, most user-friendly big
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 13°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 11 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 8 | SW 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 792 | 371 | 347 | 1582 | 2668 | 1942 | 1240 | 1111 | 579 | 346 | 1708 | 6479 | 5821 | 4485 | 3408 | 2033 | 2146 | 1614 | 1112 | 1076 | 711 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | glassy | cross | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:56PM1.47m | 8:12AM1.21m | 8:44PM1.33m | 9:14AM1.10m | 9:54PM1.22m | 10:58AM1.05m | 11:34PM1.19m | 12:41PM1.10m | 00:56AM1.24m | 1:43PM1.21m | 1:50AM1.33m | 2:24PM1.32m | 2:30AM1.44m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:29PM0.40m | 2:16AM0.53m | 2:10PM0.55m | 3:12AM0.63m | 3:07PM0.67m | 4:36AM0.69m | 4:43PM0.75m | 6:22AM0.67m | 6:36PM0.72m | 7:32AM0.58m | 7:43PM0.63m | 8:16AM0.47m | 8:26PM0.52m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — |
 | — | 5:38 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 26 | 30 | 28 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | SW 10 | ESE 11 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | S 11 | SE 12 | SSW 17 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 792 | 315 | 347 | 1582 | 2668 | 1942 | 1240 | 1111 | 579 | 260 | 69 | 6479 | 5821 | 4485 | 3408 | 2033 | 2146 | 1614 | 1112 | 1076 | 711 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | ESE 12 | SW 10 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SW 12 | SW 12 | E 9 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 8 | — | ESE 10 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 319 | 371 | 257 | 311 | 275 | 180 | 151 | 197 | 386 | 142 | 6 | 78 | 50 | 31 | 30 | 37 | — | 10 | 15 | 9 | 437 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 9 | SW 11 | SSW 16 | — | — | — | ESE 4 | SSW 14 | ESE 13 | ESE 12 | S 22 | ESE 12 | — | — | SE 11 | ESE 11 | — | — | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 8 |
| kJ | 16 | 182 | 291 | — | — | — | 4 | 163 | 140 | 96 | 9 | 77 | — | — | 30 | 11 | — | — | 10 | 10 | 78 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 5 | SW 8 | SW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | — | W 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 86 | 346 | 1708 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | — | — | 3 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.
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