Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.37° S 144.28° E

Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 01 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bells Beach - Bowl sea temperature is
13.6°C
0.6° 

Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 2 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 15s period, WSW swell with 9,985 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 15s 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 15s. 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 5.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 05) 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 4s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Tue 1st Sep)3.5ft (1.0m) 15s
Best Surf 1PM (Wed 2nd Sep)5ft (1.6m) 16s
Most Powerful10PM (Sat 5th Sep)16ft (5.0m) 15s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let's get into it.

We’ve got a solid run of groundswell lining up at Bells Beach - Bowl, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The water temp is sitting at about 57°F with a small positive anomaly, so it’s feeling pretty average for this time of year.

The first few days are a bit of a tease. Tuesday morning the 1st has a clean 4-foot SW swell with a long 16-second period, but the energy is only moderate (749) and the cross-off wind isn't ideal. The afternoon cleans up with a proper offshore wind, but the swell drops to 3 feet. Wednesday the 2nd sees the swell building to 5 – 5 feet from the SW with a 15-16 second period and moderate energy (1161-1220). The wind is a cross-off, so it’s clean but not glassy. It’s surfable, but nothing to get overly excited about.

Now, Thursday the 3rd afternoon is where things get interesting. The swell jacks up to 15 feet from the SW with a 14-second period and the energy is a massive 8746. That’s a serious amount of power. But with a fresh cross-off wind and that size, this is strictly for the experienced crew. It’s going to be a wild, powerful beast.

The standout window is Friday the 4th morning. We’ve got a 8-foot SW groundswell with a 16-second period, strong energy (2579), and a clean offshore wind from the NNW. This is the kind of Bells you dream about – lined up, focused, and offering up some proper barrels for the advanced surfer. The afternoon stays clean but the swell drops slightly.

Saturday the 5th gets blown out by strong 25 mph winds, so don’t even bother. Sunday the 6th morning brings a nice reset with a 6-foot SW swell, 15-second period, and a light offshore from the NW. That’s a clean, fun session with solid energy (1361). The afternoon goes glassy but cross-shore, so it’s still worth a paddle.

The following week has a few more highlights. Monday the 7th is small and weak. Tuesday the 8th is messy with a fresh cross-shore wind. But Wednesday the 9th morning is a beauty: an 8-foot SSW groundswell with a 17-second period, very strong energy (3416), and a light offshore wind. That’s a powerful, clean swell for the experts. The next morning, Thursday the 10th, hangs in there with a 6-foot SW swell and clean conditions.

Friday the 11th is another standout morning. We’ve got a 7-foot SW swell from the 17-second groundswell, huge energy (3001), and a light offshore. That’s a day where the bank at Bells is going to be working perfectly. The afternoon holds with a gentle offshore and 7-foot sets.

The weekend of the 12th and 13th fades. Saturday the 12th is smaller and clean, but Sunday the 13th is a write-off with strong onshore winds. The early part of the next week (14th and 15th) is messy with cross-onshore winds and small, weak swell. The 16th gets blown out again.

So, my pick for the best on offer is Friday the 4th morning and Friday the 11th morning. Both have that magic combo of solid SW groundswell, long period, and offshore winds. The 9th morning is also a ripper for the big-wave hunters.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 7°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri night, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WNW on Sat morning, light winds from the NE by Sun afternoon).

Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
1
3
3
4
2
8
4
4
3
3
1
1
3
4
3
2
2
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
SW
16
1
SW
15
0.8
SW
14
1.4
SW
16
1.6
SW
15
1.6
SW
15
1.8
SW
14
4.5
SW
14
2.3
SW
15
2.3
SW
16
2.1
SW
16
1.6
SW
15
2.1
SW
14
2.5
SW
15
2.2
SW
15
1.8
SW
15
1.6
SW
14
1.1
SW
13
0.9
SW
13
0.7
SW
13
0.7
SW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
702
429
293
1065
1135
1140
1382
6690
2233
2450
2028
1219
1812
2579
2140
1361
1016
451
241
172
184
Wind (km/h)
25
NNW
25
NNW
20
WNW
15
WNW
20
WNW
25
NW
30
W
25
W
15
NW
20
NNW
20
NNW
30
NNW
40
WNW
40
W
20
W
10
NW
5
NE
5
NNW
5
N
5
ENE
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
2:20PM1.83m
2:52AM1.90m
2:48PM1.85m
3:31AM1.96m
3:17PM1.85m
4:11AM1.96m
3:49PM1.84m
4:54AM1.92m
4:24PM1.81m
5:42AM1.84m
5:04PM1.75m
6:38AM1.73m
5:53PM1.66m
Low Tide
8:34PM0.26m
8:53AM0.47m
9:06PM0.15m
9:29AM0.52m
9:40PM0.08m
10:05AM0.60m
10:18PM0.05m
10:44AM0.69m
11:00PM0.07m
11:26AM0.80m
11:48PM0.15m
12:18PM0.90m
00:47AM0.26m
clear
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:46
6:43
6:43
6:41
6:39
6:37
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
6:00
6:00
6:01
6:02
6:02
6:04
6:05
 mm
1
1
1
2
2
Temp °C
19
19
14
15
15
13
13
14
10
14
15
16
14
14
12
15
16
12
15
15
12
Feels °C
13
14
10
11
10
7
6
8
6
9
11
10
5
6
7
12
14
10
13
13
10
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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