Cowries Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.58° S 150.88° E

Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 29 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cowries sea temperature is
17.8°C
0.6° 

Cowries surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Cowries surf forecast from 29 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period, SE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 10s period, SE swell with 216 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period with SE swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cowries this week:

The surf forecast for Cowries over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 1.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Sep 05) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sat 29th Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 9s
Best Surf 7PM (Sat 29th Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sat 29th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cowries over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a proper look at what’s coming our way. We’re looking at a pretty lean start to the forecast period, so don’t be in a rush to grab your board just yet. The first real opportunity to get wet doesn’t show up until Saturday morning, the 29th of August, and even then, it’s nothing to write home about.

Saturday morning, August 29th – We’ve got a small window at Cowries (reef and point). Swell is a modest 4ft, coming from the SSE with a period of 9 seconds. The water temp is sitting around 64°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so no surprises there. The combined swell energy is 358, which is moderate, and with a light cross-offshore breeze from the south at 6 mph, the surface is going to be clean. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, but it’s fairly consistent, so you’ll get a few. That said, this is the best we’ve got for the first few days, and it’s only a 2 out of 5 on the quality scale. Crowds can show up sometimes, so keep an eye out.

Sunday morning, August 30th – The swell drops right back to 3ft from the south, period 9 seconds. The energy is down to 211. But here’s the thing: the wind goes glassy. Dead flat, light air from the SSE at 3 mph. That’s a beautiful thing, but with such tiny waves, it’s more of a longboard or a paddle than a proper surf session. It’s surfable, but very ordinary.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Sunday afternoon all the way through to the end of the first week of September, the conditions at Cowries are pretty grim. The wind turns onshore or cross-shore, the swell drops to scraps, and the wave comment is consistently “poor”. There’s a stretch almost a week long where nothing is really worth paddling out for. The energy values dip into the double digits, and the swell is anemic. You’d be better off waiting.

Sunday, September 6th – Things start to wake up again. The afternoon shows some promise at Cowries with a 4ft south swell, period 11 seconds, and a clean cross-offshore breeze from the WNW at 6 mph. The combined energy is 318 and the report says “expect good surf conditions”. This is the standout of the whole period. The longer period means the waves will have some shape and punch, although this spot is a reef and point, so it’ll handle that groundswell well. The swell direction is from the south, which is not the optimum ENE direction for this break, but the quality of the wind and the clean conditions make it the best on offer.

Monday, September 7th – The wind turns nasty. Strong breezes from the WNW at 25 mph, even though it’s cross-offshore, it’s just too strong to be fun. The waves are small and blown out – skip it.

Tuesday, September 8th afternoon – We get a spike. The swell jumps to 10ft from the SSW with a period of 8 seconds. The energy is a massive 1980. That is a lot of water moving. But, this is a short-period swell, so it’s going to be crumbly and messy. And with 10ft, this is expert territory only. The wind is offshore and strong at 22 mph, so it’s clean, but it’s a beast. The comment says “marginal”, and honestly, unless you’re a real charger and know the reef, I’d be cautious. The set-up looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer at that size.

Wednesday, September 9th – The swell drops to 7ft from the SSE, period 9 seconds. Still big, still for experts only. The wind is a moderate cross-offshore at 12 mph, so it’s clean, but the energy is still strong at 611. Again, marginal conditions.

Thursday, September 10th morning – A return to small, clean, and glassy. 3ft from the south, period 9 seconds, with a glassy wind from the north at 3 mph. It’s just ordinary surfable waves.

The final stretch from the 11th to the 13th of September is mostly onshore or cross-shore winds with small, weak swell. The energy is moderate, but the wind is a problem. Nothing worth chasing.

The Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a clean session, your best bet is the afternoon of Sunday, September 6th at Cowries. That’s the highlight. The Saturday morning before that is the only other option for a beginner. The rest is a waiting game.

Alright, stay stoked and keep an eye on the horizon.

- Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
0
1
1
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
SSE
9
1.1
SE
10
0.9
SE
10
0.9
S
9
0.9
SSE
9
1
S
9
0.9
S
8
0.8
S
9
0.9
S
9
0.8
S
11
0.8
S
11
0.7
S
10
0.6
S
10
0.6
S
10
0.5
S
10
0.4
SSE
9
0.5
SSE
12
0.4
SSE
10
0.7
S
9
0.4
SSE
11
0.7
NE
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
226
216
131
126
126
164
103
101
136
146
143
98
70
71
49
29
77
32
87
42
33
Wind (km/h)
10
S
10
ESE
5
WNW
5
SE
10
ESE
10
WNW
5
NE
10
NE
5
NW
10
N
10
NNE
15
NNW
10
NW
15
W
15
WNW
20
W
10
S
10
W
10
N
10
NE
10
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
8:53PM1.49m
9:26AM1.33m
9:31PM1.42m
10:03AM1.37m
10:12PM1.33m
10:44AM1.40m
10:58PM1.23m
11:29AM1.41m
11:52PM1.11m
12:23PM1.40m
00:58AM1.01m
1:27PM1.40m
2:21AM0.95m
Low Tide
2:41PM0.26m
3:17AM0.12m
3:23PM0.25m
3:49AM0.14m
4:09PM0.26m
4:24AM0.19m
4:59PM0.28m
5:02AM0.26m
5:57PM0.31m
5:47AM0.33m
7:06PM0.34m
6:42AM0.40m
8:26PM0.34m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:20
6:18
6:18
6:16
6:15
6:13
6:11
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:35
5:35
5:36
5:37
5:37
5:37
5:38
 mm
Temp °C
16
15
12
17
15
13
19
16
14
24
22
19
26
26
20
23
21
15
21
21
21
Feels °C
14
13
11
15
13
12
16
14
13
20
20
16
23
23
17
19
19
13
18
19
16
  • 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 Cowries Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Cowries provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Cowries can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Cowries 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 (Cowries) 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 Cowries 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.

Cowries is 10 km (6 miles) from the city of Port Kembla. If you plan a holiday in Illawarra, look for hotels and other accommodation in Port Kembla. Port Kembla has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

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