
Surf Forecasts:
Poldhu Cove surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 5 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 7s period, W swell with 399 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Poldhu Cove this week:
The surf forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Poldhu Cove in the next 16 days are 2.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 05) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Wed 5th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s on offer around Poldhu Cove for the next couple of weeks.
Alright, I’m not gonna lie to you, the start of this forecast period is a tough one to swallow. We’ve got a solid week of poor surf conditions ahead, with a few decent swells popping up but the wind just ruining the party. The first real glimmer of hope doesn't show up until the morning of the 15th of August, so we’re looking at a long, dry gap of about 10 days with nothing but small, chop-ridden waves and onshore winds. It’s a proper waiting game.
The first bit of action on the 4th of August is a no-go. We’ve got a 4ft SW swell but with a short 7-second period and a strong 19 mph onshore wind, it’s just a messy, blown-out affair. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 66°F for the time of year, but that’s hardly a consolation when you’re getting pounded by that wind.
The next few days are a similar story. A bit of swell on the 5th and 6th, with waves up to 6ft, but the wind is howling from the WNW, making everything lumpy and cross-onshore. We do get a day of glassy conditions on the 7th, but the swell is a pathetic 1.0ft. It’s a tease. The combined wave energy is barely a whisper at 22 on that morning. The 8th through the 14th are all the same story: small, weak swells, mostly under 3ft, with inconsistent periods and generally poor quality. The water stays around 66°F, but the surf is just not worth the paddle.
Now, hold on to your boards, because the 15th of August is where it finally gets interesting. The morning of the 15th is our real standout. The forecast shows a clean 6ft swell from the W, with a 9-second period and light, offshore winds from the NW. The combined energy kicks up to 631, which is a solid, moderate pulse of energy. This is good, clean, surfable Poldhu Cove. The wind is blowing cross-off from the NW, which should keep the waves nice and clean. This is a classic groundswell, and for a spot like Poldhu Cove that’s a fairly exposed beach, the longer period of 9 seconds will give it some decent shape. It’s not a monster, but it’s the best we’ve seen in two weeks.
After that, the weekend of the 16th and 17th gets messy again, with building swell but strong onshore winds and choppy conditions. By the 18th, we’re looking at a very strong 8ft swell from the W with a 10-second period, but the wind is a nasty 25 mph from the WNW, making it a total mess. The energy is a massive 1298, but it’s a washing machine. That’s a setup that looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, to be honest.
So, to wrap it up: the first week is a total write-off. The one true standout is the morning of the 15th of August. Get up early, get the cross-off wind, and enjoy that clean 6ft swell. It’s the only real window of quality surf in the whole 16-day run. The rest is either too small, too windy, or both. That’s a tough run for Poldhu Cove, but that one morning could be a cracker.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Tue night, calm by Fri morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Sun morning, min 15°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | WSW 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
162 | 203 | 388 | 236 | 161 | 95 | 43 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 33 | 23 | 16 | 33 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 9:18PM4.44m | 9:43AM4.17m | 10:06PM4.22m | 10:36AM3.99m | 11:06PM3.97m | 11:45AM3.82m | 00:23AM3.79m | 1:06PM3.78m | 1:47AM3.79m | 2:25PM3.94m | 3:01AM3.96m | 3:32PM4.23m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:10AM0.63m | 4:28PM0.81m | 4:56AM0.85m | 5:20PM1.01m | 5:54AM1.06m | 6:27PM1.18m | 7:07AM1.20m | 7:52PM1.21m | 8:33AM1.15m | 9:17PM1.00m | 9:50AM0.90m | 10:26PM0.64m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
8:59 | — | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 17 |
Feels °C | 16 | 16 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 15 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | S 14 | SW 13 | SW 13 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | W 9 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 8 | W 8 |
6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 6 | 6 | 15 | 14 | 19 | 27 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 17 | 13 | 33 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 15 | — | — | — | SW 13 | SW 12 | SSW 12 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SW 7 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | SW 7 | WNW 8 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 |
4 | — | — | — | 7 | 6 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 23 | 4 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 11 | — | — | — | S 16 | — | SW 6 | SW 6 | SW 12 | SW 11 | W 5 | E 3 | — | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 12 | SW 7 | W 11 | W 10 |
— | 3 | — | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | WSW 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 5 | — | WNW 5 | NNE 3 |
162 | 203 | 388 | 236 | 161 | 95 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | 16 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 189 | 192 | 719 | 189 | 231 | 192 | 256 | 378 | 410 | 408 | 400 | 193 | 11 | 11 | 419 | 311 | 29 | 13 | 223 | 201 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Cornwall | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Poldhu Cove Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Poldhu Cove provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Poldhu Cove can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Poldhu 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 (Poldhu 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 Poldhu 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.
Poldhu Cove is 12 km (7 miles) from The Lizard. If you plan a holiday in South Cornwall, look for hotels and other accommodation in The Lizard. The Lizard has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











