Surf Forecasts:
Richards Bay (Inside) surf forecast from 23 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 23 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 17s period, S swell with 2,813 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period with S swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Richards Bay (Inside) this week:
The surf forecast for Richards Bay (Inside) over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s 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 Richards Bay (Inside) in the next 16 days are 2.2m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 8s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Richards Bay (Inside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, looking at the surf for Richards Bay (Inside) over the next couple of weeks. It's a bit of a mixed bag, and honestly, we're in for a long wait before anything really good lines up. For the first week, the conditions are pretty ordinary with a lot of wind chop and wonky tides.
The week kicks off with a solid 7ft south swell on Sunday afternoon, but the wind is a cross-onshore 9 mph, making it choppy and messy. The water temp is sitting at 70°, which is about normal for this time of year. We then drop into a few days of small, marginal waves with a lot of cross-shore wind. The period on Tuesday morning jumps to a very long 16 seconds, but with only 2ft of swell, it's not doing much.
The real energy starts showing up on the 26th of August, with the combined energy hitting 624 (moderate) on Wednesday morning, but the wind is a messy cross-onshore 12 mph. By the 27th of August, the swell is up to 6ft with a 15-second period, and the combined energy is a strong 1324, but the wind is a fresh 16 mph cross-shore, killing the shape. The rest of that week and into the weekend is plagued by fresh breezes, making it a no-go for a clean wave.
There's a bit of a gap from the 30th of August through to the 1st of September with tiny, blown-out waves. The 2nd of September morning looks a bit better with a glassy 4ft easterly swell, but it's only 9 seconds and the energy is weak (238). It's surfable, but nothing to write home about.
The one true standout comes on the 6th of September. Sunday morning sees a 6ft swell from the south, with a very long 18-second period, and light cross-offshore winds from the NNE. The combined energy is a strong 2281. This is a proper groundswell with serious power. The long period will make for some long lulls, but the waves will be clean and well-shaped. The only thing to watch is that this spot is a sandbar, so with a long period you might get some straight lines, but with the wind being clean, it's the best on offer. The crowd is listed as "sometimes" so you might have a few out, but it’s worth the paddle.
The 7th of September is still okay, with a 4ft south swell and a 14-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore, so it's not as good as the day before.
So, overall, it's a pretty bleak run for the first week and a half. If you can wait, the 6th of September is the morning to get after it. The long-range call for the 6th is promising, but keep an eye on the wind as we get closer.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Wed morning. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 16°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Fri afternoon, min 17°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Wed night, fresh winds from the NNE by Fri afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 17 | S 16 | S 17 | S 17 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1006 | 499 | 335 | 231 | 116 | 251 | 452 | 793 | 597 | 992 | 2813 | 1225 | 820 | 417 | 324 | 247 | 198 | 198 | 113 | 53 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:57AM1.34m | 2:24PM1.40m | 2:31AM1.51m | 2:52PM1.57m | 2:59AM1.66m | 3:19PM1.74m | 3:26AM1.79m | 3:44PM1.88m | 3:52AM1.89m | 4:10PM1.98m | 4:18AM1.96m | 4:36PM2.05m | 4:45AM1.98m | |||||||
Low Tide | 7:46PM0.73m | 8:12AM0.59m | 8:24PM0.57m | 8:41AM0.42m | 8:53PM0.41m | 9:07AM0.27m | 9:21PM0.27m | 9:32AM0.14m | 9:47PM0.16m | 9:58AM0.04m | 10:14PM0.08m | 10:24AM-0.03m | 10:42PM0.03m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | | | |  | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 19 |
Feels °C | 15 | 19 | 18 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | S 10 | SSE 9 | S 16 | S 15 | S 17 | S 16 | S 17 | S 17 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 |
| kJ | 1006 | 499 | 335 | 231 | 116 | 251 | 452 | 793 | 597 | 992 | 2813 | 1225 | 820 | 417 | 324 | 247 | 198 | 198 | 113 | 53 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 18 | SSW 15 | SSE 9 | SE 7 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | E 8 | — | SSE 7 | — | S 16 | S 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | — | SSW 11 | — |
| kJ | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 74 | 67 | 19 | 15 | 12 | 1 | — | 35 | — | 139 | 48 | 51 | 97 | — | 12 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SSE 12 | NE 4 | SSE 8 | NE 5 | ESE 7 | SE 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | 23 | 4 | 5 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | ENE 4 | NE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | SSW 3 | SSW 4 | SSE 4 | — | E 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 25 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 6 | 10 | 11 | — | 64 | 246 | 304 | 277 | 610 | 408 | 383 | 604 | 555 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 155 | 0 | 58 | 156 | 0 | 155 | 155 | 1 | 98 | 1 | 36 | 849 | 849 | 375 | 709 | 626 | 372 | 577 | 626 | 204 |
Best forecast wave conditions in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Richards Bay (Inside) Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Richards Bay (Inside) provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Richards Bay (Inside) can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Richards Bay (Inside) 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 (Richards Bay (Inside)) 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 Richards Bay (Inside) 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.
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