Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s shaping up at Bells Beach – the Bowl, that famous reef and point set-up. We’ve got a bit of a slow starter, but there’s some absolute fire on the horizon if you’ve got patience.

Right now, the water’s sitting at 56°, which is pretty much what you’d expect for this time of year – nothing unusual there. The first real surf to get excited about kicks off on Monday the 24th of August. Monday morning’s looking tidy with a clean 4ft SSW swell, a long 14-second period, and a gentle cross-off breeze from the north. The energy’s moderate at 554, and it’s setting up for some very good waves. By Monday afternoon, it drops a fraction to 3ft, still clean, with that 12-second period. A nice, gentle start.

Tuesday the 25th is a bit of a letdown – the swell hangs around 4ft to 4ft from the SW, but the wind swings cross-shore and light rain shows up. It’s a bit messy, not really worth paddling out for. Wednesday the 26th looks even worse, with a cross-on breeze and choppy conditions – I’d give that a miss.

Thursday the 27th brings a tease: a clean 3ft SSW swell with a 1ft period, but the real gem is Thursday afternoon – glassy conditions and 2ft waves. Small, but clean as a whistle. Friday the 28th is where it starts to get interesting. Friday morning has a long-period 3ft SW groundswell at 18 seconds, with a gentle offshore wind. The energy is moderate at 623, and the wave quality is very good. Friday afternoon turns glassy again with 4ft SW swell, 16-second period, and a combined energy of 698. That’s a great session, especially for a point break like the Bowl where long-period groundswell really lines up.

Saturday the 29th starts glassy with 3ft SW swell, but the afternoon gets a bit iffy with an onshore breeze. Sunday the 30th is worth a look – a glassy morning with 3ft SW swell at 13 seconds and energy of 452. Good, clean fun.

Now, for the standout – mark your calendar for Monday the 31st of August. Monday morning brings a solid 6ft SW swell with a very long 19-second period and a combined energy reading of 3007 – that’s strong wave energy, no doubt. The wind is a slight cross-off from the north, keeping it clean. This one’s for the advanced crew – it’s too big for beginners, but for the experts, it’s exceptional. Monday afternoon is just as good, glassy and still 6ft. This is the pick of the whole outlook.

Tuesday the 1st of September holds onto the swell at 4ft, with a moderate offshore from the WNW, but the wind picks up, making it a bit more challenging. The rest of that week has some good pulses, particularly Wednesday the 2nd afternoon with a 4ft SW swell at 18 seconds and energy of 1811, though the wind’s onshore. Thursday the 3rd afternoon cleans up with a 4ft SW swell and cross-off breeze.

The second week has a couple of absolute bombs. Friday the 4th of September – get ready for a 10ft WSW swell, moderate offshore from the NW, and energy at 3382. That’s big, powerful, and only for the very experienced. Saturday the 5th settles down to a clean 3ft SSW swell, a nice cooldown. Then Sunday the 6th of September – another huge pulse: 10ft WSW swell with energy at 3865, moderate offshore. This is another expert-only day, and the swell direction is a touch west of the optimum, but the Bowl handles it.

Monday the 7th is a write-off with howling near-gale winds, despite the swell. But Tuesday the 8th of September is a stunner: a 10ft SW swell with an 18-second period and energy at 5181, with a fresh offshore breeze. The afternoon holds at 8ft with the same long period, still offshore. That’s a world-class day for the crew with the skill to handle it.

So, the bottom line: the first real surf is Monday the 24th, but the absolute standout is Monday the 31st of August for a clean, powerful groundswell. The second standout is Tuesday the 8th of September – another clean, heavy session. Crowds can happen here at Bells, especially on those days, so get in early. This is a consistent, exposed reef and point, and when the SW swell locks in with offshore or glassy wind, it’s as good as it gets.

Rusty.

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