Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.37° S 144.28° E

Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 12 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bells Beach - Bowl sea temperature is
14.1° C
0.5° 

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 12 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 15s period, SW swell with 8,652 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 16s 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 (Jul 14) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 16s 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 4.5m 15s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Tue 14th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 16s
Best Surf 1AM (Tue 14th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 16s
Most Powerful 1PM (Tue 14th Jul)15ft (4.5m) 15s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the pipe for Bells.

First up, the water temp is sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing wild there. This is an exposed reef and point setup, and it handles a good SW groundswell like a champ. There’s a solid pulse of energy coming, but you’ve got to be patient – the first few days are a bit of a tease with that big swell getting tangled up in less-than-ideal conditions.

Monday the 13th has that 7.5ft SW groundswell with a very long 16-second period, and the wind is howling at 35 km/h from the NW. It’s offshore, which is a major positive, keeping things clean, but it’s a fresh breeze and the combined energy is strong at 2481. It’s surfable for the experienced crew, but it feels a bit on the edge with that wind. By Tuesday the 14th, the wind drops to a moderate breeze, still cross-off, but the swell jumps to a serious 13.1ft from the SW (15-second period). The energy is massive at 9993 – that’s wild, powerful stuff. This is only for experts. If you’re not comfortable in heavy, 13.1ft+ waves at Bells, sit this one out. That Tuesday afternoon is the real standout for the big-wave chargers.

Wednesday the 15th settles down to a much more manageable 5.6ft, with a light breeze and clean conditions. The period is still a long 15 seconds, so the waves will have shape and power, but it’s not the juggernaut it was. Good for experienced surfers, but the score isn’t screaming “best of the trip”. Thursday the 16th morning stays clean with a light WNW breeze, but the direction shifts a bit to SSW. The energy is still moderate-to-strong at 1368, worth a paddle if you’re keen on a slightly different line.

The real golden window, the true standout of this whole outlook, is Friday the 17th. Morning is clear, winds are light cross-off from the NNW, and we’ve got a clean 5.2ft SW groundswell with 16 seconds of period. The afternoon gets even better – glassy conditions with an NNE breeze at just 5 km/h, 4.6ft swell, and clean faces. That’s as good as it gets at Bells. Light winds, solid groundswell, point break perfection. Paddling out will be a dream between sets with that long period.

Saturday the 18th drops off to 3.3ft and smaller. It’s gentle offshore in the morning, but the energy is weak at 377. You’ll get a wave, but it’s not the main event. Sunday the 19th is basically flat at 1.0ft to 1.6ft. That’s a gap day. Monday the 20th stays small, and you’re looking at a run of poor-to-ordinary surf until Wednesday the 22nd morning.

Don’t write off the end of the week though. Monday the 21st is a sneaky good one if you’re around – the morning is glassy with a 3.9ft SW swell and 14-second period. Energy is 607, and the wind is dead calm. That will be clean as a whistle. Then Friday the 24th afternoon picks up again with a 2.6ft SW swell but a very long 19-second period, giving it more punch than the size suggests – energy at 615, looking pretty clean.

The final call for the 16-day window is the weekend of the 25th and 26th. Saturday the 25th morning has a 4.3ft SW swell with a 16-second period, clean offshore NW wind at 10 km/h. The afternoon goes glassy again with 3.9ft. That Saturday is your second standout session. Sunday the 26th drops off fast.

So to wrap it up: if you want the biggest, gnarliest waves, it’s Tuesday the 14th afternoon. But for the best all-round, clean, surfable Bells session, your windows are Friday the 17th and Saturday the 25th. Don’t sleep on that Friday. The week in between is small and a bit ordinary, so pick your days.

Be safe out there.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Mon morning, light winds from the WNW by Tue night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat afternoon, min 9°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sun
19
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
2
5
3
8
4
4
4
3
4
3
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SW
14
2.3
SW
16
2.4
SW
16
3
SW
16
2.3
SW
16
4
SW
15
2.1
SW
15
1.7
SW
15
1.6
SW
14
1.5
SW
14
1.7
SSW
15
1.7
SSW
15
1.5
SW
15
1.6
SW
16
1.4
SW
16
1.1
SW
15
1
SW
14
0.8
SW
13
0.7
SW
13
0.5
SSW
11
0.3
SW
20
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1307
2481
2796
3903
2545
7641
1860
1237
1002
928
1222
1222
966
1255
976
535
377
242
161
70
60
Wind (km/h)
30
WNW
35
NW
35
WNW
20
WNW
25
W
20
W
10
WNW
15
WNW
10
W
10
WNW
10
WNW
10
SSW
5
NW
10
NNW
5
NNE
10
NNW
15
NW
10
NNW
10
N
15
N
15
NNW
Wind State
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
9:55AM1.78m
8:45PM1.58m
11:07AM1.84m
10:05PM1.58m
12:09PM1.92m
11:25PM1.62m
1:04PM1.99m
00:38AM1.70m
1:51PM2.03m
1:42AM1.76m
2:34PM2.05m
2:41AM1.81m
3:14PM2.04m
Low Tide
2:38AM0.14m
3:38PM1.04m
3:48AM0.11m
4:58PM0.99m
4:59AM0.08m
6:08PM0.88m
6:06AM0.06m
7:07PM0.73m
7:06AM0.08m
7:59PM0.56m
8:01AM0.13m
8:47PM0.42m
8:50AM0.22m
rain showers
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:37
7:37
7:37
7:35
7:35
7:35
7:35
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:19
5:19
5:20
5:21
5:21
5:22
5:22
 mm
1
1
4
Temp °C
12
15
14
12
13
14
11
13
13
13
14
14
13
12
13
12
14
16
12
16
16
Feels °C
5
7
7
7
7
9
9
10
10
10
12
12
12
10
12
10
11
14
9
13
13
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • 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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