The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Long Range Forecast
03/30/2023

The Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach Long Range Forecast

Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, 2022Rip Curl Pro, Bells Beach, 2022

Only six days until the opening of the 60th Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. So, what have the waves got in store for the world’s best?

Back to back La Ninas have not been kind to surfers in Victoria but there’s been a renewed faith in the surf gods in 2023. Surf Coasters have enjoyed two unseasonable swells already; once in Feb, and again in March. So optimism is at an all time high for the upcoming Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. 

Unfortunately, the epic run of waves has come to a screeching halt as summery swells and winds take their place. Our friends at Swellnet predict, “small mid-period swell energy along with persistent tricky winds owing to a deepening mid-latitude low in the vicinity of Victoria. At best, this low will form west of Bass Strait, which will bring offshore winds from the north along with easing 2ft to occasionally 3ft sets at Bells Beach on the opening day.”

Swellnet forcast for Rip Curl Pro Bells BeachSwellnet forcast for Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach
Credit Swellnet. Possibly incoming swell for the back half of the waiting period.

The bleak outlook continues Wednesday which is considered a definite layday but from then on the forecast is shrouded in mystery as models from different parts of the globe offer up contradictory predictions.

But isn’t there a tinge of deja vu about it all…?

Last year, the early forecast warned of  “sideshore and onshore winds”, “4-6 foot faces” and a general theme: temper your expectations. However by the time the final siren rang out we’d been graced with multiple days of overhead, offshore-groomed waves, and the bells were triumphantly rang out for the 59th time. 

Swellnet’s, “ever-optimistic American model” has promised contestable swells and favourable winds. So, for now we live in hope and trust in the red, white and blue. Surely Huey wouldn’t let us down for the 60th anniversary of the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach!