
Surf Forecasts:
Poldhu Cove surf forecast from 8 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 13 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period, WSW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 13 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, W swell with 360 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period with WSW 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period. 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 1.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 13) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 12) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Thu 13th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Thu 13th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get real about the next couple of weeks. It’s going to be a test of patience, no doubt about it. The swell window is looking pretty slim for the most part, so we’re gonna have to dig deep for any waves worth the paddle.
Right now, for the weekend, we’re looking at tiny, weak surf at Poldhu Cove. We’re talking 1ft with a period around 9-10 seconds, and the energy is just pathetic. The cross and onshore winds are going to mess up what little is there. It’s flat, it’s messy, and honestly, you're better off staying in bed.
The start of next week doesn't get much better. Monday and Tuesday are still tiny, with wave heights stuck at around 1ft. There’s a glimmer of hope on Monday morning with a bit of glass, but it’s so small it’s barely surfable. There’s a gap of at least a few days where there's nothing worth paddling out for.
Things start to build a little from Wednesday the 12th. The swell bumps up to 3-3ft, and the energy jumps into the 100s and 150s, so it’s got a bit more push. The winds are offshore, so it’ll be clean, but it’s still small and weak. Thursday the 13th sees the biggest of this first pulse, hitting 4ft with energy up in the 300s. The period stretches out to around 11 seconds, so there’s a little more grunt behind it. The problem is the winds go cross-shore and it gets a bit chopped up. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.
Then we get another drop-off. Friday and the weekend are back down to small, weak surf with poor winds. The energy drops right down, and it’s back to the ordinary stuff. This is the doldrums period.
Now, for the second week, things get a little more interesting, but it’s a long way off, so don’t get too excited yet. Around the 20th and 21st of August, the swell starts to fill in again, but the winds are strong and cross-shore, making a mess of things. The energy is building though, getting into the 200s.
The standout period looks to be Saturday the 22nd and Sunday the 23rd of August. We’re looking at a solid pulse of swell from the W, with heights climbing to 7ft on the Saturday afternoon and then hitting 8ft on the Sunday morning. The energy readings are massive, hitting over a thousand – that’s some serious power, the kind that gets your heart rate up. The wave period is right around 10 seconds, which is solid.
The winds on the 22nd are strong cross-onshore, so that Saturday is going to be messy as hell. It’ll be big but wild and probably not much fun to paddle into. However, on the morning of Sunday the 23rd, the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the NNW. That’s the window. That’s the one to watch. 8ft of push with clean conditions is proper. At this size, it’s not for the faint-hearted or beginners, this is for the crew who know what they’re doing. The downside is this is over a week out, so treat it as promising but far from certain.
So, the best bet on offer is that Sunday morning, the 23rd of August. It’s not perfect, but it’s the most powerful and cleanest swell in the whole run. Before that, Thursday the 13th is your best bet for a small wave but you'll be dodging the chop.
Water temp is sitting around 66°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice little bonus.
We’ll see how it plays out. Stay tuned.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu morning, min 18°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
32 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 47 | 38 | 23 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 119 | 131 | 149 | 177 | 326 | 290 | 225 | 130 | 93 | 63 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 1:06PM3.78m | 1:47AM3.79m | 2:25PM3.94m | 3:01AM3.96m | 3:32PM4.23m | 4:03AM4.21m | 4:29PM4.57m | 4:56AM4.47m | 5:19PM4.87m | 5:44AM4.68m | 6:04PM5.07m | 6:27AM4.80m | 6:46PM5.14m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:52PM1.21m | 8:33AM1.15m | 9:17PM1.00m | 9:50AM0.90m | 10:26PM0.64m | 10:50AM0.55m | 11:22PM0.27m | 11:41AM0.23m | 00:10AM-0.02m | 12:27PM0.00m | 00:54AM-0.19m | 1:09PM-0.10m | 1:35AM-0.21m | ||||||||
5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 8:52 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 22 | 23 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 11 | WSW 10 | WSW 9 | WSW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
32 | 32 | 29 | 27 | 26 | 47 | 38 | 23 | 33 | 20 | 11 | 119 | 131 | 149 | 177 | 326 | 290 | 225 | 130 | 93 | 63 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 7 | WSW 7 | SE 4 | ESE 4 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 6 | SW 7 | SW 7 | SW 6 | W 9 | SW 6 | SW 12 | SW 6 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | E 5 | — | S 13 | S 13 |
2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 29 | 13 | 8 | 2 | — | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 5 | S 13 | WSW 7 | WSW 6 | E 4 | E 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | S 13 | W 10 | SW 6 | SW 12 | SW 6 | — | W 12 | — | S 11 | S 11 | S 13 | — | — |
1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | — | 76 | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 3 | SE 4 | — | — | — | NW 2 | — | — | NNW 4 | E 3 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | — | NW 3 | WNW 3 | — | — | — |
4 | 7 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 3 | 52 | 104 | 146 | 96 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 167 | 11 | 11 | 417 | 191 | 29 | 8 | 193 | 11 | 402 | 193 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 13 | 29 | 13 | 13 | 189 | 24 |
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.











