Surf Forecasts:
Poldhu Cove surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, WSW swell with 3,172 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Poldhu Cove this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Poldhu Cove in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what Poldhu Cove has in store for us over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for decent paddle surfing. It’s not that there’s no swell, but the conditions just aren’t lining up. We’ve got a lot of onshore wind and lumpy, messy surf. The first recommendation doesn’t come until Friday, the 4th of September, and even then it’s a marginal call. So we’re looking at over a week of pretty poor stuff before we get a sniff of anything decent.
Let’s walk through it. From Wednesday the 26th of August right through to Thursday the 3rd of September, it’s all poor surf conditions. We see a bit of a spike in size on the 29th of August, with swell hitting 12 ft from the SW, but it’s accompanied by a near gale-force wind and a combined wave energy of 1989 (that’s strong to very strong). That’s an absolute mess – more of a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one. The wind is hammering it, making it impossible to get a clean ride.
The first real flicker of hope comes on Friday morning, the 4th of September. The swell is 6 ft from the west, with a period of 9 seconds, and a clean cross-shore breeze from the NW. The combined energy is 455 (moderate). The guidance says ‘marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions’, so it’s not a total winner, but it’s the first time the wind is in a favorable place. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 65°, so that’s a nice bonus if you’re in.
Now, the standout. If you’re holding out for something special, mark your calendar for Saturday morning, the 5th of September. This is the best on offer by a long shot. We’ve got a 5 ft west swell, period of 7 seconds, and the wind is dead calm – glassy conditions. The guidance says ‘expect good surf conditions’. The wave energy is 373 (moderate), and it’s clean as a whistle. The break is a bit inconsistent, but when it’s this clean, you just gotta be patient and wait for the set. The optimum swell direction is SW, and this is coming from the west, so it’s in the right ballpark. Crowds are possible here, so get there early.
After that, Sunday the 6th still has some size, with 6 ft from the west and a longer period of 10 seconds, but it’s blown out by a cross-offshore wind. It’s clean, but the energy is a bit all over the place. The rest of the second week drops off quickly, with tiny swell and more onshore wind. By the 10th of September, we’re down to 2 ft and a fresh breeze, so it’s pretty much done.
Bottom line: If you’re desperate, the Friday morning might be worth a look, but the real gem is Saturday morning, the 5th. It’s not a massive swell, but with glassy conditions and a bit of patience, Poldhu Cove could deliver a few fun ones. The rest of the window is a write-off for a paddle.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 19°C on Wed afternoon, min 17°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Thu morning, near gales from the SSW by Sat morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat afternoon, min 16°C on Sun night). Mainly strong winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Wed 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | W 8 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 9 | WSW 10 | W 9 | SW 7 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
31 | 28 | 71 | 71 | 76 | 355 | 385 | 109 | 662 | 1989 | 1941 | 473 | 500 | 1624 | 1725 | 1026 | 656 | 439 | 273 | 161 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:52PM4.21m | 5:10AM4.15m | 5:25PM4.49m | 5:42AM4.38m | 5:57PM4.71m | 6:13AM4.57m | 6:28PM4.87m | 6:45AM4.70m | 7:00PM4.94m | 7:18AM4.75m | 7:34PM4.92m | 7:53AM4.71m | 8:11PM4.78m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:30PM0.70m | 11:42AM0.61m | 00:05AM0.42m | 12:16PM0.37m | 00:39AM0.21m | 12:51PM0.20m | 1:13AM0.08m | 1:26PM0.12m | 1:48AM0.06m | 2:01PM0.14m | 2:23AM0.14m | 2:39PM0.26m | 3:01AM0.32m | |||||||
— | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
8:17 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | |
mm | — | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
Feels °C | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 8 | ESE 5 | E 6 | W 9 | — | S 11 | WNW 7 | — | — | WSW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | W 10 | S 18 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 |
31 | 28 | 33 | 22 | 43 | — | 3 | 96 | — | — | 1665 | 473 | 304 | — | — | 1026 | 6 | 439 | 273 | 161 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | SSW 6 | W 8 | W 10 | E 5 | — | — | S 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 18 | S 17 | SW 16 |
5 | 8 | 19 | 49 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 6 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 7 | SW 12 | W 10 | WSW 8 | SW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | S 11 |
5 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | E 5 | SSW 6 | SSW 6 | SW 6 | WSW 6 | WSW 7 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 9 | WSW 10 | SSW 7 | SW 7 | WSW 9 | W 10 | — | W 9 | — | — | — |
3 | 75 | 71 | 71 | 76 | 355 | 385 | 109 | 662 | 1989 | 1941 | 121 | 500 | 1624 | 1725 | — | 656 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 409 | 254 | 254 | 23 | 23 | 272 | 188 | 67 | 269 | 189 | 177 | 45 | 286 | 68 | 200 | 189 | 483 | 186 | 188 | 13 |
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.











