Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, it’s Rusty. Let’s have a proper look at the next couple of weeks for the Bells Beach Bowl. This is a spot that can get real good when the planets align, and while the start of this run is a bit quiet, there’s some solid size and clean conditions on the way, especially for the crew who aren't afraid of a bit of juice.

Right off the bat, the first few days are going to be a tease. The water temp is sitting at 55.9°F, which is just about spot on for the middle of August. No dramas there. But the surf itself is looking pretty marginal through Sunday the 16th and Monday the 17th. We’ve got some SW swell in the water around 3.6ft to 4.3ft, with a long 14 to 16 second period, but the wind is blowing cross-on from the ESE and SSE. That’s putting a bit of chop on the face and making things messy. The energy is moderate, around the 545 to 675 mark, but it’s not doing us any favors. It’s a bit of a struggle just to find a half-decent one. Tuesday the 18th and Wednesday the 19th are worse. The swell drops right away, down to 2ft, the wind picks up from the NNE and N at 20 to 30 km/h. Even though it's cross-off and looks clean, there’s just no power. The energy drops to weak levels, down around 84 to 387. It's a real flat spell, nothing doing.

We get a little glimmer of hope on Thursday the 20th with a bit of groundswell at 2ft and a NW offshore wind, but it’s still pretty ordinary. It’s only on Friday the 21st that the Bowl starts to show its teeth. A fresh NW breeze at 15 to 20 km/h builds some clean, lined-up waves. The swell is only 2.3ft, but the period stretches out to 18 seconds and the energy jumps back to a moderate 668. The comment says "expect very good surf conditions" and I’m with that. It’s small, but it’s clean and it’s got that push. This is the first real pick of the week for the more patient surfer.

And then, hold onto your boardies. Saturday the 22nd the ocean wakes right up. There’s a big pulse of SW swell that hits early morning. We’re talking 11.5ft with a 15 second period, and the energy is strong, way up at 7455. That’s a serious amount of water moving. The wind is a cross-off from the WSW at 20 km/h, so it’s not perfect, but it's workable. This is big for the Bowl, definitely not one for the beginners. If you’re an experienced surfer, this is where it gets interesting, but even then, it’s a handful. It backs off a bit into the afternoon to 6.2ft, but the energy is still strong at 1705.

Sunday the 23rd settles down into a much more manageable size. We’re looking at a steady 5.2ft of SW swell with a 15 second period. The wind goes offshore from the NW at 25 km/h, and the conditions are described as excellent for experienced surfers. The energy is a strong 1206. This is a fantastic day. Clean, powerful lines reeling down the reef. Crowds are possible here, but if you’re out there, you’ll be getting some of the best waves of the run. This is a standout.

Monday the 24th is another one for the big-wave crew only. The swell jumps back up to a solid 13.1ft with a 14 second period and the energy is through the roof at 6997 in the morning, then 7916 in the afternoon. It’s howling a bit more with the wind, with WSW at 30 km/h for a cross-off. The forecast says "exceptional surf conditions for expert surfers," and that’s exactly what it is. It’s huge, powerful and shallow out there. If you’re not 100% dialed in, give this one a miss. This is a standout, but it’s a serious one.

After that, the swell starts to fade. Tuesday the 25th drops to 6.6ft but the wind swings south, bringing a cross-on and choppy conditions. The energy is still strong at 1469, but it's messy. From here on, the rest of the window is a step down. The next obvious high point is Thursday the 27th. We get a rise back to 5.2ft of SW groundswell with an 18 second period, and the energy is strong at 2694. There’s a light NNE cross-off wind, and the conditions are looking clean and excellent for experienced surfers. This is the last real standout of the period, another solid day for your diary.

Friday the 28th through to Sunday the 30th offers a mix. There are some

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