Cowries Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.58° S 150.88° E

Cowries Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 9 pm 24 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 24 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, SSE swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s period, SSE swell with 1,009 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 12s 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 (Jul 25) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 1.8m 12s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (AEST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Sat 25th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 12s
Best Surf 1AM (Sat 25th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 12s
Most Powerful 1AM (Sat 25th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 12s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about what’s on offer at Cowries.

First up, the water’s sitting at about 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you might not need that extra thick wetsuit.

We’ve got a bit of a slow start, but the real action fires up from Saturday morning, July 25th. That’s the standout window. Saturday morning sees a solid 5ft south swell, with a clean cross-offshore wind from the west, making for some tidy waves. The energy is pumping at a moderate 450 (combined energy), so there’s proper push in the water. Then Saturday afternoon goes glassy, dropping to about 4ft from the south, but with that northwest wind dying off, the surf will be silky smooth.

Sunday morning, the 26th, is another cracker. The swell bumps up to 6ft from the south, period around 11 seconds, and a clean offshore wind from the WSW. That’s a decent groundswell, and the energy jumps to 660 (combined energy). This is the pick of the bunch for the whole forecast – it’s got size, it’s clean, and the reef-and-point setup at Cowries will handle that long period well. Keep in mind it’s a beginner-friendly spot, so 6ft is pushing it for total novices, but for anyone with a bit of time in the water, it’s prime.

The middle of the week is a write-off. From Monday the 27th through to Wednesday the 30th, the swell drops right off or gets messy with onshore winds. Thursday the 30th has some size – 7ft from the south – but the wind is cross-off and the conditions are marginal, with a note that the tide might be tricky. That’s more for the experienced crew, and honestly, the quality isn’t there.

After that, it’s a long stretch of small, weak surf. Friday the 31st has a glassy 4ft south swell in the morning, but it’s ordinary. The first week of August is just flat or tiny, with poor conditions. The second week looks bleak – nothing over 4ft, and most of it is under 3ft. The last few days, from the 5th to the 8th, are mostly under 2ft and weak, with a few bumps from the northeast but short period and messy winds. There’s a gap of about 5 days from August 2nd where there’s barely a ripple worth mentioning.

So, bottom line: the best surf is Saturday the 25th and Sunday the 26th of July. Saturday afternoon for glass, Sunday morning for a bit more power. After that, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 7°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 9°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
3
2
2
2
3
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
SSE
12
1.4
S
11
1.1
S
10
1.3
S
11
1.8
S
10
1.4
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
0.3
S
8
0.1
SE
13
2.3
S
9
1.6
S
7
1.8
S
8
1.7
S
11
1.5
SSE
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1009
441
265
403
720
400
207
151
118
46
24
14
10
7
798
264
381
694
467
Wind (km/h)
15
W
10
W
5
NW
15
W
5
WSW
10
ESE
10
W
5
NNE
20
NE
10
NW
15
W
20
W
15
NW
20
SW
20
SSE
15
SW
15
SSW
15
SSE
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
off
off
cross-on
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
5:19AM0.88m
5:25PM1.36m
6:13AM0.91m
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
Low Tide
11:37PM0.41m
10:35AM0.50m
00:26AM0.36m
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
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:56
6:54
6:54
6:54
6:52
6:52
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
5:09
5:09
5:10
5:12
5:12
5:13
 mm
Temp °C
9
18
18
12
15
15
13
17
17
14
19
19
14
15
14
11
13
13
11
Feels °C
4
15
16
8
13
13
11
14
13
12
14
14
10
10
8
6
8
9
8
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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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