Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into what’s on the cards for the Bells Beach – Bowl.

We’re looking at a bit of a slow start, but don’t go anywhere, because this one builds into something seriously special. The early part of the week is a write-off, with messy, choppy conditions and onshore slop. Hold tight, because things start to turn around by Thursday morning, 6th August, when a clean, gentle offshore NW breeze meets a long-period 2ft SW groundswell. It’s small, but the conditions will be pristine. That gives way to a much better Friday morning, 7th August, with that same NW offshore wind, glassy as it gets, picking up a 3ft SW swell with a very long 16-second period. The energy is moderate (508). For the Bowl, those long-period SW swells wrapping in with offshore wind are what dreams are made of. It’s a prime moment for experienced surfers, though you might have some company – crowds are *sometimes* an issue here.

Now, the real standout. Mark your calendars for Monday afternoon, 10th August. This is the one. We see a jump to an 11ft WSW swell with a 17-second period. The combined energy is absolutely pumping (9082). The wind is a cross-offshore WNW breeze, so it’ll be clean and powerful. That’s big, punchy, expert-only territory. It’s too much for beginners, but for the crew who know how to handle the Bowl’s power, this is a session you won’t want to miss.

We get another pulse Wednesday morning, 12th August, with a huge 13ft SW swell (12,420 energy) and a fresh offshore NW wind. Again, expert-only, but the quality looks incredible. As we move into the second week, the swell settles but stays really consistent. Thursday afternoon, 13th August, offers an 8ft SW swell (3,916 energy) with a nice moderate offshore NW wind – excellent for those who find the 13ft a bit too heavy. Friday and Saturday (14th and 15th August) keep the clean offshore flows and 5ft to 7ft SW groundswells. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a 5mm out of the ordinary.

From the 16th onwards, the size drops back to a more manageable 3ft to 5ft, but the quality holds with offshore winds early on. The very end of the window gets a bit tricky with cross-shore breezes, but the core of the forecast is gold. The only true standouts are that 10th August pulse and the 12th August morning. Get on it.

- Rusty

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