Cowries surf break

Cowries surfForecast / NSW – Illawarra / Australia

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 10 pm Wednesday 14 Jan 2026 AEDT
Forecast 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
22.0° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)


Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Cowries this week:

The surf forecast for Cowries over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Jan 16) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.2m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 1.7m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Cowries in the next 12 days are 4.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jan 17) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (Jan 16) at 2PM.

Wave TypeTime (AEDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Fri 16th Jan)7ft (2.2m) 8s
Best Surf 8PM (Fri 16th Jan)11ft (3.5m) 9s
Most Powerful11AM (Sat 17th Jan)15ft (4.5m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Cowries over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 41mm), heaviest during Sat morning. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 137mm), heaviest during Sun morning. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Thursday
15
Friday
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wed
21
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
2
0
0
!
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.6
NE
1.1
ENE
1.6
ENE
2.4
NE
1.5
ENE
2.3
SSW
4
SSE
4.5
S
3
SSE
2
ESE
2
E
3
E
1.8
SE
1.8
ENE
1.7
ENE
1.3
SE
2
E
2.3
E
2.1
E
2.2
E
2.1
E
Period(s) (?)66688610111010999889810101010
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)159872026572913963300428619228046951691549414361244589983804970865
Wind
(km/h)
20
NNE
25
NNE
20
NE
10
N
20
SSE
25
S
15
SE
30
ESE
20
SE
30
ESE
30
ESE
30
SE
20
ESE
20
ESE
20
ESE
15
E
20
ESE
20
ESE
20
SE
25
S
25
S
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
on
cross-
on
oncross-
on
crosscross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
oncross-
on
cross-
on
crosscross-
off
cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
6:42AM
1.38
7:27PM
0.92
7:26AM
1.44
8:11PM
0.96
8:07AM
1.50
8:51PM
0.99
8:46AM
1.55
9:29PM
1.03
9:23AM
1.59
10:06PM
1.07
10:00AM
1.59
10:44PM
1.11
10:36AM
1.57
Low Tide
/ height (m)
11:54PM
0.48
1:41PM
0.34
12:44AM
0.46
2:22PM
0.28
1:29AM
0.43
3:00PM
0.22
2:12AM
0.39
3:36PM
0.17
2:52AM
0.36
4:11PM
0.13
3:32AM
0.34
4:45PM
0.11
4:12AM
0.34
5:19PM
0.10
Thursday
15
Friday
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wed
21
Sunrise-5:58--5:58--6:00--6:01--6:01--6:03--6:03-
Sunset--8:12--8:10--8:10--8:10--8:09--8:09--8:09
light rain
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
heavy rain
light rain
rain showers
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
thunderstorm
light rain
part cloud
rain showers
Rain (mm)
512531699555653225454-2
Temp. °C212223222122212021202020192021212121202020
Feels °C (?)212122202119191819181717151820201919171616
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Latest Updates

submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Cowries:

join our community of surf reporters

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 12 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.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest