Surf Forecasts:
The Well surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 12s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 16s period, SW swell with 7,811 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 18 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 14s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Well this week:
The surf forecast for The Well over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 18s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Well in the next 16 days are 4.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 8s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (AEST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Tue 18th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 16s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Well over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright mate, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking at The Well.
Water temps are sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4 just yet.
The forecast kicks off on Monday afternoon the 17th with a solid pulse. We’re looking at 8 ft of SW groundswell rolling in at a long 16 seconds, and the combined energy is right up there at 3424, so it’s pushing strong. The wind is a light cross-off from the east at 9 mph, keeping things clean. This is proper advanced territory with that size and power, but for those who can handle it, the conditions are excellent. The swell direction is a near-perfect match for the reef’s optimum. This is a standout window.
Tuesday the 18th keeps the fun going. The morning has 6 ft SW swell at 14 seconds, with a clean offshore breeze from the northeast at 16 mph. The afternoon drops to 5 ft but the offshore switches to a glassy NNE at 9 mph, and the period stretches back to 16 seconds – that’s a dreamy combo for a reef. Still excellent for the experienced crew.
Wednesday the 19th sees the swell drop to 4 ft, and while the winds are offshore in the morning, the rain and a fresh 19 mph breeze make it less appealing. The afternoon turns cross-off and the quality drops. This is a day to sit out or check the tide.
From Thursday the 20th through to Sunday the 23rd, the swell pumps up to 10 ft to 12 ft, and the energy readings are massive – between 4148 and 6683. But the wind is all over the shop: cross-on, cross, or just plain messy. The wave quality is poor to marginal for most of it, with strong cross-onshore winds making it choppy and hard to manage. This is big, raw, and mostly unrideable for paddle surfing. Kite surfers might have a field day, but for the rest of us, it’s a hard pass.
Monday the 24th and Tuesday the 25th offer a bit of relief. The swell drops to 7 ft to 7 ft, with clean conditions on Monday morning from a light NW cross-off, and Tuesday morning is clear with a 9 mph offshore from the NW. The energy is still moderate to strong (around 1768 to 2573), and the quality is good for experienced surfers. Tuesday afternoon gets a bit onshore, so hit it early.
We then hit a dry spell from the 26th through the 30th. Swell hangs around 5 ft to 6 ft, but the wind is mostly cross or cross-on, often fresh and lumpy, with rain and even a risk of thunderstorms on the 28th. The energy is moderate to strong, but the quality is poor to marginal. Not worth paddling out unless you’re desperate.
Now, the real standout is the Monday the 31st of August. The swell is 5 ft of SW groundswell with a very long 19-second period, energy at 4060, and a glassy offshore from the northeast at just 3 mph. That’s clean, lined-up, and perfect for the reef. The morning session is the best of the entire run. The afternoon turns cross-shore with light ripples, but still good.
And then Tuesday the 1st of September delivers another cracker: 8 ft SW swell at 16 seconds, with a clean moderate offshore from the north at 12 mph. Energy is strong at 3428, and the conditions are excellent. This is a serious session for the experienced crew.
So, overall, the standout windows are the 17th, 18th, early 25th, and the 31st of August into the 1st of September. That’s where the magic is.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | W 9 | W 13 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
2612 | 1512 | 989 | 893 | 649 | 592 | 999 | 3165 | 2233 | 2826 | 1956 | 2946 | 6807 | 7019 | 7811 | 5809 | 3908 | 5360 | 3444 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 2:43AM0.65m | 2:14PM0.66m | 3:19AM0.65m | 2:25PM0.64m | 3:55AM0.63m | 2:33PM0.62m | 4:32AM0.59m | 2:33PM0.61m | 5:19AM0.53m | 2:19PM0.60m | 1:46PM0.61m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:28AM0.25m | 8:45PM0.07m | 8:53AM0.31m | 9:08PM0.05m | 9:13AM0.37m | 9:30PM0.06m | 9:23AM0.43m | 9:52PM0.09m | 9:09AM0.48m | 10:12PM0.13m | 10:32PM0.17m | ||||||||
— | 7:11 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | |
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:53 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:55 | — | — | 5:57 | — | — | 5:58 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | WSW 15 | WSW 14 | W 11 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | SW 15 | WSW 14 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
2612 | 1512 | 989 | 893 | 649 | 592 | 487 | 1313 | 390 | 2826 | 1956 | 2946 | 6807 | 7019 | 7811 | 5809 | 3908 | 5360 | 3444 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | SW 18 | WSW 13 | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | E 6 | WSW 19 | WSW 13 | SW 16 | WSW 14 | WSW 15 | SW 18 | — | WSW 24 | SW 22 | SW 20 | SW 18 | — | — |
31 | 452 | 451 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 238 | 421 | 390 | 1127 | 1772 | 1249 | — | 54 | 227 | 537 | 1453 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 6 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | E 7 | SW 17 | — | — | WSW 20 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | 15 | 13 | — | — | — | 4 | 567 | — | — | 218 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | NNE 3 | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | N 4 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 13 | WSW 12 | — | WSW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
23 | 10 | 3 | 17 | 48 | 192 | 999 | 3165 | 2233 | — | 1194 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 15 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 99 | 87 | 41 | 87 | 72 | 72 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 72 | 72 | 34 | 3 | 72 | 60 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Far West of Victoria | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Australia | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Well Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Well provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Well can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Well 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 (The Well) 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 The Well 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.
Are you planning a holiday in Far West of Victoria? If you are looking for accommodation near The Well, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Far West of Victoria, consider staying in Warrnambool which is 42 km (26 miles) away.











