Surf Forecasts:
Richards Bay (Inside) surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 8s period, S swell with 1,114 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 15 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 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 Tuesday (Sep 15) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. 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 3.0m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 3.0m 8s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (SAST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Tue 15th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Richards Bay (Inside) over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are going to test your patience. This stretch is looking bleak for any proper surf, and I’m not going to sugarcoat it. We've got a long, frustrating gap ahead before anything even sniffs at being rideable.
The first real chance of anything comes on the morning of Tuesday the 15th. We’ll see a pulse of east swell pushing 6ft, but the wind is all wrong – light and cross-shore, which will just mess up the surface. The energy is there (515), but it’s not going to be pretty. The afternoon gets bigger but choppier, and by Wednesday the 16th, the swell is still up there, but it’s cross-onshore and messy. This whole first week is a write-off for a decent wave.
We're looking at a real dead zone from the 17th through to the 19th. The swell drops, the wind swings onshore, and it’s just lumpy, cross-chop with no power. It’s not inviting at all. Then, hold on, because the first real standout of the window appears on the morning of Sunday the 20th. This is the one to circle. We’ve got a big, long-period swell from the south showing 5ft, with a period of 20 seconds, and a strong energy reading of 1759. The morning wind is light and easing. Now, this is a sandbar break, and that long-period groundswell can make it a bit straight, but with the size and that energy, it could still offer some solid, powerful walls for the experienced crew. The afternoon sees it jump to 6ft, but the wind goes cross-onshore, so get on it early.
But the wind is the catch. It’s the only real clean window we get. From the 21st through the 23rd, it's a mess of fresh breezes and onshores, with the swell fading out. Just when you think it’s all over, the morning of Thursday the 24th throws us a bone. It's not big, only 4ft, but it’s glassy. Totally calm. That’s a rare thing, and it will be clean, even if it’s not powerful. If you just want a few clean lines, that’s your window. The energy is moderate (411), but the lack of wind makes it the best quality option of the whole period.
After that, the wind picks up again and the swell fades to nothing. It's a long, dry spell to end the forecast. So, in short: the standout is the morning of the 20th for size and power, and the morning of the 24th for clean, glassy conditions. Don't get your hopes up for much else.
Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Fri night, fresh winds from the NNE by Mon morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Warm (max 25°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNE on Mon night, calm by Tue night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | S 19 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 164 | 127 | 90 | 251 | 157 | 192 | 307 | 251 | 110 | 109 | 493 | 509 | 565 | 563 | 449 | 786 | 464 | 1039 | 579 | 336 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 5:57AM1.70m | 6:11PM1.67m | 6:22AM1.54m | 6:35PM1.49m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 12:03PM0.28m | 00:19AM0.38m | 12:28PM0.45m | 00:45AM0.55m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | | | |  |  | | | | |  |  | |  | |
 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — |
 | 5:42 | — | — | 5:42 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:44 | — | — | 5:45 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Temp °C | 22 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 19 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 22 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 14 | 14 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | S 12 | E 9 | SSE 8 | S 18 | S 16 | S 15 | S 15 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 10 | E 10 | S 14 | E 10 | E 10 | E 10 | E 9 |
| kJ | 164 | 127 | 90 | 26 | 157 | 58 | 307 | 251 | 110 | 109 | 493 | 509 | 565 | 563 | 449 | 35 | 464 | 235 | 190 | 142 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 16 | S 5 | SSW 6 | S 9 | SSE 8 | S 19 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | S 10 | S 9 | SSW 14 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | S 18 | SE 12 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 |
| kJ | 131 | 21 | 12 | 14 | 73 | 192 | 41 | 15 | 7 | 7 | 66 | 48 | 25 | 22 | 9 | 24 | 5 | 107 | 81 | 17 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 12 | SSW 14 | S 13 | SSW 6 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | — | — | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | SW 18 | S 16 | S 13 | S 10 | — | NE 8 | NE 7 |
| kJ | 6 | 40 | 29 | 6 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 16 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 12 | 20 | 3 | 2 | — | 21 | 8 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | SSW 6 | — | E 9 | NNE 5 | E 9 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | N 5 | — | — | — | NE 3 | E 10 | SSW 16 | S 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 |
| kJ | 69 | 34 | — | 251 | 33 | 162 | 272 | 320 | 469 | 966 | 27 | — | — | — | 5 | 786 | 48 | 1039 | 579 | 336 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 156 | 1007 | 36 | 1283 | 156 | 116 | 849 | 593 | 116 | 1 | 156 | 0 | 156 | 156 | 559 | 420 | 155 | 0 |
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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