
Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 18s period, SSW swell with 240 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 18s period with SSW 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. 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 0.6m 18s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) 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+) | 8AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 18s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ve gotta be straight with you – this outlook is a tough one. We’ve got a 16-day window, and the first surf recommendation doesn’t pop up until the 15th of August. That’s over a week of flat, poor conditions before anything even gets a sniff of a score. From the 7th of August right through to the 14th, every session is marked as poor surf – tiny waves, messy winds, and just not worth paddling out for. It’s a real dry spell.
Now, the first glimmer of something comes on Saturday the 15th of August, in the morning. Japs Cove is a sheltered reef break, and it’s inconsistent – so you’ve gotta be patient. The swell is tiny at 3ft, coming from the SSW, with a period of 16 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell, which gives it some push, but at a beach break it’d be too straight; here, on a reef, it might hold up a bit better. The combined energy is moderate, at 405 – that’s the highest we see. Wind is a gentle cross-shore from the west, so it’s not ideal, but it’s not ruining it either. The water temperature is 72° – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, by over 6°, so it’s a real anomaly. Still, the wave comment says “marginal” – it’s a 1 out of 10, so don’t expect anything epic. It’s the only option on offer, but it’s only for advanced surfers, and crowds are possible here.
Saturday afternoon and Sunday the 16th stay poor, with swell at 2ft to 3ft, but the wind picks up and the energy drops. From the 17th to the 22nd, it’s the same story – tiny waves, cross-onshore winds, and poor quality. The combined energy stays in the 100s and 200s, weak to moderate. There’s nothing else to recommend. The best of a bad bunch is that Saturday morning on the 15th, but it’s a long shot. Keep an eye on the forecasts – things can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sat afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Mon morning, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
146 | 143 | 174 | 172 | 147 | 223 | 172 | 121 | 120 | 105 | 97 | 96 | 56 | 154 | 152 | 143 | 127 | 125 | 124 | 164 | 154 | |
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 | on | cross-on | on | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:59PM2.12m | 8:00AM1.37m | 6:08PM2.24m | 8:39AM1.49m | 7:08PM2.37m | 9:14AM1.59m | 8:02PM2.46m | 9:48AM1.69m | 8:51PM2.49m | 10:22AM1.78m | 9:38PM2.43m | 10:55AM1.85m | 10:23PM2.29m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:37AM1.21m | 1:00AM0.33m | 11:25AM1.23m | 1:52AM0.15m | 12:44PM1.17m | 2:37AM0.01m | 1:45PM1.06m | 3:18AM-0.06m | 2:39PM0.94m | 3:57AM-0.05m | 3:29PM0.84m | 4:33AM0.03m | 4:18PM0.77m | ||||||||
6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | |
— | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 |
146 | 65 | 174 | 172 | 147 | 223 | 172 | 121 | 120 | 105 | 69 | 58 | 56 | 154 | 152 | 143 | 127 | 125 | 124 | 164 | 154 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SSW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | W 4 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 12 | S 11 | S 10 | SSW 20 |
53 | 143 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 17 | 7 | 24 | 30 | 1 | 97 | 96 | 33 | 54 | 28 | 27 | 44 | 11 | 20 | 19 | 75 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 12 | S 13 | W 4 | W 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 20 | SW 16 | W 5 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | S 12 | S 11 | W 13 | SW 12 | W 6 |
3 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 37 | 19 | 45 | 44 | 38 | 39 | 2 | 52 | 29 | 28 | 13 | 25 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 4 | WSW 4 | WNW 4 | W 3 | — | — | W 4 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | — |
— | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 6 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 156 | 73 | 28 | 156 | 127 | 4 | 11 | 127 | 11 | 11 | 150 | 0 | 11 | 139 | 0 | 11 | 156 | 1 | 11 | 156 | 38 |
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.











