Church Cove Surf Break

Lat Long: 50.04° N 5.27° W

Church Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 18 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Church Cove sea temperature is
19.1° C
2.0° 

Church Cove surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Church Cove surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 9s period, W swell with 836 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Church Cove this week:

The surf forecast for Church Cove over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Church Cove in the next 16 days are 2.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Best Surf 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Most Powerful10AM (Thu 20th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Church Cove over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our local stretch. Gotta be honest, it’s a rough 16 days ahead. The only spot we’re even looking at is Church Cove, and this break is inconsistent at the best of times. For the next two weeks, we’re mostly waiting for a moment that might not come.

Church Cove is a fairly exposed, SW-facing cove, and the wind is just ruining everything for most of the run. We’ve got a long, dry spell. From Tuesday, August 18, right through the end of the month, it’s all blown out. Strong cross-shore and cross-onshore winds from the west are wrecking the swell. The combined energy (177) is weak, and with a short period of 6 seconds, it’s just choppy and poor. The water temp is about normal for this time of year, but that doesn’t matter when the waves are junk.

There’s a tiny window on Friday, August 21. A morning session might see a light offshore breeze from the NNE, cleaning up a 4ft swell from the west. The period is a decent 9 seconds, so there’s a bit of shape. The combined energy (199) is still weak, but it’s the cleanest we get all week. If you’re keen, you could snag a few small, clean ones, but it’s not going to be a classic. The afternoon drops right off to 3ft.

After that, it’s back to the waiting game. The swell bottoms out completely – we’re talking 0.7ft to 2ft from the 22nd through the 24th. The Sunday morning of the 23rd is glassy, but with practically no swell. The energy is a paltry 33, so don’t even bother.

The first week of September brings a major change in energy, but not quality. A solid pulse of swell rolls in from August 31, building to a big 10ft by the afternoon, with combined energy (1042) getting strong. The problem? The wind is still cross-on, and the period is a short, junky 6 to 7 seconds. This is going to be a raw, powerful, and messy wall of white water. At over 8ft, this is strictly for experts who don’t mind a beating, and honestly, it looks more like a kite-surfing playground than a paddle surfer’s dream.

The one true standout, if you can call it that, comes on Wednesday, September 2. The morning shows an 8ft groundswell from the west, but with a period of 10 seconds, giving it some real grunt. The combined energy (1342) is strong. What makes it interesting is a clean, cross-offshore wind from the northwest. For a cove setup, that’s a rare and beautiful thing. The notes say "clean" – that’s the word we want to hear. At 8ft, it’s still a big day for Church Cove, and it’s only for experienced surfers, but if this long-range forecast holds, it could be the only worthwhile session of the entire outlook. Just keep in mind it’s over a week away, so don’t book the time off just yet.

So, to sum it up: a whole lot of blown-out, small, or oversized junk, with one promising but distant morning on September 2. Surf is scarce, so keep your expectations low.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Mon night, min 17°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Fri afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
W
6
1.3
W
6
1.3
W
7
1.4
W
9
1.4
WNW
9
2
W
8
2.3
W
9
2
W
9
1.5
W
9
1.1
W
9
0.8
W
8
0.6
NW
8
0.6
W
9
0.4
WSW
9
0.3
SSW
15
0.2
SSW
14
0.3
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
14
0.2
SSW
13
0.3
W
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
139
139
166
325
355
539
836
670
388
177
84
48
53
26
42
19
39
20
19
18
26
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
25
WNW
25
WNW
20
WNW
35
W
30
W
30
WNW
30
WNW
15
NNW
15
NNE
10
N
20
N
20
ENE
5
ESE
20
NNE
25
NNE
25
NNW
15
N
0
WSW
15
SW
20
S
Wind State
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
on
cross-on
High Tide
9:06AM4.28m
9:25PM4.22m
9:47AM3.98m
10:10PM3.84m
10:36AM3.66m
11:06PM3.49m
11:42AM3.40m
00:25AM3.26m
1:09PM3.29m
1:52AM3.23m
2:28PM3.38m
3:01AM3.38m
3:28PM3.62m
3:53AM3.62m
Low Tide
3:44PM0.66m
4:05AM0.83m
4:23PM1.01m
4:44AM1.18m
5:07PM1.34m
5:31AM1.50m
6:05PM1.62m
6:38AM1.72m
7:29PM1.75m
8:12AM1.74m
9:05PM1.64m
9:33AM1.53m
10:08PM1.35m
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
rain showers
part cloud
clear
cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:18
6:20
6:20
6:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:34
8:31
8:30
8:29
8:27
8:24
8:22
 mm
2
2
1
1
Temp °C
19
18
17
18
18
17
18
18
16
17
18
15
17
18
16
18
17
15
16
17
17
Feels °C
17
15
14
15
12
12
13
13
13
16
16
11
13
14
12
13
11
12
14
14
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Church Cove Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Church Cove provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Church Cove can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Church Cove 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 (Church Cove) 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 Church Cove 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 South Cornwall? If you are looking for accommodation near Church Cove, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in South Cornwall, consider staying in The Lizard which is 13 km (8 miles) away. Other places in and around South Cornwall where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Penryn which is 17 km (11 miles) away, Falmouth, Camborne and Penzance.

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