Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.37° S 144.28° E

Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 pm 03 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bells Beach - Bowl sea temperature is
13.6° C
0.4° 

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 3 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, WSW swell with 4,715 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 4 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s 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 (Aug 04) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 17s. 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 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Tue 4th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 12s
Best Surf 4PM (Mon 10th Aug)8ft (2.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 7AM (Mon 10th Aug)13ft (4.0m) 13s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s shaping up for Bells Beach over the next couple of weeks.

We’re starting off with a bit of a slow period. The first few days are a bit of a write-off for a proper session. The 3rd to the 5th are mostly a no-go, with poor to marginal conditions and persistent cross-off breezes making things messy. The swell is small and junky, so you’re not missing much. It’s a frustrating start, but hang tight.

Things start to perk up a little around the 6th. The morning looks promising with a clean, gentle offshore wind from the NW and a small but long-period groundswell – 16 seconds – pushing in from the SW. The swell is only 2ft, but the combined energy is a modest 213 (weak). It’s not going to be big, but it’ll be tidy. The 7th is even better. The morning has a bit more push with a 3ft SW swell, 16-second period, and light winds, making for very clean conditions. The afternoon turns glassy, with barely a breath of wind, and the 3ft waves will be smooth as silk. That’s likely your best window early on if you’re just looking to get wet.

The real standout, though, is the 10th. The 10th is the one to circle on the calendar. The morning brings a solid 7ft SW groundswell with a 17-second period, and the afternoon goes absolutely ballistic with an 8ft SW swell going glassy with zero wind. The combined energy readings are massive at 2531 and 3403, meaning there’s serious power in the water. This is expert territory, especially at a reef-and-point setup like Bells. The water temperature is about 57°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so don’t forget a good hood and gloves.

The swell keeps pumping through the second week, but the wind gets tricky. The 12th sees another 8ft swell, but with a strong northerly breeze, it’ll be bumpy. The 14th is interesting – the afternoon shows a massive 16ft swell from the SSW, but with a shorter 14-second period. That’s serious power (8738 combined energy), but it’s borderline insane and only for the hardiest crew. The 15th and 16th are still big, with 8ft to 12ft, but cross-shore winds will chop it up.

By the 17th and 18th, we start to see a drop-off. The 18th morning brings a smaller, cleaner 3ft SW swell, which is a nice way to finish the run if the big stuff is too much.

Overall, the 10th is the standout – that afternoon glass-off is the pick of the fortnight. For the brave, the 14th afternoon offers a massive, clean, but very heavy wave. The rest of the second week is more of a mixed bag with strong winds and big, lumpy conditions.

Stay safe out there, and remember, the best waves are the ones you’re on.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Mon afternoon, min 7°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 9°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Fri morning, strong winds from the N by Sat night).

Mon
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
0
2
2
1
2
2
2
1
2
3
3
3
2
1
0
1
1
3
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
14
1
SW
13
1.2
SW
12
1.5
SW
12
1.8
SW
10
0.4
SW
20
0.5
SW
18
0.5
SW
17
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
16
0.6
SW
18
1
SW
16
0.8
SW
15
1
SW
17
1.2
SW
16
1.1
SW
16
0.8
SW
15
0.8
SW
15
1.2
SW
15
1.6
SW
19
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
453
311
403
594
577
107
167
147
203
198
201
486
313
582
746
560
305
305
657
1749
Wind (km/h)
25
W
25
W
25
WNW
25
WSW
20
W
20
W
20
WSW
10
WNW
15
NW
20
WNW
10
WNW
5
WNW
5
W
10
NNE
15
NNE
30
NNE
40
N
30
NW
35
W
30
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
3:11AM1.69m
3:22PM1.87m
3:50AM1.75m
3:48PM1.85m
4:31AM1.80m
4:16PM1.83m
5:15AM1.81m
4:48PM1.80m
6:04AM1.79m
5:24PM1.75m
7:02AM1.74m
6:09PM1.69m
Low Tide
9:12PM0.45m
9:09AM0.45m
9:40PM0.35m
9:45AM0.51m
10:11PM0.26m
10:22AM0.60m
10:45PM0.19m
11:02AM0.70m
11:24PM0.14m
11:46AM0.81m
00:11AM0.13m
12:38PM0.93m
1:07AM0.16m
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
clear
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:22
7:20
7:20
7:18
7:16
7:16
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:35
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:37
5:38
5:39
 mm
2
2
3
4
1
5
2
2
Temp °C
13
9
12
12
10
12
12
11
10
13
11
11
13
12
16
14
13
11
10
11
Feels °C
7
5
7
7
6
7
7
8
5
8
8
9
11
9
11
8
6
4
2
5
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  • 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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