Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Break

Lat Long: 38.37° S 144.28° E

Bells Beach - Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 08 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Bells Beach - Bowl sea temperature is
13.4° C
0.3° 

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 7 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 16s period, SW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 13s period, SW swell with 5,991 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 16s period. 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 4.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 09) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10AM (Sat 8th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 16s
Best Surf 7AM (Thu 13th Aug)8ft (2.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 1AM (Thu 13th Aug)15ft (4.5m) 13s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Overall, we’ve got a solid run of surf coming up, but it’s not all smooth sailing. The first few days are a bit of a write-off, with some messy conditions and onshore winds that’ll have you hating life. But don’t stress, the real action kicks off next week.

Saturday morning (August 8th) we’re starting with some clean, 4ft SW groundswell at 16 seconds. This is proper long-period energy, and with the wind being a light offshore from the NNE, it’s going to be glassy. The water is sitting at 56°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing unusual there. The combined energy is moderate (567). It’s a decent start, but the swell is small.

Sunday (August 9th) is a total bust. The swell drops right off, and the wind is howling from the NNE at 22 mph. It’s going to be a mess. Forget it.

Monday morning (August 10th) is where things get interesting. We’ve got a 4ft SW groundswell, but the period is a massive 19 seconds. That’s very long-period energy, and the combined energy is strong (1026). The wind is offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, so it’s clean. This is a standout for experienced surfers only. Bells Beach - Bowl (Victoria) is a reef and point setup, so that long period won’t be a problem; it’ll actually wrap in beautifully. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, so heads up. This is likely the best call of the whole period.

Tuesday (August 11th) has a 3ft SW swell with a 15-second period, and the wind is offshore again in the morning. It’s clean, but the size is smaller. It’ll be fun, but not a standout.

Wednesday (August 12th) sees the swell jump to 5ft at 16 seconds, with a strong offshore wind from the WNW at 19 mph in the morning. The combined energy is strong (1225). The wind is fresh, but the waves will be clean. The afternoon gets a bit messy with a cross-shore wind, so get it in the morning.

Thursday and Friday (August 13th & 14th) are for the big boys. The swell hits 8ft on Thursday morning, and 8ft again on Friday afternoon, with a 17-second period. These are big, powerful SW groundswells. The combined energy is very strong (3279 and 4725). The wind is offshore on Thursday morning, and only a gentle breeze on Friday. This is expert territory. Over 8ft, it’s not for beginners. The 17-second period on Friday is very long, so again, the reef and point at Bells will handle it better than a beach break.

Saturday morning (August 15th) still has a solid 7ft SSW swell, with a 16-second period. The wind is almost nothing at 3 mph, so it’s clean. The combined energy is strong (2199). Another good one for the experienced crew.

From Sunday (August 16th) onwards, the swell drops back down to 3ft – 6ft, and the winds become more cross-onshore or onshore, making it a bit scratchy. There are still some clean windows on Tuesday morning (August 18th) with a small 3ft swell, and Wednesday morning (August 19th) with a 3ft, 16-second swell and offshore winds. These are smaller, fun days.

The best on offer is clearly Monday morning (August 10th) for the combination of clean, long-period groundswell and offshore wind, and the Thursday (August 13th) and Friday (August 14th) for the serious size and power, but only for experts.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 32mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 8°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Sat morning, fresh winds from the NNE by Sun morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 8°C on Wed afternoon). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Wed morning, light winds from the WNW by Thu night).

Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
1
0
0
1
4
1
3
3
0
2
3
1
8
4
3
4
3
4
5
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.1
SW
16
1
SW
16
0.8
SW
14
0.7
SW
14
0.6
SW
13
1
SW
21
1.2
SW
19
1.2
SW
17
2.1
SW
9
0.9
SW
15
0.9
SW
14
1.1
SW
17
1.6
SW
16
1.6
SW
16
4.5
SW
13
2.5
SW
16
2.4
SW
16
2.1
SW
15
2.4
SSW
16
2.5
SSW
17
2.4
SSW
16
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
567
468
297
192
111
815
1026
861
639
355
301
671
1225
1194
5991
3260
2941
1801
2856
4255
3010
Wind (km/h)
15
NNE
25
NNE
25
NNE
35
NNE
35
NNE
15
NE
20
NNW
35
SW
25
W
20
NNW
30
NNW
30
N
30
WNW
40
WSW
25
W
25
WNW
20
W
15
WNW
15
W
15
W
10
W
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
5:24PM1.75m
7:02AM1.74m
6:09PM1.69m
8:12AM1.69m
7:06PM1.62m
9:32AM1.68m
8:25PM1.55m
10:50AM1.72m
9:59PM1.54m
11:54AM1.79m
11:28PM1.60m
12:46PM1.87m
00:40AM1.71m
Low Tide
11:46AM0.81m
00:11AM0.13m
12:38PM0.93m
1:07AM0.16m
1:45PM1.02m
2:14AM0.21m
3:11PM1.05m
3:33AM0.25m
4:42PM0.98m
4:51AM0.25m
5:55PM0.82m
6:01AM0.25m
6:53PM0.63m
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
heavy rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
7:16
7:16
7:15
7:13
7:13
7:11
7:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:38
5:39
5:40
5:42
5:43
5:44
5:44
 mm
3
5
19
3
2
1
1
Temp °C
16
15
12
11
13
12
10
14
12
12
12
13
10
9
9
12
14
11
13
13
12
Feels °C
11
10
8
3
8
7
7
8
7
6
5
6
3
0
1
6
9
8
9
9
9
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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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