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Cowries Surf Forecast
/ NSW – Illawarra (42 breaks) / New South Wales (297 breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Cowries surfForecast / NSW – Illawarra / Australia
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 3 am Wednesday 20 May 2026 AESTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Cowries surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Cowries sea temperature is
20.6° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)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 Wednesday (May 20) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 2.0m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 1.6m and 10s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 16 days are 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 26) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (May 25) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 20th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Wed 20th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Tue 26th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cowries over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 33mm), heaviest during Mon morning. Warm (max 20°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Sat night, fresh winds from the S by Mon afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 20 | Thursday 21 | Friday 22 | Saturday 23 | Sunday 24 | Monday 25 | Tuesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 10 | |
1164 | 803 | 614 | 710 | 448 | 441 | 210 | 308 | 650 | 742 | 1035 | 1193 | 1299 | 1347 | 1324 | 988 | 778 | 1331 | 959 | 1500 | 1106 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | |
High Tide | 11:19AM1.07m | 11:10PM1.65m | 12:23PM1.04m | 00:10AM1.55m | 1:29PM1.05m | 1:12AM1.44m | 2:34PM1.09m | 2:16AM1.33m | 3:32PM1.16m | 3:19AM1.24m | 4:23PM1.23m | 4:19AM1.16m | 5:07PM1.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:37PM0.38m | 6:12AM0.06m | 5:39PM0.44m | 7:13AM0.11m | 6:48PM0.49m | 8:11AM0.17m | 8:04PM0.52m | 9:04AM0.21m | 9:19PM0.50m | 9:52AM0.25m | 10:27PM0.46m | 10:34AM0.29m | 11:26PM0.41m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  |  | | | |  | | |  |  | |  |  | |  | |
 | 6:46 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | — | 4:59 | — | — | 4:59 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 4:57 | — | — | 4:57 | — | — | 4:55 | — | — | 4:55 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 2 | — | |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
12 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | ENE 10 | E 10 | E 10 | SSE 8 | SSE 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | E 10 | E 11 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | E 11 | E 11 | E 11 |
 kJ | 747 | 544 | 324 | 255 | 255 | 344 | 132 | 308 | 650 | 742 | 1035 | 1193 | 1299 | 1347 | 1324 | 988 | 778 | 596 | 403 | 289 | 233 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | ENE 10 | — | — | — | ENE 10 | E 9 | S 8 | S 7 | S 7 | S 8 | S 16 | S 14 | S 13 | SSW 11 | SE 16 | SSE 15 | — | — | — | S 19 |
| kJ | 441 | 377 | — | — | — | 163 | 210 | 11 | 27 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 4 | 3 | 11 | 10 | 44 | — | — | — | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 8 | SSE 12 | — | S 8 | S 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | 15 | — | 11 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 9 | S 9 | S 10 | S 9 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | S 8 | SSE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 6 | S 7 | S 9 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 10 |
| kJ | 1164 | 803 | 614 | 710 | 448 | 441 | 191 | 86 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 165 | 397 | 1331 | 959 | 1500 | 1106 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 10 | 10 | 2 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 57 | 95 | 289 | 277 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Illawarra | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Cowries surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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