Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 26 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with 480 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 26 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with S 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 (Aug 26) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 6s. 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 0.9m 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 5AM. 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 26th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Wed 26th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 29th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Japs Cove.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The forecast is lookin' pretty grim. We've got a solid 16-day window ahead, but honestly, there's barely a session that's even worth paddling out for. The first few days are a write-off, and there are long gaps of nothing but poor surf conditions. It's one of those periods where the ocean just doesn't want to cooperate here.
The only flicker of hope comes right at the tail end of the first week. Saturday the 29th of August morning, we might see something rideable. The swell picks up a little, with a long-period groundswell pushin' in from the SSW around 3ft, and the period's a solid 17 seconds. That long period means some decent shape, but at a sheltered reef like Japs Cove, it might fatten up a bit. The wind is light from the WSW, so it's a cross-onshore breeze, which is a bit of a bummer, but it's light. The combined energy is moderate at 443. Still, the models are calling it marginal, and I'd call it a "maybe" if you're desperate for a slide.
Then, we roll into the second week, and it's more of the same dirge. The whole week from the 1st of September through to the 9th is just a mess of poor surf, with nearly every session rated a zero. You'll see patches of long-period SSW swell, but the wind is always cross-onshore or onshore, and the quality is just not there. The only other day that might raise an eyebrow is Friday the 4th of September morning. We get a similar swell setup – 3ft from the SSW at 17 seconds – and the water's a bit warmer than usual, but again, the wind is light and onshore, making it a marginal call at best. The energy is strong at 405, but it's all for nothing with that wind.
Look, I know it's a hard pill to swallow. Japs Cove is an advanced, inconsistent reef, and it's always a bit of a gamble. But when the wind is this persistent and the swell is this small and messy, the setup is better suited for a kite than a paddle. There's no standout session here. The best you can hope for is a short, choppy window on the 29th of August morning or the 4th of September morning. After that, we're just watching the calendar and hoping the forecasts change. You know how it goes – it tends not to stay this poor for long.
Keep your chin up, and keep an eye on the ocean.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed night, min 22°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Fri morning, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 15 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | SW 14 | S 11 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | S 14 | W 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
169 | 127 | 153 | 199 | 177 | 114 | 74 | 87 | 119 | 186 | 125 | 475 | 373 | 402 | 392 | 279 | 242 | 180 | 134 | 132 | 123 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 9:25AM1.60m | 8:16PM2.17m | 9:44AM1.66m | 8:51PM2.19m | 10:04AM1.73m | 9:25PM2.16m | 10:25AM1.81m | 10:00PM2.08m | 10:48AM1.89m | 10:38PM1.95m | 11:13AM1.95m | 11:18PM1.78m | 11:41AM2.00m | 00:06AM1.58m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:11PM1.06m | 3:20AM0.24m | 2:46PM0.96m | 3:44AM0.25m | 3:22PM0.87m | 4:08AM0.30m | 3:59PM0.78m | 4:31AM0.39m | 4:38PM0.71m | 4:54AM0.51m | 5:22PM0.67m | 5:18AM0.65m | 6:12PM0.65m | ||||||||
6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | |
— | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 |
Feels °C | 25 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 15 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 17 | S 9 | SSW 17 | W 6 | SSW 16 | W 7 | W 7 | SSW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | S 14 | W 6 |
169 | 127 | 153 | 199 | 177 | 114 | 50 | 87 | 75 | 186 | 25 | 475 | 65 | 402 | 131 | 88 | 242 | 83 | 36 | 132 | 63 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | SSW 13 | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 17 | W 6 | SSW 19 | S 8 | SSW 17 | W 9 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSE 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 13 |
8 | 56 | 15 | 124 | 119 | 104 | 74 | 74 | 119 | 20 | 125 | 12 | 373 | 7 | 392 | 279 | 34 | 180 | 134 | 118 | 83 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSE 13 | S 11 | W 6 | W 5 | W 5 | W 6 | W 5 | SW 14 | S 9 | SW 16 | W 10 | S 8 | S 8 | S 9 | SSE 14 | W 9 | SSE 12 | S 15 | SW 19 | S 12 |
57 | 55 | 65 | 15 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 64 | 43 | 65 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 19 | 15 | 28 | 67 | 14 | 72 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | W 6 | — | W 6 | W 7 | — | W 7 | — | — | W 6 | W 6 |
— | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 25 | 83 | — | 48 | 231 | — | 55 | — | — | 22 | 123 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 60 | 9 | 10 | 51 | 9 | 11 | 51 | 0 | 4 | 67 | 15 | 73 | 73 | 10 | 4 | 51 | 11 | 10 | 51 | 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.











