
Surf Forecasts:
Church Cove surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, WSW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s period, W swell with 332 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period with WSW 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Church Cove in the next 16 days are 1.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Church Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright surfers, Rusty here. Let’s cut to the chase. The next two weeks at Church Cove are looking proper grim. We've got a long stretch of poor conditions and tiny surf ahead. The first few days are a total loss – there's just no energy at all. So don't rush to wax up; it's going to be a quiet one for a while.
Looking for a glimmer of hope, the morning of Thursday the 13th is the first time the surf even gets a passing nod. It’s not much, but it’s something. Swell is up to 4ft from the WSW with a period of 11 seconds. The wind is a cross-off from the NNW, so it’ll be clean, but the energy is still weak, registering just 344. It’s a tough call at best, and the break is inconsistent anyway, so you’d be scratching for anything. The water temp is 66°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. After that, we drop right back into the poor conditions and tiny surf for days.
We keep scanning, and the most promising window, if you can call it that, is the morning of Tuesday the 19th. The swell ticks up to 4ft from the WNW, with a solid 11-second period, and the energy climbs to 370. This is the biggest groundswell pulse in the whole window. But the wind is a cross-on from the WNW, making it choppy and messy. It’s frustrating because there’s some power there, but the wind is going to ruin it. It’s the only real window with any kind of size and period, but you’ll be fighting the chop. Church Cove is a fairly exposed spot, so it takes the brunt from all directions.
A full week later, on Monday the 24th, things get lively, but not in a good way for us. The afternoon sees a jump in swell to a solid 7ft from the west, with a strong energy reading of 585 and a howling 25 mph north wind. That’s a building, raw swell with strong winds. That kind of setup at a beach-and-reef break like this is looking far more interesting for the kite surfers than it is for us.
Then on Wednesday the 26th, the ocean really wakes up in the afternoon. Swell hits 8ft from the W, with an energy reading of 722, the strongest of the entire forecast. But the wind is light and onshore from the WSW, the period is a short 8 seconds, and there's light rain. It’s just a messy, maxed-out closeout potential. That’s proper expert territory, and even then, with that short period and onshore wind, it'll be a grinder. Long-range calls like this are promising but far from certain; still, it's worth keeping an eye on.
So, there you have it. A whole lot of nothing, a couple of marginal, wind-affected days, and a possible late burst of unruly, powerful swell. Church Cove is inconsistent, and this stretch really shows it. It’s the kind of dry spell that’s more normal for the area than a fluke. Forecasts can change, but as it stands, I’d find something else to do for the next two weeks.
Stay salty.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Fri afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sun afternoon, min 15°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Sat morning, light winds from the NNE by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 9 | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
131 | 144 | 185 | 332 | 290 | 220 | 160 | 188 | 202 | 142 | 98 | 55 | 18 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 37 | 109 | 219 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:56AM4.47m | 5:19PM4.87m | 5:44AM4.68m | 6:04PM5.07m | 6:27AM4.80m | 6:46PM5.14m | 7:08AM4.81m | 7:27PM5.07m | 7:48AM4.72m | 8:06PM4.88m | 8:26AM4.54m | 8:45PM4.58m | 9:06AM4.28m | 9:25PM4.22m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:41AM0.23m | 00:10AM-0.02m | 12:27PM0.00m | 00:54AM-0.19m | 1:09PM-0.10m | 1:35AM-0.21m | 1:49PM-0.07m | 2:14AM-0.09m | 2:28PM0.09m | 2:52AM0.15m | 3:06PM0.34m | 3:28AM0.47m | 3:44PM0.66m | ||||||||
6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — | — | 8:39 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:34 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 9 | W 8 | W 7 | SW 17 | SSW 17 |
131 | 144 | 185 | 332 | 290 | 220 | 160 | 188 | 202 | 142 | 98 | 55 | 18 | 25 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 37 | 11 | 29 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 6 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | — | S 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 12 | S 12 | WSW 8 | E 5 | — | NNW 3 | W 7 | E 5 | SW 17 | — | W 10 |
6 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11 | 2 | — | 2 | 8 | 1 | 11 | — | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 6 | SW 5 | — | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 13 | — | S 13 | — | — | S 20 | S 12 | S 18 | S 18 | E 5 | S 18 | S 16 | — | — | — |
1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | 3 | — | — | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 5 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | E 5 | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | NNW 3 | N 4 | NNW 4 | NNW 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | N 4 | — | NW 2 | WNW 3 | W 4 | W 6 | WNW 7 |
60 | 32 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 6 | 19 | 36 | 31 | 14 | 13 | 9 | — | 1 | 1 | 13 | 109 | 219 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 22 | 22 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 192 | 22 | 28 | 232 | 12 | 191 | 191 | 202 | 415 | 232 | 522 | 353 | 294 | 0 | 0 | 232 |
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.











