Buffalo Bay Wildside Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer at Buffalo Bay Wildside. This is a spot that’s a bit of a moody, inconsistent performer, but when the stars align, it can be a real treat. The water temp is sitting at 17°, which is pretty much spot on for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The pattern through this forecast is a bit of a slow burn, then a big, powerful, and potentially wild finale. The first few days are decent, but the real standout window is tucked away further down the line.

We kick off on Wednesday, July 29 with a solid 6ft swell from the SW, carrying some serious energy (1609). The wind is a bit cross-off, so it’s clean, but the rating is only marginal. It’s a warm-up, not the main event. Thursday morning, July 30, is a step up. Clean 6ft SSW swell with an offshore breeze, making for excellent conditions for the experienced crew. The afternoon gets a bit windier, so the morning is the call.

Friday, July 31, dawns clean again with a 5ft ESE swell and offshore wind, but the period drops to 10 seconds. The afternoon sees a jump in size to 8ft, but the period plummets to 7 seconds and the wind turns cross-off. That short period will make for a lumpy, walled-up mess, definitely not the best.

Saturday, August 1, is a beauty. The morning is glassy, with a 8ft ESE swell (1076) and a light north wind. It’s glassy, clean, and the conditions are excellent. That’s your first true highlight. Sunday, August 2, keeps the clean vibes, but the swell drops to 6ft, so it’s a fun, mellow day.

Now, the first week of August is a mixed bag. Monday, August 3, is a bit onshore with a smaller 4ft SW swell, but Tuesday morning, August 4, is glassy with a 4ft SW swell—small but clean for a sneaky session.

Then, we hit the big one. Wednesday, August 5, is a tale of two halves. The morning is glassy with a tiny 3ft swell, but the afternoon? That’s a beast. An 8ft SW groundswell (14 seconds) with glassy conditions and a combined energy of 2574. That’s a serious, powerful wave. This is the standout of the entire forecast. For experienced surfers only.

Thursday, August 6, keeps the big energy with an 8ft SW swell in the morning, but the wind is onshore. The afternoon sees it jump to 10ft SW, but the wind is cross-off and clean. It’s big, but doable for the experts.

From Friday, August 7, through Monday, August 10, the swell just gets massive and messy. 12ft, 10ft, 12ft again—these are huge numbers. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, and the combined energy is through the roof (3864, 4947, 4518). This is a full-on, heavy water event. The waves are too big for this break, and it’s only for the absolute elite. For the average surfer, this is a total write-off. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Tuesday, August 11, is a reset. The swell drops to 5ft, and the wind is cross-off, giving us a clean, very ordinary session. Wednesday, August 12, sees the swell return with a vengeance—7ft SW groundswell (15 seconds) in the morning, building to 10ft by the afternoon. The morning is excellent for experienced surfers. The afternoon is too big again.

Finally, Thursday, August 13, is a nice finish. Clean, offshore wind, with a 8ft SW swell in the morning (1951) and a 7ft SW swell in the afternoon. Both are excellent for the experienced crew.

Best Bets: The absolute standout is Wednesday afternoon, August 5. An 8ft, 14-second SW groundswell with glassy conditions is a rare, clean, powerful treat for experts. Your second-best option is Saturday morning, August 1, with a 8ft ESE swell and glassy conditions, perfect for a fun, clean session.

Rusty, signing off.

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