Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and we’ve got a solid run of waves coming up at Bells Beach – Bowl over the next couple of weeks. This is a classic reef and point setup, exposed to the southwest, and it’s got plenty of energy to work with. The water temp is sitting pretty average for this time of year, so nothing wild there.

The surf kicks off proper on Tuesday 14 July with a serious pulse of swell. That morning, we’re looking at a powerful 15ft SW groundswell, with a period of 15 seconds and a massive combined energy of 11250 – that’s a lot of grunt. The wind is a cross-offshore from the west at 16 mph, which will keep things clean for the experienced crew. This is big, heavy, and only for the experts. By the afternoon, it drops to 8ft SW, still with a long 16-second period, but the wind picks up to 19 mph cross-off, so it’s a bit more manageable but still very much a big-wave day.

Wednesday 15 July is the real standout. Morning brings a clean 5ft SW groundswell (15-second period, energy 1140) with a light offshore WNW breeze at 9 mph. Conditions are glassy and smooth – perfect for those long, lined-up walls. The afternoon holds similar size and shape, with a cross-off wind, so you can surf all day. This is the best of the window for the experienced surfer who wants quality, not just size.

Thursday 16 July stays solid with 6ft SSW groundswell (15 seconds, energy 1215-1265), but the morning is cleaner with a light cross-off breeze. The afternoon turns cross-on from the SSE, so get out early.

Friday 17 July is another cracker. Morning sees 5ft SW groundswell (16 seconds, energy 1593) and a clean offshore NW wind at 6 mph. Then the afternoon turns absolutely glassy – zero wind, 5ft SW, 17-second period, energy 1595. That’s as good as it gets: long, clean sets with barely a ripple. This is a serious contender for the best session of the whole forecast.

Saturday 18 July and Sunday 19 July see the swell drop off. Saturday morning has 4ft SW (14 seconds, energy 447) with a light cross-off, clean enough but small. Sunday drops to 2ft SSW, so it’s more of a longboard or grovel session.

The middle of the week from Monday 20 July to Thursday 23 July stays small, with waves between 2ft and 3ft, mostly clean but very ordinary. Not worth getting excited about.

Then we get a late burst. Thursday 23 July afternoon sees a new pulse: 4ft SW, 16-second period, energy 757, with offshore wind. It’s clean and building. Friday 24 July is the next real standout: 6ft SSW groundswell (15 seconds, energy 1318) with a moderate offshore NW wind at 12 mph in the morning, and still offshore in the afternoon. This is excellent, clean, and powerful – another top pick for the experienced surfer.

After that, things go sour. From Saturday 25 July through to Tuesday 28 July, the wind swings onshore from the south and southeast, with rain and choppy conditions. The swell stays around 3ft to 4ft, but the wind kills it. These are poor surf days, more suited to kitesurfing than paddle surfing.

There’s a glimmer right at the end: Wednesday 29 July morning sees a return of clean conditions with 5ft SSW groundswell, a very long 18-second period, and energy of 1655. Light cross-off wind, clean – that’s a promising session if you’re willing to wait.

So, the best on offer is Wednesday 15 July and Friday 17 July, with Friday 24 July as a strong long-range contender. Crowds are possible at Bells, so keep an eye out. The gap from around 20 July to 23 July is a bit of a lull, but it’s worth waiting for the end of the week.

Rusty.

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