Surf Forecasts:
Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 15s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 12s period, SW swell with 1,807 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 18 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period with SW 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 Saturday (Jul 18) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 14s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bells Beach - Bowl in the next 16 days are 2.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) 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 0.6m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Sat 18th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, let's talk about the next couple of weeks for Bells Beach.
First up, the water temperature is about what you'd expect for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there. The forecast kicks off with a bit of a slow start, but it's worth hanging in there.
Saturday, July 18th is a nice little intro. The Bowl is seeing a clean 3ft of SW swell, with a light offshore breeze from the WNW in the morning. The energy is moderate (382), and it's got that long period (14 seconds) that gives it some real grunt. By the afternoon, the wind goes glassy from the SE, and the swell drops to 3ft, but it will be silky smooth. A solid day for a paddle.
Sunday, July 19th through Tuesday, July 21st are a bit more ordinary. The swell drops right down to 2-3ft, and while the wind is offshore or cross-off, the energy is low (145-281). You'll get a wave, but it's not one to write home about.
Wednesday, July 22nd is a bit of a write-off. The wind is howling onshore from the WSW, and while the swell is 3ft, the conditions are marginal thanks to the rain and the chop.
Now, here's where it gets interesting. The real standout is Friday, July 24th. The Bowl is looking at a solid 6ft SW groundswell, with a long period of 15 seconds, and a clean offshore breeze from the WNW all day. The energy is very strong (2388), and this is the kind of day that has the Bowl doing what it does best. This is a good one for the experienced crew.
Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th ease off a bit, but still offer clean, surfable waves with offshore winds.
Then, Monday, July 27th is a beast. The afternoon session sees an 8ft SW swell with a moderate period of 12 seconds, and the offshore wind is strong. The energy is massive (3042), and the conditions are rated excellent for experienced surfers. This is a big day; only for the brave.
Tuesday, July 28th is a bit messy with rain showers, but the energy is still huge (2495) with a 7ft SSW swell. The afternoon cleans up with a NW offshore, making it another one for the experts.
Wednesday, July 29th offers a step down to a more manageable 5-5ft, still with clean offshore winds, so a good day for the strong intermediate.
Thursday, July 30th looks like a write-off with strong onshore winds and a big, messy 10-12ft SSW swell. The energy is very high (2555), but the wind is howling onshore, so it's a mess.
Friday, July 31st is the final standout. The Bowl is firing again with a 7-8ft SSW swell, but the kicker is the glassy conditions in the afternoon from a light SSE wind. The energy is strong (1389), and the waves will be clean and lined up. This is a top-notch day.
Saturday, August 1st and Sunday, August 2nd are a total loss, with strong onshore winds from the ESE and a lot of chop. Not worth a second look.
To sum it up: If you're after a solid session, Friday, July 24th and Friday, July 31st are your best bets. The 24th has the better period and classic offshore winds, while the 31st has that glassy afternoon gold. The 27th is for the big-wave hunters only.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 606 | 382 | 250 | 83 | 98 | 93 | 109 | 161 | 107 | 132 | 281 | 246 | 109 | 141 | 265 | 1244 | 1447 | 1111 | 1224 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | glassy | off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:42AM1.76m | 2:34PM2.05m | 2:41AM1.81m | 3:14PM2.04m | 3:35AM1.82m | 3:51PM1.99m | 4:25AM1.80m | 4:26PM1.92m | 5:13AM1.75m | 4:59PM1.82m | 6:00AM1.69m | 5:30PM1.72m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:01AM0.13m | 8:47PM0.42m | 8:50AM0.22m | 9:31PM0.30m | 9:36AM0.34m | 10:13PM0.24m | 10:20AM0.48m | 10:53PM0.23m | 11:01AM0.63m | 11:32PM0.26m | 11:41AM0.76m | 00:10AM0.32m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | | |  |  | | | | |
 | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:33 | — | — | 7:31 | — | — |
 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 606 | 382 | 250 | 81 | 98 | 93 | 63 | 161 | 107 | 132 | 281 | 246 | 109 | 141 | 265 | 1244 | 1447 | 1111 | 1224 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | — | — | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 18 | SSW 10 | WSW 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 | SW 11 | SSW 15 | E 10 | — | — | — | SW 16 |
| kJ | 4 | — | — | 83 | 44 | 39 | 109 | 19 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 63 | 22 | 2 | — | — | — | 728 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | SSW 19 | WSW 12 | E 12 | SSW 10 | S 14 | — | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 15 | 37 | 14 | 3 | 10 | 4 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 2 | — | NW 2 | — | — | NW 2 | W 3 | WSW 3 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 7 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 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.
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