Surf Forecasts:
Bawa surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 19s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 18s period, SSW swell with 5,392 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 19s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bawa this week:
The surf forecast for Bawa over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 19s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bawa in the next 16 days are 3.0m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (WIB) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 19s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bawa over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's look at what's on the menu for the next 16 days. We've got one spot that's going to be doing all the heavy lifting, and it's a good one.
We're talking about Bawa, a reef and point set-up that's very consistent and exposed to the swell. This place is built for the more experienced surfer, and it's about to get a solid run of groundswell. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual there.
The action kicks off on Wednesday morning, August 19th. We're looking at a solid 8ft swell from the SSW with a very long period of 18 seconds. The wave energy is pumping (4641), and with a glassy 3 mph SSE breeze, the conditions are going to be absolutely pristine. This is a serious groundswell, so at Bawa – a reef and point – it's going to wrap in beautifully. This is expert-level stuff at 8ft, but it's a standout session.
Later that afternoon, the wind swings to the cross-on, and while the swell bumps up to 10ft (5167 energy), it's not going to be as clean. Thursday morning, the 20th, sees a return to form with a 10ft SSW swell, a 16-second period, and a clean offshore N wind at 9 mph. Another top-notch morning for the experienced crew.
Friday morning, the 21st, is still very good. We've got a 7ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, and while the energy is dropping (2459), the wind is a light cross-offshore from the NE at 3 mph. Clean, fun waves for the weekend kick-off.
The weekend itself gets a bit messy. From Saturday, the 22nd, through Sunday, the 23rd, the wind turns onshore or cross-onshore, making the surf lumpy. The swell hangs around 6ft to 7ft, but the quality drops off. It's not a write-off, but it's not the best of the window.
We get a nice reprieve on Monday morning, August 24th. The wind goes glassy again with a 6ft SSW swell and a 17-second period. The energy is solid (2123), and it'll be clean. A good session for those who can wait.
The middle of the week from the 25th to the 27th is a mixed bag of small to moderate swell and onshore or glassy winds. Thursday morning, August 27th, is worth a mention. It's small, only 4ft from the SW, but the wind is glassy and the period is a long 15 seconds. The energy (1068) is moderate, but the conditions will be clean for a longboard or a funboard.
After that, it's a bit of a lull for a few days. The swell drops right off, with only small, weak waves on offer. There's a promising-looking bump coming in on Monday, September 1st, with an 8ft SSW swell and a 17-second period, but the wind is forecast to be cross-onshore, so it's a bit of a gamble. The energy is strong (3947), so keep an eye on it. The window closes on Thursday morning, September 3rd, with a clean, glassy 6ft SSW swell (1447 energy) – a nice little note to end on.
So, the standout is definitely Wednesday the 19th and Thursday the 20th for the serious, experienced surfers chasing big, clean groundswell. Monday the 24th morning is your call for something a little more manageable but still clean. The long-range stuff around the 1st of September is promising but less certain.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 36mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 28°C on Tue night, min 24°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sun night. Warm (max 28°C on Sat morning, min 26°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
4523 | 5037 | 5209 | 4006 | 3304 | 2648 | 2144 | 1787 | 3202 | 2472 | 2074 | 1690 | 1154 | 1059 | 893 | 2088 | 998 | 1531 | 1274 | 1145 | 1047 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on |
High Tide | 9:29AM0.50m | 10:30PM0.62m | 9:51AM0.41m | 11:26PM0.56m | 10:03AM0.34m | 00:55AM0.53m | 12:10PM0.28m | 2:41AM0.54m | 3:34PM0.30m | 3:50AM0.59m | 4:31PM0.35m | 4:35AM0.65m | 5:05PM0.42m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:27PM0.11m | 4:39AM0.27m | 3:54PM0.14m | 6:06AM0.31m | 4:29PM0.18m | 11:24AM0.28m | 5:37PM0.22m | 11:02AM0.23m | 8:03PM0.23m | 11:16AM0.18m | 9:32PM0.20m | 11:32AM0.14m | 10:23PM0.16m | ||||||||
6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:36 | — | |
mm | 3 | — | 13 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 28 |
Feels °C | 31 | 31 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 |
4523 | 5037 | 5209 | 4006 | 3304 | 2648 | 2144 | 1787 | 3202 | 2472 | 2074 | 1690 | 1154 | 1059 | 893 | 2088 | 998 | 1531 | 1274 | 1145 | 1047 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 10 | W 8 | S 20 | S 19 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | S 21 | S 19 | SSW 18 | WNW 8 | SSW 13 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | S 7 | WNW 8 |
41 | 55 | 49 | 57 | 105 | 52 | 284 | 904 | 41 | 39 | 45 | 38 | 332 | 767 | 670 | 35 | 506 | 24 | 22 | 49 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 20 | WSW 20 | — | WSW 18 | WNW 10 | WSW 17 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WSW 16 | W 15 | S 26 | SSW 24 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | — | WNW 8 | W 13 | W 18 | WNW 8 | SSW 7 |
77 | 75 | — | 61 | 18 | 57 | 31 | 62 | 25 | 5 | 13 | 108 | 36 | 39 | 37 | — | 37 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 7 | S 7 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 57 | 59 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 50 | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 37 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Nias | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Indonesia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Bawa Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bawa provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bawa can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bawa 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 (Bawa) 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 Bawa 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Nias? If you are looking for accommodation near Bawa, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Nias, consider staying in Afia which is 67 km (42 miles) away.











