Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 10 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 16 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SW swell with 334 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 16 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Japs Cove this week:
The surf forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Japs Cove in the next 16 days are 0.8m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's get straight into what we're looking at for Japs Cove. Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you: this is a tough stretch. The forecast is showing a long, dry spell with barely a ripple worth getting excited about. We're looking at over two weeks where the conditions just aren't lining up for a proper session.
The water is sitting at a balmy 73°F, which is a massive 7°F warmer than usual for this time of year – that's very unusual and feels more like a tropical bath than a September surf.
Now, looking day by day starting from Wednesday the 9th of September, we've got tiny 2ft to 3ft swells coming from the SSW or SW, but the wind is almost always a problem – cross, cross-on, or onshore. The combined swell energy is mostly in the low hundreds, from 99 to 341, which is just weak to very moderate energy, and the reports are all "poor surf conditions" with scores of zero. This goes on for day after day.
There is a slight glimmer on Saturday the 19th of September. The morning at Japs Cove is looking glassy with a SSW wind at just 3 mph. The swell is still small, only 2ft from the SW with a long period of 18 seconds, and the combined energy is 287 – still fairly weak. The report says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions" and a score of just 1 out of 10. That glassy wind is the only real positive in the whole outlook, and it's a massive positive for getting clean faces, but the lack of size and energy is a real killer. Even after that, the following days dip right back into poor, choppy conditions with small swell through to the 24th.
The real kicker is the consistency – or lack thereof. Japs Cove itself is rated as "inconsistent" and "rarely breaks" according to the guidance, and this forecast is a perfect example of why. For a spot like this, a long blank run is more the norm than the exception. Honestly, for the size and the persistent onshore slop, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer to get planing than for a traditional paddle surfer trying to catch knee-high waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 32°C on Wed night, min 20°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | W 7 | W 7 | SW 13 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 181 | 232 | 288 | 306 | 295 | 245 | 176 | 171 | 140 | 100 | 96 | 63 | 45 | 58 | 48 | 108 | 106 | 90 | 88 | 39 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:44PM2.27m | 9:41AM1.96m | 9:28PM2.19m | 10:09AM2.04m | 10:12PM2.04m | 10:37AM2.08m | 10:55PM1.86m | 11:05AM2.08m | 11:40PM1.67m | 11:33AM2.05m | 00:30AM1.48m | 12:02PM1.98m | 1:37AM1.31m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:40PM0.76m | 3:23AM0.17m | 3:25PM0.63m | 3:54AM0.29m | 4:09PM0.54m | 4:22AM0.45m | 4:52PM0.50m | 4:49AM0.63m | 5:36PM0.51m | 5:12AM0.81m | 6:24PM0.56m | 5:32AM0.98m | 7:20PM0.64m | |||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — |
 | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:02 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:00 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 31 | 32 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 22 | 21 | 19 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 |
| kJ | 181 | 232 | 288 | 306 | 295 | 245 | 176 | 46 | 31 | 20 | 91 | 55 | 33 | 58 | 32 | 19 | 106 | 90 | 88 | 39 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 8 | W 5 | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 15 | SSW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | WSW 6 | WSW 6 | W 6 | W 6 |
| kJ | 28 | 10 | 24 | 8 | 38 | 25 | 16 | 171 | 140 | 100 | 96 | 63 | 45 | 44 | 48 | 108 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 6 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 8 | SSW 8 | SSW 12 | SSW 7 | S 11 | WSW 13 | W 15 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | WSW 12 | W 12 | WNW 10 | SW 19 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 15 |
| kJ | 51 | 17 | 11 | 27 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 17 | 37 | 35 | 15 | 25 | 21 | 57 | 44 | 40 | 23 | 14 | 75 | 21 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 3 | — | — | — | — | S 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 5 | — | — | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 44 | 11 | 11 | 73 | 10 | 11 | 73 | 10 | 9 | 51 | 9 | 9 | 158 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 146 | 11 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Los Angeles County | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Japs Cove Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Japs Cove provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Japs Cove can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Japs 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 (Japs 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 Japs 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.
Japs Cove is 5 km (3 miles) from Rancho Palos Verdes. If you plan a vacation in Los Angeles County, look for hotels and other accommodation in Rancho Palos Verdes. Rancho Palos Verdes has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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