Surf Forecasts:
Richards Bay (Inside) surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 11 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 15 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 8s period, E swell with 477 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period with E 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 19s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Richards Bay (Inside) in the next 16 days are 1.9m 8s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 7s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 11th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Richards Bay (Inside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Hey, it’s Rusty. Let me tell you straight: Richards Bay is looking grim for the next two weeks. There’s no real quality surf to get excited about across the whole 16-day forecast. It’s a long dry spell.
We kick off on Wednesday the 9th with a tiny 0.7m SSE swell, 11-second period. The wind is a fresh NNE at 30 km/h, cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but the wave energy is low (151). By the afternoon, it’s even smaller and the wind goes cross-shore, turning it lumpy. Thursday and Friday are repeats – small, weak, and cross-shore breezes making things ugly. The water temp is 69°, which is about a degree and a half cooler than average, so it’s a bit chilly for the time of year.
A little bump arrives on Tuesday the 15th with a 1.5m E swell. The morning has a light cross-offshore breeze, so it’s clean, but the period is a short 8 seconds, with moderate energy (325). The afternoon jumps to 1.8m, but the wind goes cross-shore and the chop builds. Still not worth the drive.
Then it gets big and ugly. Thursday the 17th brings a 3.5m S swell at 9 seconds, but a strong SW wind at 40 km/h makes it a total mess. The energy is through the roof (1937), but it’s unrideable. Friday the 18th morning has 3.0m SSE swell, 10 seconds, with cross-shore wind, but the wave comment says it’s too big for this break. This is for experts only, and even then, the wind is rubbish. Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th keep the swell over 2.5m, with marginal conditions and onshore breezes.
The only possible window is Friday the 18th morning, if you’re a big-wave nut. The swell is 3.0m from the SSE, period 10 seconds, and the wind is a fresh cross-shore. The energy is massive (3490), but it’s a sandbar, and with that much water moving, it’ll be a heavy, challenging wave. For everyone else, this is a hard pass.
The rest of the outlook into the 24th is just more of the same: poor conditions, small swell, or strong, messy winds. There’s no hidden gem. With that strong cross-shore wind and decent swell, it’s more of a kitesurfing setup than a paddle surfer’s paradise. Keep an eye on the forecasts, but for now, save your energy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Thu afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NE on Wed afternoon, calm by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Sat morning, strong winds from the NE by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | E 7 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 20 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | ENE 5 | E 9 | S 19 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 13 | E 8 | E 8 | E 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 107 | 79 | 168 | 28 | 26 | 32 | 192 | 164 | 127 | 122 | 149 | 79 | 265 | 290 | 245 | 161 | 107 | 102 | 297 | 439 | 373 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:58PM1.87m | 3:10AM1.86m | 3:30PM2.02m | 3:42AM1.96m | 4:01PM2.10m | 4:12AM2.00m | 4:30PM2.11m | 4:40AM1.99m | 4:57PM2.07m | 5:07AM1.93m | 5:23PM1.97m | 5:32AM1.83m | 5:47PM1.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:42AM0.20m | 9:05PM0.17m | 9:15AM0.05m | 9:37PM0.06m | 9:46AM-0.05m | 10:07PM-0.00m | 10:16AM-0.08m | 10:36PM-0.01m | 10:44AM-0.06m | 11:03PM0.03m | 11:11AM0.02m | 11:29PM0.12m | 11:37AM0.13m | 11:54PM0.24m | |||||||
 | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | |
 | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — |
 | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:40 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 22 | 23 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 24 | 27 | 21 | 26 | 27 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 21 |
Feels °C | 18 | 18 | 15 | 19 | 22 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | E 7 | SE 10 | SE 10 | ENE 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | S 6 | E 9 | E 9 | S 17 | S 16 | S 15 | S 14 | S 13 | E 8 | S 12 | E 9 |
| kJ | 107 | 79 | 168 | 28 | 26 | 318 | 192 | 164 | 127 | 122 | 6 | 79 | 54 | 290 | 245 | 161 | 107 | 32 | 297 | 25 | 373 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | — | E 10 | S 15 | S 14 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | S 6 | S 12 | S 8 | S 19 | SSE 8 | S 10 | S 9 | S 9 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SW 5 | S 11 |
| kJ | 41 | — | 96 | 4 | 4 | 17 | 3 | 85 | 40 | 15 | 26 | 50 | 265 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 2 | 102 | 28 | 1 | 22 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 17 | SSE 11 | SW 11 | SSW 14 | S 20 | SSE 11 | SE 10 | E 15 | S 13 | S 8 | S 11 | SSE 8 | S 10 | SE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | S 16 |
| kJ | 3 | 5 | 46 | 5 | 19 | 32 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 29 | 11 | 23 | 38 | 19 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | NNE 5 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | NNE 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 5 | S 6 | — | ENE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | — | E 8 | ENE 9 |
| kJ | 175 | 319 | 74 | 477 | 349 | 71 | 59 | 62 | 31 | — | 149 | 91 | 106 | 423 | 277 | 301 | 586 | 599 | — | 439 | 714 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 630 | 849 | 141 | 461 | 391 | 50 | 1 | 626 | 0 | 156 | 156 | 36 | 156 | 156 | 156 | 838 | 626 | 242 | 156 | 116 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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