Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 3 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 5 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period, SW 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★+): Wednesday 5 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s 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 (Aug 05) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 0.6m 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+) | 2AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| 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
Right then, gather 'round. Rusty here with a look at the next couple of weeks for one of our more secret little spots.
To be straight with you, this outlook is a tough one. We've only got one break on the cards, Japs Cove, and for the entire 16-day stretch, the surf is just not cooperating. The conditions are consistently rated as poor, and the scores reflect that – there's nothing to get excited about.
Right from Sunday the 2nd of August, the swell is tiny, barely 1ft from the SSW, with a bit of a cross-onshore breeze messing things up. The energy is weak. That pattern just repeats day after day: small 1ft to 2ft swells, mostly from the SW or SSW, and the wind is always either on it, cross-onshore, or cross. It's a long, flat run. From Sunday the 2nd all the way through to at least Wednesday the 12th of August, there isn't a single day where I'd recommend paddling out.
Things do start to change a bit around the 14th of August. The swell bumps up, with the combined energy finally pushing into the moderate range. By Saturday the 15th, it's got a bit more push, with 3ft from the SSW. That's the most energy we see in the whole forecast. But the wind remains a problem, staying cross-onshore and choppy. This spot is a sheltered reef, and with that persistent cross-onshore wind, the surface is going to be messy. For a wave this small, any chop is a killer.
The water temperature at Japs Cove is a very unusual 72°F, which is a massive 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that's the only thing out of the ordinary here. The best advice I can give is to keep an eye on the forecasts. When you've got a break that's listed as "inconsistent," a blank run like this is not uncommon. It tends not to stay poor for long, and a change in the wind direction could flip the script. For now, though, I'd leave the boards in the car.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 19°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 20°C on Wed morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 47 | 49 | 44 | 43 | 42 | 41 | 60 | 56 | 102 | 71 | 70 | 69 | 62 | 61 | 81 | 146 | 143 | 174 | 172 | 147 | 223 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 12:38PM1.78m | 00:07AM1.71m | 1:10PM1.84m | 1:00AM1.50m | 1:49PM1.90m | 2:19AM1.30m | 2:40PM1.95m | 4:36AM1.19m | 3:45PM2.02m | 6:57AM1.25m | 4:59PM2.12m | 8:00AM1.37m | 6:08PM2.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:25PM0.94m | 6:30AM0.64m | 7:28PM0.91m | 6:56AM0.79m | 8:49PM0.86m | 7:26AM0.94m | 10:27PM0.73m | 8:09AM1.09m | 11:55PM0.54m | 9:37AM1.21m | 1:00AM0.33m | 11:25AM1.23m | 1:52AM0.15m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — |
 | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 |
Feels °C | 21 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 | SW 13 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 14 | W 5 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SSW 13 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 |
| kJ | 16 | 9 | 15 | 15 | 42 | 20 | 13 | 37 | 17 | 12 | 70 | 12 | 62 | 61 | 61 | 146 | 65 | 174 | 172 | 147 | 223 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SSW 11 | SW 14 | W 5 | W 5 | SW 18 | SW 13 | SSW 19 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 |
| kJ | 47 | 45 | 44 | 43 | 41 | 38 | 37 | 56 | 102 | 71 | 12 | 69 | 7 | 4 | 81 | 83 | 143 | 52 | 36 | 36 | 37 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 12 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 16 | S 11 | SW 16 | SW 15 | — | S 10 | S 13 | S 12 | SW 20 | SSW 20 | SSW 20 | WSW 4 | W 4 | W 12 | SSW 13 | W 4 | S 9 | S 9 |
| kJ | 30 | 49 | 28 | 42 | 9 | 41 | 60 | — | 2 | 13 | 3 | 15 | 37 | 39 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 6 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 4 | — | — | W 4 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | 14 | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 11 | 127 | 11 | 11 | 51 | 11 | 11 | 128 | 0 | 11 | 156 | 9 | 11 | 77 | 10 | 11 | 127 | 10 | 10 | 158 | 10 |
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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