Surf Forecasts:
Japs Cove surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 15s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 15 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 17s period, SSW swell with 373 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 9 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 15s 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 Sunday (Aug 09) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 15s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. 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 Saturday (Aug 15) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 15s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sun 9th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 15s |
| Most Powerful | 5AM (Sat 15th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 17s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Japs Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me break it down in feet and fahrenheit for you.
I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch. The forecast is giving us a big ol' goose egg for quite a while. The first real whisper of anything surfable doesn’t pop up until Sunday morning, August 16th, and even then, it’s just a flicker. Before that, we’re looking at a solid week of nothing good, day after day of poor surf conditions. The swell is tiny, the winds are mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the whole setup just looks messy.
For the first few days, from the 8th through the 15th, the surf is just not happening. The waves are barely 2 ft, the period is all over the place but nothing with any real grunt, and the wind just chops everything up. The combined energy is weak, sitting around 140 to 374 – that’s not even enough to get excited about a knee-high dribbler. It’s a total write-off.
The one day that might give you a little hope is Sunday, August 16th. The morning sees a slight uptick with the swell pushing 3 ft from the SSW, and the period stretches out to 16 seconds. The combined energy finally gets into a moderate zone at 410. The wind is a light cross-onshore, which at least keeps it from being total windslop. But look, the forecast itself calls it marginal, and with a score of just 1 out of 10, we're not talking about a classic session. It’s a maybe, if you’re really desperate to get wet.
For the rest of the run into the 23rd, it’s more of the same: small swell, inconsistent energy, and winds that never quite clean up. The water temp at the start was a balmy 72°, which is way warmer than usual for this time of year – 6° above the norm, so that’s a nice surprise for your toes, but the surf just isn’t there to enjoy it.
Japs Cove is a sheltered reef break for advanced crew, and it’s inconsistent at the best of times, which makes this dry spell more normal than a shock. It just doesn’t look like it’s going to turn on in this 16-day window. Don’t hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 19°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | |||||||||||||||
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 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 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 19 | SSW 18 | SW 15 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 172 | 147 | 223 | 172 | 121 | 120 | 105 | 97 | 96 | 56 | 154 | 152 | 143 | 127 | 125 | 124 | 121 | 188 | 139 | 211 | 223 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 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 | 11:28AM1.91m | 11:08PM2.08m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 5:06AM0.17m | 5:08PM0.73m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 20 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | 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 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SW 15 |
| kJ | 172 | 147 | 223 | 172 | 121 | 120 | 105 | 69 | 58 | 56 | 154 | 152 | 143 | 127 | 125 | 124 | 121 | 188 | 104 | 211 | 223 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 12 | SW 12 | W 5 | W 5 | SSW 11 | SW 11 | SSW 20 | SW 20 | SW 19 | SW 14 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SW 13 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 12 | SSW 20 | SSW 19 | SW 14 | SSW 18 |
| kJ | 36 | 36 | 19 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 38 | 97 | 96 | 33 | 54 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 21 | 21 | 24 | 75 | 139 | 103 | 180 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | W 13 | SW 12 | SW 11 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | W 4 | SSW 16 | W 5 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | SW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | WSW 13 | SW 12 | S 10 | S 10 | W 6 | S 11 | SSW 9 |
| kJ | 7 | 3 | 37 | 19 | 45 | 44 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 52 | 29 | 28 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 16 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 3 | — | — | W 3 | — | — | — | — | — | W 2 | W 5 | — | W 2 | — | — | W 5 | — | — | W 6 | W 3 |
| kJ | — | 5 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | 5 | — | — | 6 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 83 | 156 | 11 | 156 | 73 | 27 | 156 | 346 | 28 | 11 | 156 | 11 | 156 | 77 | 11 | 11 | 127 | 47 | 4 | 73 | 5 |
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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