Poldhu Cove Surf Break

Lat Long: 50.03° N 5.27° W

Poldhu Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 16 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Poldhu Cove sea temperature is
19.3° C
2.2° 

Poldhu Cove surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Poldhu Cove surf forecast from 16 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 9s period, W swell with 798 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 21 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period with W 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 Friday (Aug 21) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. 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 2.3m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 7s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 4PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)5ft (1.6m) 9s
Best Surf 1AM (Fri 21st Aug)5ft (1.6m) 9s
Most Powerful 1AM (Thu 20th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming our way for Poldhu Cove. Gotta be straight with you – this is going to be a tough stretch. We’re staring down a 16-day window, and honestly, we don’t even get a sniff of anything worth paddling out for until the very end of the run. The start is a total blank. The whole first week and a half is just one poor report after another.

Right from Sunday afternoon, the 16th, the wind is howling out of the WNW at 16 mph, cross, and the swell is a measly 2 ft. It’s poor and stays that way for days. The wind stays onshore or cross-onshore pretty much the whole time, and when we do get a bit of size – like a 6 ft swell on the Wednesday morning (19th) – the wind is a fresh 19 mph cross-onshore, making it lumpy and horrible. The combined swell energy is moderate at best, like 370 (moderate energy), but the quality is just not there for a paddle. Honestly, on those days with significant swell and strong cross-onshore wind, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

We don't see the wind really drop and turn clean until Friday afternoon, the 21st. That’s the first time we get a “clean” wave comment and a cross-offshore breeze (NNW 16 mph). But by then the swell is an inconsistent 3 ft, with weak energy (169 – moderate). It’s a tease.

From there, it gets smaller. Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd bring super clean conditions – light offshore and cross-offshore breezes, but the swell is tiny. We’re talking 1.0 ft to 1 ft, with long periods in the 10 to 14-second range. That’s great for shape, but there’s barely any wave to ride. The combined energy is weak – in the 30s and 40s. Inconsistent as all get out.

Then we hit another dry spell of tiny, clean but non-existent surf until the last few days. The first real standout comes at the tail end of the outlook.

The best on offer? It’s for Thursday morning, the 27th of August. We’ve got a 6 ft swell from the WSW (7-second period) with a moderate cross-offshore breeze from the NW at 12 mph. The conditions are clean. The combined energy is solid at 304 (moderate). It’s a marginal surf forecast with questionable tide conditions, but compared to everything else in the window, this is the one to aim for. The swell is a bit too big for beginners at 6 ft, but for the crew with a bit of experience, it’s the only day that might give you a few proper turns.

After that, it goes messy again. The 29th and 30th of August see big swell – 10 ft to 12 ft – but with terrible, strong cross-onshore wind. That’s expert-only, and even then, it looks like a washing machine. The energy is huge (1774 – very strong) but the quality is non-existent.

So, bottom line: it’s a long wait. The first 11 days are pretty much a write-off. The only real chance for a surf is Thursday the 27th. Mark it in the calendar, but don’t expect perfection. The water temperature is much warmer than normal for this time of year at 67°, which is a nice bonus. Stay patient, lads. It’s a quiet run for Poldhu Cove.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Mon morning, min 17°C on Sun afternoon). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Wed afternoon, light winds from the N by Thu night).

Sun
16
Monday
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
W
7
0.4
W
7
0.8
WNW
6
1
WNW
8
1
W
7
1.1
W
6
0.9
WNW
6
1.2
W
6
1.8
WNW
7
1.9
W
8
2.3
W
9
2.1
W
9
2
W
9
1.6
W
9
1.2
W
8
1
W
8
0.5
W
8
0.3
WSW
11
0.4
WSW
10
0.3
SSW
15
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
25
15
48
127
94
91
60
115
346
424
798
723
700
441
201
127
35
22
33
42
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
15
WNW
20
WNW
30
WNW
25
W
25
WNW
25
WNW
25
W
30
WNW
35
W
30
WNW
30
WNW
30
WNW
15
NNW
15
NW
25
NNW
15
N
15
NE
10
ENE
25
NNE
Wind State
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
High Tide
8:06PM4.88m
8:26AM4.54m
8:45PM4.58m
9:06AM4.28m
9:25PM4.22m
9:47AM3.98m
10:10PM3.84m
10:36AM3.66m
11:06PM3.49m
11:42AM3.40m
00:25AM3.26m
1:09PM3.29m
1:52AM3.23m
Low Tide
2:52AM0.15m
3:06PM0.34m
3:28AM0.47m
3:44PM0.66m
4:05AM0.83m
4:23PM1.01m
4:44AM1.18m
5:07PM1.34m
5:31AM1.50m
6:05PM1.62m
6:38AM1.72m
7:29PM1.75m
clear
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rain showers
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clear
clear
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part cloud
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part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:11
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:18
6:20
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:37
8:36
8:34
8:31
8:30
8:28
8:27
 mm
1
1
Temp °C
18
19
20
18
19
19
18
18
18
18
17
18
18
16
17
17
14
17
19
16
Feels °C
14
18
19
14
17
16
14
15
12
12
12
12
12
13
13
13
11
14
15
10
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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