Ketewel Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, folks, Rusty here with a look at what's on the cards for Ketewel. Let's be straight up – this isn't going to be a classic run. The forecast is a bit of a mixed bag with a lot of marginal conditions, but there's a couple of windows that might just get the heart pumping.

Over the next few days, it's a bit of a struggle. The swell is coming from the SSW, which is about right for the direction this reef likes, but the wind is the problem. We've got a persistent cross-onshore breeze from the SE, and that's just messing with the surface. The water's sitting at a warm 80°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, so no need for a steamer.

Monday afternoon the 17th kicks off with poor surf. The swell is a modest 4ft from the SSW, with a period of 14 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (790). The wind is onshore, so it's a write-off.

Tuesday the 18th looks a bit better with a 6ft SSW swell building in the afternoon, showing moderate energy (1909), but that cross-onshore wind is still a pain, making it choppy. The same story continues into Wednesday the 19th – the swell jumps to 7ft in the morning and 8ft in the afternoon, with energy ramping up (3073 then 3562). That's a decent size, but it's still cross-onshore, so it's not going to be the clean, lining-up reef perfection we're after. It's borderline for beginners at that size, and the chop makes it a chore.

Thursday the 20th sees the swell peak at 8ft in the morning, with strong energy (3181). The wind is a lighter cross-onshore, which is a slight improvement, but still not ideal. The swell is now pushing into the expert-only zone, and with the period around 16 seconds, it's a proper groundswell. This setup could be more interesting for the kite crew than a paddle surfer, given the size and cross-onshore component.

From Friday the 21st through to the end of the month, the story is much the same: a consistent 5ft to 7ft SSW swell, but the wind stubbornly stays cross-onshore from the SE. The energy stays moderate to strong, but the quality is poor to marginal. The crowds are a known factor here at Ketewel – it gets busy – but with the wind like this, it might be a bit quieter.

Now, here's a glimmer of hope. Look at Sunday the 30th of August. The morning shows a 6ft SSW swell with a period of 16 seconds and moderate energy (1763). The wind is light and onshore from the SSE, which is a big step up. It's not perfect, but a light wind means it could be glassy and clean. That's the best we've seen in a while.

And then, Monday the 31st of August brings a real standout. The morning has a 5ft SSW swell, but with a *very long* period of 21 seconds and strong energy (2878). This is a pure groundswell. The wind is onshore, but light. Then Monday afternoon, the swell jumps to 7ft from the SSW with a 20-second period and very strong energy (4225). That's a big, powerful, long-period swell. For a point break or reef like Ketewel (Bali), this is the kind of pulse that can produce incredible, walling waves with long lulls between sets. The caveat is that the wind is cross-onshore, but if that eases right off, this could be a session to remember.

Tuesday the 1st of September keeps the swell going at 8ft, though the wind picks up to a moderate cross-onshore breeze, making it choppy.

So, overall, the best bet is the window around Monday the 31st of August. The very long-period groundswell has the potential for some serious, deep-water lines. Don't hold your breath for the week before that, but keep an eye on any wind changes. The forecast is less certain the further out you go, but that Monday is worth circling on the calendar.

Rusty.

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