Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 7 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s period, S swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 6 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period, S swell with 501 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 7 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 13s 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 Monday (Sep 07) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 13s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 15s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 3s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Japs Cove in the next 16 days are 1.1m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Mon 7th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 8PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee, let me read through the tea leaves here. This is a tricky one.
Right off the bat, I’m looking at Japs Cove. It’s a sheltered reef setup, but it's inconsistent. It rarely really gets going, and when it does, it's for advanced crew only. The water is way warmer than you’d expect for this time of year, sitting at 72°F, and that anomaly is off the charts.
The only real flash of life in the whole 16-day window is Sunday morning, September 6th. We’ve got a clean 3ft swell from the SSW, with a very long period of 15 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy pushing in. The wind is light from the NNW, cross-off, so the face will be clean. The combined energy is moderate at 427. It’s not huge, but for a sheltered spot like this, that’s the best you’ll get. After that, it’s a long, slow decline.
From Sunday afternoon onwards, the wind swings more cross or onshore and the swell drops off. The periods get shorter, the energy fades, and half the time the wave comment is telling me "poor surf conditions." You’ll see a few small pulses, like a 3ft SSW on Monday morning, but the wind is already cross and messy. By Tuesday, the wind is howling out of the west at 19 mph, and it’s a lumpy cross-chop. It’s a real shame.
This stretch from September 7th all the way to the end of the outlook on September 21st is a long, flat, or blown-out run. There are no standouts, no hidden gems. The swells that do show up are tiny, often under 2ft, with periods that are all over the place. The energy numbers drop into the 100s and low 200s, which is weak. The wind is almost always cross-on or onshore, so the face is going to be choppy and bumpy. It’s not worth paddling out for.
If you’re an expert with a longboard and you’re desperate, maybe that Sunday morning early session is worth a look. But honestly, this cove is going to be a ghost town for the rest of the run. On the bright side, it’s an inconsistent spot, so a blank run isn’t unusual here. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d save the energy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 19mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Warm (max 27°C on Tue morning, min 21°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 21°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 14 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SW 19 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 501 | 263 | 305 | 405 | 224 | 119 | 242 | 78 | 93 | 133 | 232 | 288 | 306 | 251 | 245 | 174 | 171 | 102 | 100 | 97 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 6:06PM2.15m | 8:17AM1.63m | 7:06PM2.24m | 8:45AM1.75m | 7:57PM2.29m | 9:13AM1.86m | 8:44PM2.27m | 9:41AM1.96m | 9:28PM2.19m | 10:09AM2.04m | 10:12PM2.04m | 10:37AM2.08m | 10:55PM1.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:34AM0.17m | 1:00PM1.09m | 2:14AM0.11m | 1:53PM0.92m | 2:50AM0.11m | 2:40PM0.76m | 3:23AM0.17m | 3:25PM0.63m | 3:54AM0.29m | 4:09PM0.54m | 4:22AM0.45m | 4:52PM0.50m | 4:49AM0.63m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | |  | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | 7:12 | — | — | 7:10 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:04 | — |
mm | 16 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 23 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 24 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 14 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 10 | SSW 9 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | W 7 | W 6 | SW 15 | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 |
| kJ | 501 | 263 | 305 | 405 | 224 | 119 | 242 | 78 | 66 | 133 | 232 | 288 | 306 | 93 | 38 | 174 | 64 | 33 | 22 | 60 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 19 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | W 4 | SW 19 | SSW 9 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 16 | SW 16 | W 6 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 |
| kJ | 6 | 252 | 249 | 35 | 149 | 102 | 50 | 10 | 93 | 45 | 18 | 22 | 35 | 251 | 245 | 17 | 171 | 102 | 100 | 97 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 11 | WSW 10 | SSW 19 | W 11 | SSW 18 | SW 18 | SW 12 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SW 10 | SW 9 | SW 8 | SW 8 | SW 7 | SW 6 | WSW 12 | WSW 14 | WSW 13 | W 12 |
| kJ | 18 | 10 | 36 | 2 | 31 | 49 | 6 | 66 | 66 | 51 | 45 | 36 | 24 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 20 | 17 | 11 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 6 | WNW 3 | WNW 3 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | W 4 | — | W 4 | W 4 | — | — | W 6 | — | ESE 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 11 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 6 | 13 | — | 3 | 9 | — | — | 60 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 4 | 4 | 127 | 4 | 51 | 141 | 11 | 11 | 74 | 11 | 11 | 64 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 158 | 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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