Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s coming up for Bells Beach – Bowl. This is a reef and point setup for advanced surfers, and it’s got a consistent run of swell on the way. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing crazy.

The start is a bit slow. Sunday the 19th we’ve got small waves, around 2ft from the SSW, with an 11-second period. The wind is light and cross-off in the morning, turning glassy in the afternoon. It’s clean, but the energy is weak (170). Not a big deal.

Monday the 20th is similar, around 2ft, but the period jumps to 16 seconds, and the energy bumps to 230. The wind is offshore in the morning, making it clean. It’s a groundswell, so the waves will have more shape and longer gaps.

Tuesday the 21st is a bit better, with 3ft from the SW, a 14-second period, and offshore winds all day. The energy is moderate (269), and it’s clean. A solid session for the experienced.

Wednesday the 22nd is mixed. The morning has 2ft with a moderate offshore breeze, but the afternoon lifts to 4ft from the SW, period 13 seconds, and the energy hits 431. The wind is cross-off, so it stays clean. Marginal due to tide, but worth a look.

Thursday the 23rd gets serious. The swell jumps to 13ft from the SW, with a 13-second period. The energy is very strong (6511). This is big, only for experts. The morning has cross-off wind, but the afternoon turns cross-shore with a chop. Size is intimidating.

Friday the 24th is still pumping, with 7ft to 8ft from the SW, period 14 seconds, and fresh cross-off winds. The energy is strong (1704 to 2932). It’s clean, but pushing into big range.

Saturday the 25th is a sweet spot. Swell drops to 6ft in the morning, 5ft in the afternoon, from the SW and SSW, with a 13-second period. The wind is cross-off and light, and the energy is strong (996 to 679). The description says “very good surf conditions.” This is your best bet for the first week – clean, consistent, and manageable.

Sunday the 26th and Monday the 27th see the swell dropping to 3ft to 3ft, with offshore winds on Sunday, but Monday gets fresh cross-off and poor conditions. Not much.

Then, the standout hits on Tuesday the 28th of July. The swell reaches 13ft with a 16-second period from the SW, and the energy is massive (8973). The wind is offshore and moderate. This is a proper groundswell for a point break like Bells – epic. The afternoon drops to 10ft, still offshore, with exceptional conditions for experts. If you’re advanced, circle this day. Crowds are sometimes an issue, so expect company.

Wednesday the 29th still has good size, 7ft in the morning from the SSW, with offshore wind and high energy (1353). The afternoon turns messy with cross-shore wind and a storm risk, so get it early.

After that, from Thursday the 30th through to Saturday the 1st of August, it’s a write-off. Strong onshore winds, lumpy, and choppy. Sunday the 2nd of August has a long-period 20-second swell, but it’s only 2ft to 4ft, with light cross-onshore wind. The energy is moderate (553 to 1091), but conditions are marginal.

The best of the run? That’s Saturday the 25th for the clean, fun waves, and Tuesday the 28th for the big, powerful groundswell for the experts. The long-range for Monday the 3rd of August looks promising, with 3ft from the SW, 17-second period, and glassy conditions, but it’s a way off, so keep an eye on it.

Rusty out.

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