Surf Forecasts:
Church Cove surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 10s period, W swell with 646 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s 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 10s 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 1.9m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.3m 7s period and expected on Monday (Aug 24) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Fri 21st Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Church Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, surfers, Rusty here. Let’s talk about the stretch ahead for Church Cove. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, with some real promise buried in there if you’re willing to be patient.
Looking at the forecast as a whole, we’re starting off with a lot of cross-onshore wind and messy, weak surf. The first few days, honestly, aren't worth your time. The swell is small and the wind’s all over it. This is a spot that needs a bit of love to come alive.
The real window starts to open on the morning of Wednesday, August 26th. We see a jump in energy to a moderate level, but the wind is still cross-onshore and the water's a bit lumpy. It’s not perfect, but it’s a sign of things to come.
The standout, and I mean the one you’ll want to circle on your calendar, is the morning of Thursday, August 27th. The wind drops to almost nothing, going glassy, and the surf is a solid 6ft of WSW swell. The energy is still moderate, but the conditions are what we live for. With the light air and glassy surface, it will be clean as a whistle. This is your best bet for a proper surf. The water is also notably warm, feeling a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 66°F.
After that, the swell builds, but so does the wind. Friday, August 28th, seeing the swell jump to 10ft and then 12ft in the afternoon is serious. The combined energy is strong. But that size is going to be too big for a lot of folks and the wind is cross-onshore, so it’ll be a bit of a mess, and probably only for someone with a lot of experience. The afternoon of the 28th actually has a perfect score, but it's caveated by the fact the swell is just too big for this break.
Then we go through another messy spell, with more strong cross-offshore winds until the morning of Sunday, August 30th. That morning looks like another clean one. The swell is back down to a more manageable 7ft from the WSW with glassy conditions. Another good option, but the Thursday morning forecast is the one I’d pick.
So, remember: the first few days are a skip. The morning of the 27th is the standout. The 28th is big and wild. And the morning of the 30th is another clean, surfable day. The second week looks a bit more unstable, so get on it while it’s good.
That's the word from here.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 17°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 19°C on Sat afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 6 | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | WSW 9 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 50 | 145 | 107 | 115 | 135 | 157 | 372 | 388 | 539 | 593 | 646 | 414 | 177 | 127 | 57 | 65 | 27 | 42 | 19 | 20 | 20 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 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 | 2:28PM3.38m | 3:01AM3.38m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:12AM1.74m | 9:05PM1.64m | ||||||||
 | |  | | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — |
 | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:24 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 19 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | S 18 | S 16 | W 8 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | W 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | WSW 9 | E 5 | NNW 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 |
| kJ | 40 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 372 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 646 | 414 | 177 | 127 | 57 | 65 | 27 | 29 | 6 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 18 | — | S 19 | SSW 17 | — | — | SSW 16 | — | — | — | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | E 4 | E 5 | SSW 15 | WNW 6 | WSW 9 | W 9 | NNW 5 | SSW 14 |
| kJ | 6 | — | 7 | 27 | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | 20 | 18 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 21 | 8 | 26 | 14 | 6 | 20 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 16 | SSW 13 | NW 8 | NNW 4 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | W 9 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 17 | 15 | 2 | 21 | 42 | 19 | 20 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 4 | NNE 2 | E 5 | — | NNW 5 |
| kJ | 50 | 145 | 107 | 115 | 135 | 157 | — | 388 | 539 | 593 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 17 | — | 9 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 418 | 192 | 257 | 314 | 190 | 169 | 189 | 190 | 365 | 186 | 190 | 0 | 51 | 0 | 98 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 312 | 10 | 10 |
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.
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