Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the next couple of weeks at Bells Beach – Bowl. This is a reef and point break, so when it catches a proper SW groundswell with a long period, it’s world class. The outlook has a bit of everything, but one day is the clear winner.

Friday the 21st is a quiet start. We’ve got a tiny 3ft swell with a 15-second period, and a moderate cross-off breeze – not enough juice to bother with. The wave energy is weak (343). It’s a slow start, but don’t stress.

Then it goes off. Saturday the 22nd morning is the big one. A solid 13ft SW groundswell, 15-second period, and a clean offshore WNW breeze at 12 mph. The combined energy is pumping at 8628 – that’s serious power. This is expert-only territory – anything over 8ft is for the brave. The Bowl will be throwing big, heavy walls. This is the standout of the entire 16-day window.

Saturday afternoon holds the same 13ft swell, but the wind swings cross-shore from the SW at 12 mph, bringing a bit of chop. Still big, but not as clean.

Sunday the 23rd backs off but stays excellent. The morning sees a 5ft SW swell with a 14-second period, and a light offshore NW breeze at 9 mph. That’s a clean, manageable size for strong intermediates. The energy is moderate (1193). The afternoon stays clean with a 5ft swell and a light cross-off breeze.

The middle of the week gets messy. Monday the 24th drops to 4ft with weak energy (478) – not worth it. Tuesday the 25th brings a 4ft swell but with a S cross-on wind and rain, making it choppy. Wednesday the 26th has a 6ft short-period (8 seconds) bump from the SSW – chunky and sloppy with a cross-shore wind.

Thursday the 27th is a nice clean pocket. A 2ft to 3ft SW groundswell with a light cross-off breeze. Small but fun.

Friday the 28th is a write-off. Strong S cross-on winds at 18 to 22 mph will turn the 4ft swell into a lumpy mess. The weekend of the 29th and 30th is flat with tiny 1ft to 2ft swells and poor wind. A real lull.

We see a pulse again at the start of September. Monday the 1st of September picks up a little with 2ft to 3ft SW swells and clean conditions. Wednesday the 3rd of September morning looks solid with a 4ft SW groundswell and a consistent offshore WNW breeze at 12 mph. The energy is building (774).

Looking ahead to Friday the 4th of September morning – that’s a potential late standout. A 6ft SW groundswell with an 18-second period is a beautiful, powerful line. The wind is offshore NW at 12 mph, and the energy is strong (1873). It promises excellent, clean conditions for advanced surfers. The afternoon gets blown out by rain, so get out early.

The water temperature is about average for the time of year.

So, the one to circle is Saturday the 22nd morning for a proper big-swell session. Sunday the 23rd morning is a cleaner, more accessible option. The rest of the week is about picking the clean windows. Rusty out.

Read more