Surf Forecasts:
Cowries surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 6s period, NE swell with 287 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s 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 Monday (Aug 03) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 1.9m 6s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cowries over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here.
Alright, straight talk: Cowries is looking pretty quiet for the first week. Very little to work with early on, but there’s a late pulse of big energy that’ll get the blood pumping.
Water temp is 64°, pretty normal for this time of year.
Monday 3rd August serves up 3ft swell from the SE with a 10-second period. Cross-off NW wind at 9 mph keeps it clean, but the energy is weak (198). Barely surfable. Afternoon drops to 2ft – still clean, still ordinary.
Tuesday 4th and Wednesday 5th are total duds – 0.7ft to 1ft, offshore winds, no power. Energy numbers in the teens and twenties. Wednesday afternoon goes glassy flat.
Thursday 6th sees a tiny bump to 2ft from the S, cross-off in the morning, but the period is short (8 seconds). Energy is weak (69 to 102). Onshore wind ruins the afternoon.
Friday 7th and Saturday 8th stay small and messy – max 3ft, bumpy winds.
Sunday 9th brings cloud and light rain, a 3ft NE swell with a short 7-second period – rough.
Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th offer clean but tiny waves – 2ft to 3ft, nothing special.
Now, the one to watch: Thursday 13th August afternoon. Swell jumps to 6ft from the S, short period, but the energy hits 423 – moderate. Light cross breeze from the SE at 9 mph. It’ll be raw but this reef and point break will start to work.
The real standout is Friday 14th August morning. We’re talking 8ft of S swell with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a massive 1779 – very strong. Light cross wind from the N at 6 mph keeps it clean. This is expert territory – over 8ft gets serious. The reef and point setup at Cowries will be handling that energy well for those who can handle it. This is the day.
Saturday 15th August morning holds strong at 5ft S swell with offshore WSW wind at 12 mph – clean and punchy (334). Still good for competent surfers.
Then it fades through Sunday and into the next week. By Tuesday 18th morning, we’re back to small, glassy 3ft S swell – clean but weak (151).
Bottom line: a long flat spell, then a big Friday 14th for the experts, with Saturday 15th a solid follow-up. Don’t bother with the early tiny days.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 8°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | E 10 | E 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 180 | 102 | 69 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 15 | 54 | 60 | 53 | 81 | 103 | 101 | 47 | 50 | 49 | 159 | 69 | 79 | 72 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | off |
High Tide | 11:19AM1.25m | 11:14PM1.30m | 12:04PM1.29m | 00:03AM1.20m | 12:54PM1.32m | 1:03AM1.09m | 1:52PM1.36m | 2:17AM1.00m | 2:58PM1.41m | 3:40AM0.97m | 4:05PM1.48m | 4:59AM0.98m | 5:09PM1.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:12PM0.39m | 5:39AM0.21m | 6:08PM0.41m | 6:20AM0.26m | 7:14PM0.42m | 7:09AM0.32m | 8:31PM0.40m | 8:08AM0.37m | 9:51PM0.34m | 9:16AM0.40m | 11:05PM0.25m | 10:26AM0.38m | 00:08AM0.14m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | |  |  | | |
 | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — |
 | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:17 | — | — | 5:19 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:20 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 12 |
Feels °C | 17 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SSE 10 | ESE 8 | E 10 | S 6 | S 8 | S 8 | S 7 | S 9 | S 9 | S 9 | S 8 | S 8 | S 8 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 180 | 102 | 69 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 18 | 6 | 54 | 60 | 53 | 81 | 103 | 101 | 47 | 50 | 49 | 159 | 69 | 79 | 72 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | E 16 | NE 5 | ESE 7 | S 5 | SSE 11 | S 5 | E 9 | E 8 | E 9 | S 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | SSE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | S 7 | E 8 | S 8 | E 14 |
| kJ | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 43 | 17 | 9 | 9 | 33 | 21 | 18 | 10 | 45 | 4 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 16 | NE 7 | E 15 | ENE 5 | ESE 7 | S 5 | E 7 | S 10 | E 12 | E 12 | E 9 | SSE 11 | SSE 12 | E 10 | ENE 7 | SE 9 | E 16 | SSE 9 | S 8 | E 14 | S 10 |
| kJ | 5 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 5 | NE 5 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | WSW 2 | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | — | WSW 3 | W 3 | — | W 2 | — | — | — | — | NE 4 | WNW 2 | N 3 | NW 3 | WNW 2 |
| kJ | 11 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 3 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 1 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 272 | 99 | 36 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 496 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 31 |
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.
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