Cowries Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.58° S 150.88° E

Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 3 am 21 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cowries sea temperature is
18.1° C
0.9° 

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


Cowries surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period, NE swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 23 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period, S swell with 184 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 6s period with NE 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 0.9m 11s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Fri 21st Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 6s
Best Surf 4PM (Fri 21st Aug)3.5ft (1.0m) 6s
Most Powerful 4AM (Sun 23rd Aug)3ft (0.9m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let's get into it. I'm Rusty, and I'm looking at the charts for Cowries over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: this forecast is a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell of nothing much for the first ten days or so. Friday the 21st kicks things off with a tiny, weak 3ft swell from the ENE, period around 7 seconds. The water temp is sitting at 65°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year. The morning is clean with a light cross-off, but it’s just ordinary, weak stuff with barely any energy (59). Friday afternoon goes glassy with a 3ft NE swell, but again, it’s not doing much.

From Saturday the 22nd all the way through Thursday the 28th of August, it’s mostly a bust. We get some small pulses of swell, but the wind is a constant issue – cross-on, choppy, messy. There are a few moments of clean conditions from the 26th and 27th with a south wind, but the swell is just too small and weak to get excited about. The energy readings during this stretch are mostly in the 100-200 range (moderate), but the wave quality is just poor.

Now, I see a little flicker of hope on Friday morning the 28th. The wind goes dead calm, glassy as a mirror, with a 2ft ENE swell. It’s still small, but that clean surface would be nice for a longboard cruise.

But listen, the real standout, the one that’s actually got my heart beating a little faster, is Sunday the 30th of August. We’re seeing a real pulse of energy come in. Sunday morning, the swell jumps to 6ft from the E, period 8 seconds, and the combined energy rockets up to 695 – that’s strong wave energy. And with the wind glassy from the ENE? That is the session to circle on your calendar. It’s going to be clean, punchy, and fun. It’s not a giant, so it’s fine for most, but that kind of energy on a reef-and-point set-up at Cowries will be quality. The afternoon will still have size (6ft) but the wind goes a bit cross-on, so the morning is the winner.

Monday the 31st holds a bit of that energy (364) with a 6ft E swell and clean cross-off wind in the morning, which is another solid option, but by the afternoon a strong SSE breeze and rain will trash it.

After that, the first few days of September look pretty ordinary again. Small, weak, and mostly windy. There is a tiny clean, glassy window on Wednesday morning the 2nd, but it’s only 2ft. The long-range call for the 5th of September shows a glassy morning but again, tiny.

So, the bottom line? This is a waiting game. You’ve got a gap of about nine days of average to poor surf before things get interesting. Don't bother paddling out until the 30th. That Sunday morning, the 30th of August, at Cowries is the clear winner. Get on it early.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Warm (max 22°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
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)
0.8
ENE
7
1
NE
6
0.5
NE
6
0.3
NE
6
0.2
S
8
0.4
S
11
0.9
S
8
0.6
S
12
0.9
S
10
0.7
S
10
0.6
S
10
0.6
S
9
0.9
ENE
7
1.1
NE
6
0.9
ENE
7
0.9
ENE
8
0.9
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
8
1
S
7
0.8
ENE
8
0.8
ENE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
56
76
18
6
5
37
111
98
154
88
70
61
73
94
90
109
117
84
100
82
88
Wind (km/h)
10
WNW
5
W
15
W
15
W
10
ESE
5
W
5
NE
20
NNE
10
NNW
15
NNE
25
NE
10
NNW
20
NNE
15
N
5
WNW
20
SSW
20
SSW
25
SW
25
S
25
S
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
glassy
cross-off
off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
High Tide
2:55PM1.25m
3:49AM0.84m
3:59PM1.27m
4:58AM0.87m
4:56PM1.32m
5:50AM0.92m
5:44PM1.38m
6:32AM0.98m
6:26PM1.44m
7:08AM1.05m
7:04PM1.49m
7:43AM1.13m
7:41PM1.52m
Low Tide
10:06PM0.48m
9:02AM0.56m
11:09PM0.43m
10:09AM0.54m
11:58PM0.37m
11:07AM0.50m
00:38AM0.30m
11:55AM0.44m
1:12AM0.24m
12:39PM0.38m
1:45AM0.18m
1:20PM0.33m
2:16AM0.14m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
cloud
light rain
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:30
6:28
6:28
6:26
6:24
6:24
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:29
5:30
5:30
5:30
5:31
5:32
5:32
 mm
3
4
3
Temp °C
21
21
15
19
18
14
17
16
14
20
19
16
22
17
16
15
14
13
15
15
12
Feels °C
19
20
11
17
16
13
14
12
12
16
16
15
19
15
15
12
10
11
9
9
8
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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