
Surf Forecasts:
Bulli Beach surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period, ENE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, SE swell with 255 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period with ENE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bulli Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Bulli Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Bulli Beach in the next 16 days are 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.0m 10s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bulli Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’m gonna be straight with you – the next week and a bit is a write-off for decent surf at Bulli Beach. The data’s not kind, and there’s nothing worth paddling out for until we get deep into the second week. We’re looking at a solid gap of almost two weeks before anything resembling a proper session shows up.
From now through to around the 24th of August, it’s mostly tiny, weak, and messy. We’ve got a bit of ENE swell hanging around, but it’s small – mostly 1 to 3 ft – with short periods under 10 seconds. The combined wave energy is pitiful, barely cracking 100 (like 35 to 135). The wind is all over the shop, but mostly cross or onshore, which just kills any chance of clean lines. There’s a brief moment on Friday the 14th morning where it goes glassy, but the swell is only 1 ft, so you’re not catching anything worth talking about. Even the bigger bump on Sunday the 16th (5 to 6 ft) is short-period windswell from the SSE/SE, and it’s onshore. That’s more of a kite-surfing mess than a paddle session.
Now, hold onto your leash, because things finally perk up around Tuesday the 25th of August. Tuesday morning at Bulli Beach sees a NE swell pushing 4 ft with a short period of 6 seconds, but the wind is a clean cross-off from the N at 9 mph. The combined energy jumps to 218, which is a moderate boost. It’s surfable, but it’s still a bit raw.
The real standout, though, is Wednesday the 26th of August. Wednesday morning is the one to circle. We’ve got a 5 ft NE swell, and the wind drops to absolute glass – calm, 0 mph from the NW. That’s about as clean as it gets. The combined energy is strong at 329, and the period stretches to 8 seconds, giving the waves a bit more push and shape. This is a proper point-break-style setup for a beach-and-reef break like Bulli, and for experienced surfers, that’s a green light. The NE swell direction is bang on the optimum for this spot. Crowds are possible here, but on a Wednesday morning in late August, you might get lucky with a few less bodies. The water temp is 64°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing unusual.
So, to sum it up: don’t bother until the 26th of August. That Wednesday morning is your only real shot at something memorable in this 16-day window.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
85 | 117 | 76 | 51 | 52 | 49 | 54 | 50 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 29 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 154 | 238 | 255 | 144 | 121 | 149 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on |
High Tide | 7:01PM1.73m | 7:51AM1.17m | 7:51PM1.75m | 8:36AM1.23m | 8:37PM1.72m | 9:19AM1.28m | 9:22PM1.63m | 10:01AM1.32m | 10:05PM1.51m | 10:42AM1.34m | 10:47PM1.35m | 11:24AM1.33m | 11:31PM1.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:29PM0.28m | 1:50AM-0.01m | 1:23PM0.23m | 2:34AM-0.04m | 2:14PM0.20m | 3:15AM-0.02m | 3:03PM0.20m | 3:53AM0.03m | 3:52PM0.23m | 4:29AM0.11m | 4:42PM0.28m | 5:04AM0.20m | 5:34PM0.35m | ||||||||
6:41 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:23 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:25 | — | — | 5:25 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Temp °C | 18 | 17 | 12 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 12 | 11 | 6 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 9 | SSW 9 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 9 | S 7 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | S 10 | SSW 10 | S 10 | ESE 7 | S 9 | S 8 |
85 | 834 | 641 | 246 | 193 | 108 | 266 | 50 | 147 | 156 | 160 | 29 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 29 | 35 | 48 | 144 | 76 | 34 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | S 19 | ENE 9 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 15 | S 14 | SSW 12 | S 18 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | ENE 10 | S 9 | — | S 12 |
90 | 117 | 76 | 51 | 52 | 49 | 54 | 7 | 35 | 35 | 30 | 18 | 15 | 30 | 57 | 87 | 71 | 10 | 81 | — | 11 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | NE 8 | — | — | S 17 | S 13 | S 16 | NE 7 | S 13 | S 19 | S 20 | S 12 | S 14 | S 14 | — | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | S 16 | ENE 10 | S 14 | S 13 |
38 | 18 | — | — | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 14 | 29 | 30 | 11 | 4 | 4 | — | 19 | 20 | 21 | 11 | 4 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | — | W 4 | WNW 3 | NW 4 | W 4 | S 8 | S 8 | W 3 | — | — | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | S 7 | SSE 6 | SE 6 | SE 7 | — | ESE 7 | SE 6 |
267 | — | 28 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 461 | 305 | 2 | — | — | 117 | 303 | 286 | 345 | 154 | 238 | 255 | — | 121 | 149 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 67 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 75 | 2 | 2 | 47 | 15 | 75 | 90 | 28 | 183 | 654 | 0 | 86 | 86 | 19 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Bulli Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Bulli Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bulli Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bulli Beach 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 (Bulli Beach) 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 Bulli Beach 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Illawarra? If you are looking for accommodation near Bulli Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Illawarra, consider staying in Wollongong which is 4 km (2 miles) away. Other places in and around Illawarra where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Port Kembla which is 8 km (5 miles) away, Engadine, Caringbah and Cronulla.











