The Bowl Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s coming our way for The Bowl over the next couple of weeks.

The forecast is a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some cleaner windows, but a lot of choppy, wind-affected days to work around. Water temps are sitting about average for this time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there.

The best bet on offer looks like Tuesday morning, July 7th. The Bowl will see a 6ft swell from the W, with a clean, cross-offshore breeze. Wave energy is moderate to strong (451), and that’s a solid step up from what we’ve had. It’s a reef break, so the 8-second period will give it some shape, but it’s not overly long, so it should still offer a decent wall. It’s suited to advanced surfers, and crowds are only sometimes an issue, so you might find a bit of room. That’s the standout.

Earlier on, Sunday July 5th is pretty ordinary. A 4ft W-NW swell is there in the morning, but with a cross wind and only marginal conditions, it’s not worth rushing out for. The afternoon goes glassy but the swell drops to 4ft and energy is weak (189). Not much to write home about.

Monday July 6th is small. A 3ft W swell with clean conditions in the morning – the energy is low (152) and it’s just very ordinary.

Tuesday afternoon the 7th gets messy. The swell jumps to 6ft, but a 30 km/h cross wind and short, 6-second period will make it lumpy. Leave it.

Wednesday July 8th through to Thursday July 9th is more of the same – small, cross winds, poor quality. The Thursday afternoon brings a 4ft W swell with onshore wind, so just forget it.

Friday July 10th is tiny and poor. Wind shifts onshore, and we’re scraping less than 3ft. Not worth it.

Saturday July 11th sees a 4ft W swell with 10-second period and cross-onshore wind, so it’ll be choppy. Energy is moderate (296), but the wind ruins it.

Sunday July 12th morning is clean with a 3ft W swell and cross-offshore breeze – energy is weak (138). It’s surfable but very average.

From Monday July 13th to Tuesday July 14th the swell drops right off – under 3ft and mostly poor. A flat spell.

Wednesday July 15th and Thursday July 16th bring a bit more size – up to 6ft – but with strong cross to cross-onshore winds, it’s all chop. The 6–8 second period doesn't help. Kite surfers might get a look, but for paddle surfing it’s poor.

Friday July 17th and Saturday July 18th push the swell up further. Friday is 7ft to 7ft from the W-NW, but wind is strong and cross, so it’s lumpy and messy. Saturday July 18th is the next real highlight – 7ft from the W-NW, clean cross-offshore winds, and strong energy (833). At that size it’s for experts only, and the tide might be a factor, but if you’re skilled and hungry, the morning of Saturday 18th could be excellent. The wind holds clean into the afternoon too.

Sunday July 19th is a step back – 5ft to 5ft with fresh cross winds. Poor.

Finally, Monday July 20th morning throws in a surprise: 5ft from the W-NW, but with a moderate offshore breeze from the SSE. That’s clean, and the energy is moderate (285). It’s the last chance in the window, and it’s a solid option for a surf, just not quite the stand-out of Tuesday 7th or Saturday 18th.

To sum it up: Tuesday July 7th morning is your best early call, and Saturday July 18th morning is the big, powerful one for experts. The rest is small, choppy, or ordinary.

– Rusty

Read more