Surf Forecasts:
Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 17s period, SSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 18s period, SSW swell with 4,185 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 18s. 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 2.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Sun 23rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 17s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, I'm Rusty. We've got a solid run of surf on the table here, so let's get straight into it. The standout is the Sunday the 30th of August, but there's plenty to keep you busy before and after.
The forecast kicks off this Sunday the 23rd of August with a beauty. Bells Beach – Bowl (reef and point) is waking up to a clean 5ft SW swell with a long 14-second period. The wind is light and offshore from the NW, so you're looking at clean, lined-up waves. The water's sitting at 56°, which is pretty much normal for this time of year. The combined energy is pumping at 1218, so there's real grunt behind it. This is an advanced wave, and it's consistent, so expect a few others out there but it's far from crowded. That afternoon, the swell bumps up a touch to 5ft, the period stretches to a very long 16 seconds, and the wind stays offshore from the WNW. The energy jumps to 1735. This is a true groundswell, and at a point like Bells, those long lines will reel down the point beautifully. Sunday is the best early call.
Monday the 24th sees a drop in size. The morning is 4ft from the SSW with a 14-second period, and a cross-offshore breeze keeps it clean. The afternoon is similar at 4ft from the SW. There's a bit of cloud around, but the surf is still very good. Tuesday the 25th is a mixed bag. The morning brings onshore SE wind and rain, making it marginal. The afternoon looks better, with a cross-offshore W breeze and light rain, cleaning up the 4ft SW swell. Wednesday the 26th is a big one. The swell jumps to 8ft from the SW with a 14-second period, and energy is a massive 2508. That's a lot of water moving. But the wind is a cross-offshore 12 mph, creating a bit of a cross-chop by the afternoon. This is only for the experienced crew; beginners will be in over their heads. Thursday the 27th drops right back to a tiny 3ft, but with a clean offshore NW wind, it'll be a fun little wave for a longboard.
Now, the real standout is Sunday the 30th of August. The morning session is firing. 8ft of SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, and the energy is a staggering 4617. The wind is a light cross-offshore breeze from the W. This is big, powerful, and clean. It's a proper expert-only day. That afternoon, the size holds at 8ft, but the wind swings onshore, putting a bit of chop on the face. The Monday the 31st is still a ripper, with a 6ft SSW swell and a 15-second period under a moderate offshore NW wind. The energy is 1288, and it's clean. The first week is a solid run.
The second week is a bit more unsettled. Tuesday the 1st of September brings a 4ft to 6ft SW swell with a moderate cross-offshore breeze. It's still surfable. Wednesday the 2nd is smaller, around 3ft, with a clean offshore wind. Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September look promising again. Thursday afternoon has 7ft from the SW with a 15-second period and a clean offshore WNW wind, giving us 1971 energy. The Friday morning is 6ft from the SW with a 17-second period, also under a clean offshore breeze. That's a solid end to the run. Saturday the 5th of September has a 6ft SSW swell but with a fresh 22 mph offshore wind, which will have some serious power. The final days, the 6th and 7th, drop off with onshore or cross-shore winds and smaller swell, so the quality fades.
The absolute best of the lot is the Sunday the 30th of August morning. The swell is big and powerful, the period is very long, and the wind is light. It's a true stand-out session. The next best is that Sunday the 23rd of August afternoon, with the long period groundswell and clean conditions. Keep an eye on Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th of September – those are promising but still a bit further out, so less certain.
This is Rusty, signing off.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 9°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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 14 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
877 | 1224 | 760 | 545 | 450 | 370 | 509 | 376 | 258 | 2140 | 1632 | 111 | 133 | 99 | 526 | 1087 | 675 | 803 | 2313 | 245 | 2319 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:50PM1.52m | 7:46AM1.48m | 6:27PM1.43m | 9:06AM1.44m | 7:25PM1.34m | 10:33AM1.47m | 9:05PM1.28m | 11:36AM1.55m | 10:46PM1.32m | 12:19PM1.63m | 11:57PM1.42m | 12:53PM1.70m | 00:50AM1.55m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:19PM0.97m | 00:44AM0.47m | 1:11PM1.07m | 1:38AM0.55m | 2:36PM1.14m | 2:51AM0.60m | 4:31PM1.11m | 4:11AM0.61m | 5:46PM1.00m | 5:20AM0.57m | 6:30PM0.86m | 6:15AM0.52m | 7:03PM0.71m | ||||||||
6:58 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | |
— | 5:52 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 12 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 17 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 12 | 11 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 9 | SSW 11 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 12 |
877 | 1224 | 760 | 545 | 450 | 370 | 509 | 376 | 163 | 165 | 144 | 111 | 133 | 99 | 282 | 1087 | 675 | 803 | 536 | 245 | 734 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | S 14 | W 21 | SW 20 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 19 | — | S 17 | — | — | — | WSW 13 |
316 | 511 | 33 | 9 | 15 | 12 | 295 | 129 | 258 | 167 | 168 | 108 | 54 | 51 | 526 | — | 23 | — | — | — | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 5 | SW 12 | — | SW 16 | WSW 12 | SW 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW 22 |
25 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 30 | 36 | — | 41 | 15 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | N 3 | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | — | — | SW 5 | SW 14 | SW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | SSW 5 | SW 5 | WSW 14 | SSW 8 | SW 13 |
— | — | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 56 | 2140 | 1632 | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | 73 | 2313 | 103 | 2319 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Torquay | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











