Surf Forecasts:
Cowries surf forecast from 28 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 29 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, SSE swell with 266 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period with SSE 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 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 1.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cowries over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Cowries.
Straight off the bat, the next few days are underwhelming. There’s a bit of swell on Friday the 28th but it’s all cross-shore chop and poor conditions, so don’t bother. The first real chance for a surf comes Saturday morning, 29 August. We’ll see a clean 4ft swell from the SE with a light cross-offshore breeze, making for some decent little waves. The water temp is sitting at 64°, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Sunday morning, 30 August, is worth a mention too. The swell drops to 3ft from the south, but it’s clean with a light offshore wind. The wave energy is weak (193) and the period is short, so it’s more of a longboard or funboard session.
The middle of the week is pretty flat. From Monday 31 August right through to Saturday 5 September, the swell is tiny, the wind is messy, and there’s almost nothing to get excited about. A few glassy moments on Saturday afternoon, 5 September, but the swell is only 2ft and from the NE with a period of 4 seconds – barely a ripple. That’s a solid 6-day gap with no real surf.
Now, things start to look up around the 8th of September. Tuesday morning, 8 September, sees a bump in swell to 5ft from the south, clean but with a cross-offshore wind. The energy is moderate (436) and the period is 9 seconds. It’s not perfect, but it’s surfable. The real standout comes on Wednesday afternoon, 9 September. We’ve got a 4ft SSE groundswell with a long 12-second period and a clean offshore wind from the west. The wave energy is solid (469) and the conditions are good. This is the best session on offer. Thursday morning, 10 September, is also very good with a 5ft SSE swell, 12-second period, light offshore wind, and strong energy (540). That’s clean, long-period groundswell – perfect for a reef and point setup like Cowries. The waves will have shape and power, and the offshore wind will keep them glassy.
Friday morning, 11 September, is still clean with a 4ft SSE swell (393 energy), but the swell size drops after that. Saturday 12 September sees a jump in size to 6ft, but the wind turns onshore from the NNE, so the quality is compromised. The swell is big enough for experienced surfers, but the wind messes it up.
The top pick is Wednesday afternoon, 9 September, and Thursday morning, 10 September. That long-period SSE groundswell with offshore wind is the best you’ll see in this 16-day window. Be aware that Cowries can get crowded at times, so get out there early.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSE 10 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
446 | 261 | 211 | 181 | 131 | 99 | 127 | 203 | 124 | 158 | 148 | 188 | 146 | 100 | 70 | 70 | 51 | 55 | 31 | 42 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 8:17PM1.52m | 8:51AM1.27m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:46AM0.12m | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
5:34 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:36 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 26 | 26 | 20 | 24 | 21 | 19 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 23 | 23 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 8 | SSE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 10 | S 10 | S 11 | S 11 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | S 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 10 | S 9 |
26 | 261 | 211 | 181 | 131 | 99 | 127 | 203 | 124 | 158 | 148 | 188 | 146 | 100 | 70 | 70 | 51 | 55 | 31 | 42 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | NE 8 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SE 9 | ENE 9 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | NE 4 | NE 5 | NE 6 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NNE 6 | NE 6 | SSE 12 |
40 | 17 | 146 | 109 | 76 | 68 | 25 | 101 | 87 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 8 | 33 | 19 | 12 | 9 | 26 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 11 | S 10 | ENE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | SE 9 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSE 16 | NE 4 | E 11 | ENE 11 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | NE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | ENE 10 |
39 | 34 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 26 | 21 | 14 | 17 | 26 | 2 | 10 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 5 | 4 | 18 | 18 | 19 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 3 | NNE 4 | NNE 3 | NE 5 | — | NNW 3 | NNE 5 | NNW 2 | NW 3 | W 3 | — |
446 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 5 | 1 | 60 | — | 1 | 24 | 1 | 2 | 5 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 57 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 64 | 0 | 10 | 69 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











