Surf Forecasts:
Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 20 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, WSW swell with 3,664 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 15s period with SSW 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 15s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bells Beach - Bowl in the next 16 days are 4.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 20) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 17) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sun 20th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. We’ve got a mixed bag coming up at Bells Beach - Bowl (reef and point). It’ll be a bit of a slow start, but there are a couple of absolute standouts if you’re patient.
The opening days are a write-off for quality surfing. Tuesday and Wednesday have messy, cross-shore to cross-onshore winds with solid swell (8ft to 8ft) but short-period energy that’s all bumpy and chopped up. Not worth paddling out for.
Thursday stays average – dropping to around 5ft to 5ft, but the wind is still onshore or cross, keeping the surface ugly.
Friday 18th September is where it finally turns on. The morning starts clean with a light offshore NW breeze, and 4ft of SSW swell with a 14-second period. Energy is moderate (1143). By the afternoon, it gets even better: 5ft, 16-second period from the SW, clean offshore NW wind, and moderate energy (1747). This is the first standout – classic Bells lines with shape and power. Crowds are possible here.
Saturday 19th September has cleaner, smaller waves (3ft to 4ft) with the same offshore wind. Fun but not firing.
Sunday 20th September is weird. Morning is tiny (2ft) with strong NNW cross-off wind. But the afternoon jumps up to 13ft from the WSW! That’s a massive, high-energy groundswell (4450) – expert territory only. The wind is cross-off, so it’ll hold shape, but that size at Bells is serious.
The next few days (Monday 21st to Thursday 24th) are inconsistent: 2ft to 8ft of mostly SSW swell, often with cross-onshore wind or light conditions. Not worth chasing.
Friday 25th September morning is glassy, offshore NW wind, 4ft, 14-second SW swell – clean. The afternoon is the second standout: 5ft, 17-second, long-period groundswell from the SW, with clean NNE cross-off wind. Excellent conditions (1503 moderate energy). This long-period swell points to reef and point perfection here.
Saturday 26th September looks like the best of the whole run. Morning has 6ft, 16-second SSW groundswell, clean WNW cross-off wind, and strong energy (2606). Afternoon takes it to 7ft, 19-second SW groundswell – very long period – with glassy, offshore NW wind and powerful energy (3343). This is a top-tier day for experienced surfers. Crowds are likely.
Sunday 27th September goes downhill with onshore S-SSE wind and rain, making the 7ft swell sloppy. The last few days (28th to 30th) drop off with messy cross-shore winds and smaller, weak swell.
The standout days are Friday 18th September and Saturday 26th September. The 18th is cleaner, smaller, and more accessible. The 26th is the bigger, longer-period gem for experts. Don’t sleep on the Sunday afternoon 13ft pulse if you’re a big-wave charger.
Water temperature is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon night, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue morning, calm by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Sun morning, min 8°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Thu night, fresh winds from the NNW by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | WSW 12 | SW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 54 | 2126 | 2233 | 2529 | 2324 | 2355 | 1763 | 1072 | 826 | 1057 | 663 | 1239 | 752 | 458 | 330 | 148 | 176 | 3664 | 614 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | off | off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:15AM1.97m | 2:13PM1.85m | 2:55AM1.99m | 2:45PM1.84m | 3:31AM1.96m | 3:16PM1.80m | 4:07AM1.90m | 3:46PM1.74m | 4:42AM1.81m | 4:15PM1.67m | 5:18AM1.70m | 4:44PM1.58m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:19AM0.45m | 8:29PM0.14m | 8:56AM0.49m | 9:03PM0.13m | 9:30AM0.55m | 9:37PM0.16m | 10:03AM0.63m | 10:09PM0.23m | 10:34AM0.72m | 10:42PM0.31m | 11:07AM0.82m | 11:17PM0.41m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — |
 | — | — | 6:12 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:14 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:15 | — |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 18 | 20 | 15 | 22 | 23 | 18 | 24 | 21 | 15 |
Feels °C | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 14 | S 16 | — | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 12 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 54 | 1330 | 43 | — | 2324 | 2355 | 1763 | 1072 | 826 | 1057 | 663 | 1239 | 752 | 458 | 330 | 148 | 176 | 786 | 138 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | — | — | — | S 15 | S 15 | S 16 | — | — | S 15 | SSW 18 | SW 16 | — | SSW 14 | S 14 | SW 18 | NNE 4 | — | — |
| kJ | 49 | — | — | — | 41 | 67 | 43 | — | — | 38 | 480 | 508 | — | 38 | 16 | 13 | 2 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 15 | — | — | — | — | SW 20 | S 16 | E 6 | — | — |
| kJ | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | 1 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SSW 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | NW 3 | N 3 | W 4 | WSW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 11 | 2126 | 2233 | 2529 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 23 | 3664 | 614 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 520 | 752 | 294 | 373 | 200 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 574 | 32 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Torquay | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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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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