Richards Bay (Outside) Surf Forecast

/ KZN North (23 surf breaks) /

South Africa (276 surf breaks) / Lat Long: (28.80° S 32.10° E)

Surf Forecasts:

Richards Bay (Outside) surfForecast / KZN North / South Africa

48hr Weather and Surf, issued 7 pm Saturday 23 May 2026 SAST

Forecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent

Richards Bay (Outside) surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.

Today's Richards Bay (Outside) sea temperature is 23.7° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at Richards Bay (Outside) today?

The current surf forecast for Richards Bay (Outside) at 12AM is: 0.7m 10s primary swell from a East direction and 0.4m 10s secondary swell from a South-southeast direction, 0.9m 5s secondary swell from a South direction (forecast issued at 07:00pm May 23). The wind direction is predicted to be cross-onshore.

Time (SAST) & Date	Wave Height	Wave Period
Morning (24 May)	2ft (0.6m)	10s
Afternoon (24 May)	2.5ft (0.7m)	12s
Evening (24 May)	1.5ft (0.5m)	12s

Table - waves today at Richards Bay (Outside). (Swell directed towards the surf break)

Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent

	Short Range Forecast Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 25°C on Tue afternoon, min 18°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.
	Sat 23			Sunday 24								Monday 25								Tue 26
	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM	5 PM	8 PM	11 PM	2 AM	5 AM	8 AM	11 AM	2 PM
Rating (10 max)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Swell Height Map See all maps
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s)	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	SSE 12	E 10	SSE 12	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	S 19	S 18	S 17
Wave Graph
kJ	106	98	96	96	70	70	68	150	56	77	97	93	91	85	83	82	88	86	64	63	61	64	160	210
Wind (km/h)	SSW	S	SSW	SSW	SSW	SW	SSW	SE	ESE	E	NNW	NW	NNW	NNW	NNE	ENE	ENE	NE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NNE	NE
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross-on	cross	cross-on	on	on	glassy	off	off	off	cross-off	cross-off	cross	cross	cross	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross-off	cross
High Tide			9:44PM1.41m				10:12AM1.27m					11:14PM1.43m				11:42AM1.30m				00:22AM1.50m				12:46PM1.39m
Low Tide	2:57PM0.58m				4:05AM0.72m				4:26PM0.62m					5:37AM0.68m				5:47PM0.59m				6:42AM0.59m


	—	—	—	—	6:31	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6:31	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	6:33	—	—	—
	5:04	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:04	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:04	—	—	—	—	—	—	5:02
mm	—	1	—	—	—	—	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Temp °C	23	22	21	21	21	20	21	22	21	21	20	20	19	19	22	24	21	21	20	20	19	18	23	25
Feels °C	22	21	21	21	21	20	21	23	22	23	22	21	20	20	22	23	19	20	19	19	18	16	22	23
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	E 10	SSE 9	SSE 12	E 10	E 10	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 11	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SE 10	S 18	S 17
kJ	106	98	96	96	70	70	64	150	47	47	97	93	91	85	83	82	88	86	64	63	61	45	160	210
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 10	SSE 9	S 4	E 10	E 10	SSE 12	SSE 12	E 9	E 9	E 9	E 9	E 9	E 9	ESE 9	ESE 9	ESE 9	ESE 8	ESE 8	S 19	SE 10	SE 10
kJ	33	33	32	31	28	13	68	68	56	77	45	39	40	40	40	41	27	16	16	14	12	64	45	45
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SSE 14	SE 14	SSE 13	SE 13	SE 13	SSE 9	SE 12	SSW 14	SSW 4	S 4	SSW 13	SSW 14	SSW 12	SSW 13	SSW 13	SSW 13	SW 13	S 16	S 16	S 16	SSW 16	SE 14	SE 13	SE 13
kJ	18	48	35	43	41	28	37	18	4	3	18	19	15	16	16	16	6	5	5	20	25	29	46	44
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s)	SSW 5	S 5	S 5	S 5	S 5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	ENE 3	ENE 4	ENE 4	NE 4	NE 5	NE 5	NE 5	NE 5	NE 5
kJ	40	50	40	29	21	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	3	17	32	40	47	41	37	30	28
Nearest Offshore or Glassy	Dairy Beach (New Pier) Durban/KZN South	Dairy Beach (New Pier) Durban/KZN South	Mtunzini KZN North	Alkantstrand KZN North	Alkantstrand KZN North	Alkantstrand KZN North	Alkantstrand KZN North	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Alkantstrand KZN North	Richards Bay (Inside) KZN North	Richards Bay (Inside) KZN North	Richards Bay (Inside) KZN North	Richards Bay (Inside) KZN North	Richards Bay (Inside) KZN North	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Reunion Durban/KZN South	Sodwana KZN North	Salt Rock KZN North	Siyayi KZN North	Mtunzini KZN North	Siyayi KZN North	Reunion Durban/KZN South
Rating (10 max)	1	1	2	1	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2
Distance (km)	155	155	37	0	0	0	0	157	157	0	0	0	0	0	0	157	157	157	204	116	50	37	50	157
Best forecast wave conditions in KwaZulu-Natal North Coast			Mtunzini	Mtunzini	Alkantstrand	Siyayi	Umhlanga			Richards Bay (Outside)	Richards Bay (Outside)	Richards Bay (Outside)	Richards Bay (Outside)	Richards Bay (Outside)	Richards Bay (Outside)				Kosi Bay	Kosi Bay	Umhlanga	Umhlanga	Siyayi
Rating (10 max)			2	1	2	2	2			1	1	1	1	1	1				1	1	2	2	2
Best forecast wave conditions in South Africa	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Koeel Bay Overberg	Paranoia Overberg	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Gerickes Point Garden Route	Hout Bay Cape Town	Hout Bay Cape Town	Vleesbaai Overberg	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Hout Bay Cape Town	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Goukamma River Mouth Garden Route	Treskostraal West Coast	Hout Bay Cape Town
Rating (10 max)	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	4	3
Header Global	Papatowai New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Cannibal Bay New Zealand	Papatowai New Zealand	Etang-Sale Reunion	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Chameau Mauritius	Aileen's Ireland	Arrawarra Australia	Ahijedero Mexico	Ahijedero Mexico	Ahijedero Mexico	Boneyards South Africa	Albatross South Africa	Albatross South Africa	Dolphin Point Australia	Papatowai New Zealand	Lincoln City Nelscott Reef United States	Lincoln City Nelscott Reef United States
Rating (10 max)	7	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	5	4	4	5	7	9	9

Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)

Latest Updates

Ben Mondy

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Richards Bay (Outside) Surf Forecast

Richards Bay (Outside) surfForecast / KZN North / South Africa

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