The Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Righto, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for The Bowl over the next couple of weeks.

Alright, straight up, the outlook is a bit of a mixed bag for The Bowl. We do get a couple of windows where it’s worth paddling out, but there are also some long quiet spells and plenty of windy days to sit through. The good news is, when conditions line up, the wave quality is there.

The first real standout is Monday morning, July 6th. The wind is glassy, coming from the east at just 3 mph, which is absolute perfection for a clean surface. The swell is a modest 3 ft from the west, with a combined energy of 143, so it’s not a big day, but it’s surfable and the conditions will be smooth. The Bowl is a reef break, so with that west swell direction, it’s exposed and picking it up nicely. Keep in mind, this is an advanced spot, so it’s not for the learners. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

Monday afternoon, the wind swings hard to the WSW at 22 mph, making it a cross-off breeze, and the swell jumps to 7 ft. The period drops to 6 seconds, which is short-period wind swell, and the combined energy is 405. It’s a bit of a mess, honestly. That’s more of a kite-surfing setup than a good paddle session.

Rolling into Tuesday, July 7th, and Wednesday, July 8th, the mornings offer some hope. Tuesday morning has a 4 ft west swell with a 9-second period, and light cross-on winds from the NE at 3 mph. The energy is 294, which is moderate. Wednesday morning is cleaner, with a cross-off breeze from the WSW at 9 mph, a 5 ft swell, and a combined energy of 350. These are marginal but rideable, especially if you’re keen for a paddle.

The next true highlight arrives on Thursday, July 9th, in the morning. The forecast shows good surf conditions with a 4 ft west swell, a 9-second period, and a cross-off wind from the SW at 9 mph. The combined energy is 217, and it’s clean. This is your best bet for a solid session in the first week. The crowds can be an issue at The Bowl sometimes, so you might want to get in early.

After that, the surf quality drops off sharply. From Friday, July 10th, right through until Monday, July 20th, the conditions are mostly poor. There are long gaps of 5 to 7 days where the wind is onshore, cross-onshore, or just too strong, and the swell quality is low. The combined energy mostly sits under 100 or in the low hundreds, with short periods. It’s a real flat spell. If you’ve got a kite, those strong cross-off and cross-winds on the 8th, 11th, and 17th might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a waiting game.

The last flicker of hope is on Sunday, July 19th, morning. The swell picks up to 5 ft from the NW, but the period is a short 6 seconds, and the wind is a fresh 22 mph from the NW, making it lumpy. The combined energy is 152, but it’s poor quality. By Monday, July 20th, the wind is still strong from the NW at 19 mph, and it’s a no-go.

So, to wrap it up: if you’re after clean, glassy conditions, get out there on Monday morning, July 6th. For the best wave quality and shape, Thursday morning, July 9th, is your standout. The rest of the window is a write-off, with long gaps of poor conditions. But hey, it’s The Bowl—it’s a reef, it’s advanced, and it tends not to stay poor forever. Forecasts can change.

Rusty.

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