Surf Forecasts:
Church Cove surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, WNW swell with 917 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s period with WNW 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 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 2.4m 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 2.0m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 21st Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Church Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, crew, Rusty here. Let’s be real: the next fortnight is looking like a total bust for a proper surf. We’ve got a serious flat spell coming, so don’t get your hopes up for anything rideable for a while.
The water’s sitting at 67°F, which is way warmer than it should be this time of year – that’s the one good thing about a dead ocean.
Our first real sign of life doesn’t show up until the morning of the 20th. There’s a pulse of energy coming with the swell bumping up to 8ft from the WNW. Problem is, the wind is howling cross-shore at 19 mph, making it a lumpy mess. There’s a ton of energy out there (1653), but it’s not working for us. That morning is the only time we see a score of even 1/10, and it’s a marginal call at best.
After that little flash, it just dies again. We’re looking at a solid gap of flat, weak surf from the 21st through the 27th. The swell drops off a cliff, with most days seeing waves under 3ft. There are a few clean windows, especially the 22nd and 23rd with the lighter cross-off breeze, but there's just no size or power behind them to make it worth the paddle out. It’s the kind of lull where you might just want to wax up the log for some knee-high dribbles if you're desperate, but there's nothing here that gets the heart racing. The energy levels drop to double digits, a real sign of how weak things are.
All the while, we're dealing with winds that are mostly cross or cross-off, with a few days of proper strong breezes that'll just add to the mess. Even the clean, glassy morning on the 27th only has 1ft of swell. It's a real tease.
Now, things get a bit more interesting right at the end of the period. Saturday the 29th looks like the standout, with a solid 6ft of W swell rolling in. The period jumps up to 12 seconds, showing some real groundswell energy. However, the wind is still cross-shore, so expect some chop. This is one for the more experienced crew, as anything over 5ft is pushing it for beginners. The long period also means it might be breaking a bit straight on the beach, so you'll want to hunt for a bank.
The other glimmer of hope is Friday the 28th. The swell is a touch smaller at 6-7ft from the WSW, and the early light winds could make for some slightly cleaner conditions before the onshores pick up. It’s not perfect, but it’s something.
Beyond that, Sunday the 30th turns ugly fast. A strong WSW wind is forecast to howl at up to 31 mph, and with that much wind and swell, the setup just looks more interesting for the kite surfers than anyone on a paddleboard.
So, bottom line: the only real day to get excited about is that Saturday the 29th. It's the one with the most size and period, even if the winds aren't ideal. Everything else for the next two weeks is a write-off unless you're just stoked to be in the water. Don't get your hopes up too high for the end of the forecast, though – it's promising, but we have a long way to go for a clean day.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 14°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the N by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | 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) | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WSW 10 | W 10 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
27 | 25 | 15 | 45 | 130 | 77 | 91 | 85 | 123 | 240 | 358 | 762 | 917 | 612 | 333 | 197 | 100 | 42 | 36 | 71 | 42 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:06PM4.88m | 8:26AM4.54m | 8:45PM4.58m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:28PM0.09m | 2:52AM0.15m | 3:06PM0.34m | 3:28AM0.47m | 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 | ||||||||
6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | |
— | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 14 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 9 | S 18 | S 16 | W 8 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | W 9 | SSW 14 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WSW 10 | W 10 | WSW 9 |
27 | 25 | 15 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 11 | 29 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 715 | 20 | 333 | 197 | 100 | 42 | 36 | 71 | 28 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 8 | S 18 | S 18 | S 18 | — | S 19 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | — | — | — | — | SSW 14 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 |
12 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 7 | 27 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 19 | 17 | 17 | 12 | 21 | 6 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 16 | SW 16 | WSW 11 | WNW 7 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 |
3 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 10 | 24 | 10 | 21 | 42 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | — | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | — | — | — | — |
4 | 2 | 5 | 45 | 130 | 77 | 91 | 85 | 123 | 240 | 358 | 762 | 917 | 612 | — | 3 | 17 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 237 | 307 | 271 | 192 | 190 | 257 | 273 | 1128 | 261 | 582 | 190 | 632 | 186 | 192 | 12 | 192 | 192 | 0 | 282 | 245 | 255 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Cornwall | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











