Surf Forecasts:
Bells Beach - Bowl surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 30 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 14s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 30 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 16s period, SSW swell with 1,692 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Aug 26) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 14s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m and 5s is also forecast. 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 1.8m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 30th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 6ft (1.8m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bells Beach - Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, and I've got the goods on what's coming up for Bells Beach over the next couple of weeks. We're looking at the Bowl section, a solid reef and point setup that loves a south-west swell. It's a consistent wave for the advanced crew, but it can get a bit of a crowd.
The water temp is sitting at about 56°F, which is pretty normal for this time of year.
The run starts a bit slow on Tuesday the 25th. That afternoon, the swell is 4ft from the SW, but the wind is a cross-shore, and the energy is weak at 547. It's a bit of a write-off, honestly. Wednesday the 26th is even worse, with stronger winds and a messy 7ft swell on the afternoon that's just too big and choppy for good surfing.
We get a bit of a breather on Thursday the 27th. The morning has a clean 3ft swell from the SSW with a light offshore wind from the NW. It's small, but the wave energy is low at 202, so it's more of a longboard cruiser session. The Friday the 28th sees a jump in period to 18 seconds on the morning, which is a long-period groundswell, but the swell is only 3ft. The energy is moderate at 723, but it's a tricky one for the Bowl, as that long period will make it jack up and might be a bit too lined up.
The weekend is where it starts to get interesting. Saturday the 29th morning is clean with a 4ft SW swell and light offshore winds. The real standout is Sunday the 30th. The morning session is glassy with a 5ft SSW swell and a period of 14 seconds. The energy is strong at 1097, and the wind is dead calm. That's the kind of condition that has the Bowl firing. It's a solid size for the advanced surfer, and with the glassy surface, it'll be a dream.
Monday the 31st is another cracker. The morning session has a 6ft SSW swell with a 15-second period and a strong 1222 energy. The wind is a light cross-off from the north, keeping it clean. The afternoon is even better, with a 5ft SW swell, 16-second period, 1187 energy, and a light offshore from the NW. That's a pure, clean Bells day.
The first week of September kicks off with a strong offshore on Tuesday the 1st, but the NW wind is a fresh 19 mph, which will be howling. The 4ft swell is there, but the wind will be the focus. Wednesday the 2nd afternoon has a moderate offshore from the NNW, and the 4ft SW swell is clean. The following Thursday the 3rd and Friday the 4th are a mixed bag, but Friday the 4th is a solid day. The morning has a gentle offshore from the NW with a 5ft SW swell and 15-second period, and the energy is strong at 1029. The afternoon is even better, with a 5ft SW swell, 15-second period, and 1248 energy, all under a clean, cross-off breeze.
The second week is a bit of a waiting game, but it has some promise. Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are both on the cards, with Sunday the 6th morning looking solid. A 6ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, strong energy of 1209, and a gentle offshore from the NNW. That's a proper session. The long-range standout is Wednesday the 9th. The afternoon has a 6ft SW swell with a 17-second period and a massive 2868 energy. That's some serious groundswell, and the wind is a cross-off. It's a big swell for the Bowl, so it's for the experts only, but it could be pumping.
So, if you're looking for the best, I'd be circling Sunday the 30th of August and Monday the 31st of August for the top-tier sessions. The glassy, clean conditions on Sunday are hard to beat. For the second week, keep an eye on Sunday the 6th of September and that big Wednesday the 9th.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 8°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | ||||||||||||||
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 13 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SW 21 | SW 14 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
418 | 255 | 260 | 1346 | 134 | 133 | 82 | 261 | 442 | 812 | 644 | 466 | 293 | 208 | 779 | 1667 | 1350 | 1222 | 1187 | 1018 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 1:23PM1.76m | 1:34AM1.69m | 1:52PM1.81m | 2:14AM1.81m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:51AM0.60m | 4:31PM1.11m | 4:11AM0.61m | 5:46PM1.00m | 5:20AM0.57m | 6:30PM0.86m | 6:15AM0.52m | 7:03PM0.71m | 7:00AM0.47m | 7:34PM0.55m | 7:40AM0.45m | 8:04PM0.40m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | |
5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 13 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 11 | SSW 10 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
418 | 166 | 260 | 1346 | 123 | 133 | 82 | 261 | 277 | 812 | 644 | 466 | 293 | 208 | 779 | 1667 | 1350 | 1222 | 1187 | 1018 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | — | SW 13 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SE 10 | SSE 16 | E 10 | E 11 | SSW 6 | SW 19 | SSW 17 | S 15 | — | — | SSW 15 |
129 | 255 | 167 | — | 134 | 54 | 70 | 184 | 442 | 4 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 130 | 1043 | 74 | — | — | 45 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 4 | — | SW 18 | — | SW 16 | WSW 12 | SW 21 | S 20 | SE 11 | — | — | — | S 24 | SW 22 | SW 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | 13 | — | 41 | 15 | 71 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | 11 | 18 | 188 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSW 5 | — | SSW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | — | — | SSW 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 32 | — | 458 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | — | — | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 6 | 11 | 75 | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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.











