Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead at Bells Beach – Bowl, and while there’s a bit of a slow start, the back half of the forecast is where it gets seriously interesting. Let’s break it down.

Right off the bat, Saturday morning, August 1st, we’re seeing a clean 2 ft SW groundswell with a very long 17-second period and light cross-offshore winds. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. The combined swell energy is moderate (527). It’s not big, but it’s clean and that long period will give you some nice, lined-up waves—just be aware the long gaps between sets mean you’ll be sitting out there a while. Crowds are possible at Bells, but with these smaller numbers, it might not be too packed.

Saturday afternoon picks up a bit—5 ft from the same SW direction, still that long 17-second period, and the energy jumps to strong (1724). Winds are light and cross-off. This is a solid session for experienced surfers, but beginners might find the 5 ft a bit much.

Sunday (August 2nd) stays around 5 ft in the morning and drops to 4 ft in the afternoon, but the wind picks up—moderate to fresh breeze from the north, making it cross-off. The energy drops too (987 and 776). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Monday (August 3rd) and Tuesday (August 4th) are a bit of a mixed bag. Monday morning has a fresh offshore from the WNW, but the swell is only 4 ft and the period drops to 15 seconds—energy is moderate (817). Tuesday morning bumps up to 8 ft with moderate energy (1793), but the wind is cross-off and the conditions are only marginal. Tuesday afternoon turns into a chop-fest with rain showers and cross-shore wind—avoid that.

From Wednesday (August 5th) through to the end of the first week, the swell drops way down—2 ft to 2 ft—with very long periods (14-19 seconds) and light winds. Thursday afternoon even goes glassy. Energy is low (181-424). These are tiny, clean days for a longboard or a fish, but don’t expect much push.

Now here’s where it gets real. Tuesday, August 11th afternoon is a standout. Glassy conditions, 10 ft of SW groundswell (14-second period) and the combined energy is a massive 4396. That’s serious power. This is for experienced surfers only—10 ft is expert territory. The glassy wind means it’ll be perfect at Bells, but that kind of size and short period for a groundswell can make it a bit lumpy at times. Still, this is the pick of the bunch.

Wednesday, August 12th morning is another cracker—same 10 ft, glassy, energy at 4083. It’s a back-to-back monster. The afternoon turns onshore, so get in early.

Friday, August 14th morning also shines: 8 ft from the SSW, 16-second period, glassy, and energy at 3610. That’s a long-period groundswell, best at the reef and point at Bells—it’ll bend around and give you some beautiful, grinding lines. Again, expert-only territory.

The following weekend, Saturday, August 15th has a 6 ft SSW groundswell with offshore winds in the morning and glassy conditions in the afternoon—good for strong intermediates and above. Sunday, August 16th morning is a surprise: 3 ft but with an 18-second period, glassy, and energy at 1021. That’s a super clean, fun-sized day for anyone.

Overall, the first week is small and clean, with a few OK sessions. The real gold is August 11th through 14th—those are the days to circle. Big, powerful, clean swell, but you need to be on your game.

Rusty.

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