Large and windy waves are pushing into the Bells bowl on the 60th running of the historical Bells Beach surf competition on the Surf Coast of Victoria.

A deep low with a front drove a deep and wide stream of southwesterly winds directed towards Victoria, bringing building swell moving into the contest area on Sunday morning. The winds bringing the swell are also bringing cold and woolly Southern Ocean weather to the Victorian coastline.

Satellite Imagery over the Bass Strait on Sunday morning showing speckled cloud and showers moving into Victoria with a cold and wintery southwesterly airstream.

Dedicated surf fans in the region for the traditional Easter weekend surf competition are braving gusty showers and brisk winds making it feel 4 to 6 degrees colder than the actual temperature. These brisk winds will persist, making today feel no warmer than about 9 degrees, and tomorrow feel no warmer than about 10 or 11 degrees, at the warmest time of day in the afternoon.

Fans in the region can however expect plenty of waves to be ridden today, with frequent, although not very pretty, 4-6 foot waves moving into the Bells Bowl. Competition organisers may choose to run further heats tomorrow under similar, but slightly smaller, conditions, and should run on Tuesday as winds ease off, providing clearer and warmer conditions, along with easing surf.

Smaller waves and less favourable (although much warmer) winds will close off the competition waiting period, with a possible more likely day of surf on Friday with the arrival of a new swell.