Cowries Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.58° S 150.88° E

Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 am 26 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Cowries sea temperature is
18.9° C
1.7° 

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


Cowries surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, S swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, S swell with 2,177 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period with S 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m 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 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 1PM. 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Sun 26th Jul)4ft (1.2m) 10s
Best Surf 1AM (Thu 30th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 10s
Most Powerful 1PM (Thu 30th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Righto, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water’s sitting at 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing wild, but you’ll notice it’s a little more comfortable than usual.

We’ve got a slow start. The first real action worth mentioning is Sunday morning the 26th of July at Cowries (reef and point). We’re looking at a solid 5 ft southerly swell with an 11-second period, giving us a decent amount of energy (598). The wind is light westerly at 3 mph and offshore, so it’ll be clean. This is a beginner-friendly wave, and with the offshore breeze, it’s a good one to get out for an easy session. The water’s that touch warmer, so it’s a nice one for a Sunday morning paddle. Crowds can be around sometimes, but nothing too hectic.

Now, the real standout for the confident crew comes in on Thursday morning the 30th of July. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the south, with an 11-second period and a massive energy reading of 2802. That’s a serious amount of power. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 9 mph, keeping the surface clean. This is not for beginners – over 5 ft and definitely pushing into the expert-only zone at 8 ft. It’s a reef and point setup, so that long period groundswell will wrap in nicely. If you’ve got the skills, this is the best of the whole run.

After that, there’s a gradual drop-off. Friday the 31st stays similar at 8-8 ft, but the wind is a bit stronger cross-offshore, and the energy is still high (over 2000). Still good for experienced surfers, but the Thursday morning peak is the one to aim for.

The first week of August sees smaller, mixed conditions. Saturday the 1st of August has a 5 ft southerly swell in the morning, with light cross-offshore winds and moderate energy (663). It’s rideable but ordinary. Sunday the 2nd drops off further, and by Monday the 3rd we’re down to 3 ft – small and clean but nothing to write home about.

There’s a gap of pretty ordinary surf from the 4th to the 7th, with very small waves and poor conditions. Then, on Thursday morning the 6th of August, we get a bump: 6 ft from the south, with an 8-second period and 414 energy. The wind is offshore from the west at 6 mph, so it’s clean. Not a standout, but a fun little pulse for the midweek.

The second week gets a bit spicy again. Saturday the 8th of August afternoon sees a massive 12 ft southerly swell, but it’s flagged as too big for this break – the wind is also onshore, so it’s a mess. Then Monday morning the 10th of August has a huge 13 ft swell from the ESE with a very long 11-second period and a massive 4080 energy reading. The wind is glassy from the NNW at 3 mph – looks incredible for the experts, but again, it’s too big for Cowries. That’s a day for the big-wave chargers only, and likely better suited to a different break.

Overall, the best on offer is Thursday morning the 30th of July – that 8 ft south swell with clean cross-offshore wind is the clear winner. If you’re less experienced, Sunday morning the 26th of July is your best bet.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

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

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed afternoon, min 7°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds.

Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
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
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
3
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
S
11
1.3
S
10
1.1
S
9
1
S
9
0.9
SSE
8
0.6
S
8
0.4
S
9
0.3
S
9
0.2
S
8
0.1
SE
13
0.1
S
16
3
S
10
2.5
S
11
2.5
S
11
2.5
S
10
2.5
S
10
2.4
S
10
1.8
SSE
9
1.5
SSE
10
1.7
SSE
11
1.4
SE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
595
353
212
158
118
42
24
14
8
7
7
1527
1732
1439
1495
1281
1057
551
411
669
476
Wind (km/h)
5
W
10
E
10
W
5
NNE
20
NE
10
NW
15
W
10
W
15
NW
25
W
20
WSW
15
W
15
SSW
20
S
10
WSW
20
SSW
15
S
15
SW
10
SSW
10
ESE
10
NW
Wind State
off
cross-on
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
6:10PM1.41m
6:57AM0.95m
6:52PM1.47m
7:37AM0.99m
7:32PM1.51m
8:14AM1.03m
8:09PM1.54m
8:50AM1.07m
8:44PM1.55m
9:26AM1.12m
9:19PM1.52m
10:02AM1.16m
9:55PM1.47m
Low Tide
11:28AM0.48m
1:07AM0.30m
12:15PM0.44m
1:45AM0.24m
12:58PM0.41m
2:21AM0.20m
1:39PM0.37m
2:55AM0.16m
2:18PM0.35m
3:27AM0.14m
2:58PM0.35m
3:58AM0.14m
3:39PM0.35m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:54
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:52
6:50
6:50
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:09
5:10
5:12
5:12
5:13
5:14
5:15
 mm
Temp °C
16
15
13
16
16
14
19
19
13
14
15
8
13
14
11
14
14
12
15
14
12
Feels °C
14
12
11
13
12
12
15
16
9
6
9
3
6
8
6
9
10
9
12
12
10
  • 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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