
Surf Forecasts:
Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 29 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 13s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, WSW swell with 4,119 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 13s period with SSW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bells Beach - Bowl this week:
The surf forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 13s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bells Beach - Bowl in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 11ft (3.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Righto, let’s see what’s on the cards. We’ve got our eyes on Bells Beach – the Bowl, a solid reef and point setup that loves a good SW groundswell. Water temp is sitting at 57°F, pretty much normal for this time of year, so don’t expect any surprises there. The coming days have a bit of a mixed bag, with the first real standout waiting till the weekend.
Looks like Wednesday the 29th is a write-off – 8ft of lumpy, cross-shore wind, not worth paddling out for. Thursday the 30th morning is cleaner, with 5ft SSW swell and a gentler wind, but the energy is moderate (837 combined energy) and nothing to get too excited about. Friday morning is small at 4ft SW, clean but weak.
Now, Saturday the 1st of August is where things start looking tasty. The afternoon brings a clean 5ft SW swell with a very long 17-second period and a glassy offshore breeze. The combined energy jumps to 2001 – solid moderate energy. That’s a proper groundswell, and Bells being a reef and point, those long-period waves will set up beautifully. This is a standout session, but it’ll draw a crowd – so get in early.
Sunday the 2nd has a bit more size but the wind stiffens – 16 mph cross-off keeps it clean, but the 4ft SW swell feels weaker. Monday the 3rd drops right off. The real next highlight is Wednesday the 5th of August. The afternoon delivers 4ft SW swell with a long 18-second period, combined energy of 1022, and true offshore wind. That’s clean, lined-up, and punchy for a point break.
Thursday the 6th keeps the good run going with 4ft SW and offshore wind in the morning, clean and glassy. Then we hit a quiet spell – from Friday the 7th afternoon through to Monday the 10th, it’s all small, lacklustre, or blown-out. A gap of a few days where you’re better off doing something else.
Then Tuesday the 11th of August, look out. Morning glass with a 7ft SW swell and a 17-second period – combined energy of 4896, strong wave energy. That’s expert territory, big and powerful. The afternoon drops to 6ft but picks up a cross-shore breeze, so morning is the pick. Wednesday the 12th has a solid 8ft SSW swell with 3952 combined energy, but the wind is cross-off, keeping it clean – still only for the experienced.
After that, the energy backs off into mellow 5ft SW swell by the 13th.
So the standout sessions are Saturday the 1st August afternoon and Wednesday the 5th August afternoon – clean, long-period SW groundswell with offshore winds. The big stuff on Tuesday the 11th morning is for the crew who know what they’re doing.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri morning, min 9°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Sat afternoon, fresh winds from the NW by Sun night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | ||||||||||||||
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 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 21 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
3371 | 1601 | 837 | 640 | 417 | 341 | 299 | 255 | 309 | 1179 | 1318 | 940 | 711 | 424 | 350 | 341 | 435 | 514 | 303 | 210 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 11:00PM1.33m | 12:51PM1.71m | 00:08AM1.38m | 1:28PM1.78m | 1:02AM1.46m | 2:00PM1.83m | 1:49AM1.54m | 2:29PM1.87m | 2:31AM1.62m | 2:56PM1.88m | 3:11AM1.69m | 3:22PM1.87m | 3:50AM1.75m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:14PM1.02m | 5:41AM0.46m | 7:02PM0.92m | 6:32AM0.42m | 7:40PM0.80m | 7:16AM0.40m | 8:13PM0.68m | 7:56AM0.39m | 8:43PM0.56m | 8:34AM0.41m | 9:12PM0.45m | 9:09AM0.45m | 9:40PM0.35m | |||||||
— | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:26 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | |
5:30 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:32 | — | — | 5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 10 |
Feels °C | 5 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | SW 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SSW 12 |
18 | 1601 | 837 | 640 | 417 | 341 | 299 | 255 | 144 | 1179 | 1318 | 940 | 711 | 424 | 350 | 341 | 435 | 514 | 303 | 171 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 10 | — | S 9 | S 23 | SW 21 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | SSE 16 | S 15 | WSW 17 | SSW 19 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 21 |
— | 34 | — | 15 | 11 | 18 | 98 | 91 | 309 | 822 | 53 | 53 | 24 | 18 | 246 | 37 | 253 | 67 | 63 | 210 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 15 | — | — | — | S 13 | S 20 | S 12 | S 17 | — | — | — | — | — | S 14 | — | SW 18 | S 16 | SSW 21 | SW 15 |
— | 39 | — | — | — | 12 | 8 | 3 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | 150 | 5 | 45 | 54 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | — | — | WSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 3 | NNE 3 | N 3 | WNW 3 | W 3 | — | — | — | — |
3371 | — | — | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 230 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 233 | 32 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Torquay | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bells Beach - Bowl Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bells Beach - Bowl provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bells Beach - Bowl can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bells Beach - Bowl 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 (Bells Beach - Bowl) 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 Bells Beach - Bowl 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.
Bells Beach - Bowl is 26 km (16 miles) from the city of Geelong. If you plan a holiday in Torquay, look for hotels and other accommodation in Geelong. Geelong has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










