Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for this stretch of coast.

We’ve got a solid run of surf ahead, starting from Monday morning. The opening session on Monday the 24th of August is looking like a real treat for the crew at Bells Beach - Bowl. We’re seeing a clean 4ft SSW groundswell, with a nice long period of 14 seconds – that’s real energy moving through the water. The combined energy is sitting at a moderate 554, and with a gentle cross-offshore breeze, the face will be a smooth canvas. This is a top pick for the early part of the week; it’s got that classic Bells shape and the wind is right in the pocket. The water temperature is about what you’d expect for this time of year, nothing outside the usual range.

That afternoon the swell drops a touch to 3ft, but it’s still clean. Tuesday looks a bit more mixed with some light rain and a cross-shore wind, so the quality drops off a notch. Wednesday morning brings a cleaner 3ft SSW swell, but the wind swings later in the day and gets a bit chunky, so get your session in early.

Thursday the 27th is a real gem. Morning has a clean 3ft with offshore winds, and then Thursday afternoon goes glassy – a dead flat sea with a tiny 2ft swell. If you can get out there, it’ll be like a mirror.

Friday the 28th kicks off with a punchy 4ft south-west swell, and the period jumps to a very long 18 seconds. That’s pure groundswell, folks. The combined energy is a solid 802 (moderate). It’s clean with a cross-off breeze, making it another standout for the week. That long period will make the sets stand up nicely at the point, but don’t expect a churning closeout – it’ll be a more patient, powerful wave.

Saturday morning the 29th is glassy again with a 3ft set, but the afternoon gets a bit of a cross-onshore bump. Sunday the 30th sees the swell size pick up, hitting 5ft in the afternoon with a 16-second period, though the wind is straight onshore, so it’ll be a bit of a battle.

Now, look ahead to Monday the 31st of August. That morning is a corker. Clean 4ft SW swell, 14-second period, with a light offshore breeze. The energy is pumping at 1173 (strong). This is the session for the experienced surfer – the power is there, and the line-up will be clean but demanding.

The pattern holds into early September. Tuesday the 1st has a clean 4ft morning with offshore winds. Wednesday the 2nd of September is the real beast of the run. The afternoon session shows a 4ft SW swell with a 16-second period, and the combined energy jumps to a strong 1478. With a light offshore wind, this is textbook expert territory. The swell direction is bang on from the optimum SW, so Bells will be handling it beautifully.

After that, the surf drops off into the first week of September. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are smaller, in the 2ft to 3ft range, with some rain showers and a bit of wind. It’s still surfable, but nothing to write home about.

Then we get a late burst. Saturday the 5th of September brings a clean 5ft SW swell, 17-second period, and a strong energy of 1222. The offshore wind is moderate, so it’ll be a bit blustery but still clean. Sunday the 6th sees the swell push up to 6ft to 6ft, with a 15 to 16-second period. The combined energy is strong at 1465 and 1474, but the wind gets a bit messy and cross-offshore. That’s big, powerful water – only for the very experienced.

The final days of the outlook, Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th of September, hold around 5ft to 6ft SW swell, but the wind is cross-shore and strong, making it a choppy, challenging day. You’d want to be a local or a very solid paddler to enjoy that.

Bottom line: The standout sessions are Monday morning the 24th and Friday morning the 28th of August, and then the big clean days on Monday the 31st of August and Wednesday the 2nd of September. If you’ve got the skill, the 2nd of September afternoon is the pick of the whole 16 days.

Rusty.

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