Surf Forecasts:
Poldhu Cove surf forecast from 14 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 20 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 8s period, WNW swell with 629 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s 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 Thursday (Aug 20) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m 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 2.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 20) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 16) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 20th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Poldhu Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Poldhu Cove. The 16-day outlook is a bit of a mixed bag. There’s not a lot of quality on offer, and you’ll be waiting a long time for anything decent. The water temperature is sitting at 67°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice surprise if you’re going in without a thick wetsuit.
The first real chance at a surfable wave doesn’t come until Friday, the 21st of August. That morning, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the west, with a period of 9 seconds and some light cross-offshore winds. The combined energy is weak at 101. It’s clean, but very ordinary. The afternoon picks up a bit with a 3ft swell from the west-northwest, 8-second period, and a gentle offshore breeze. Still, the conditions are just “surfable” but nothing to get excited about.
Saturday the 22nd also has a small window: a 2ft swell from the west-northwest with an offshore wind in the afternoon, but it’s choppy and weak. The combined energy is only 83. Sunday morning the 23rd brings a 0.7ft swell from the south-southwest with a 14-second period, which is a long period groundswell, but it’s just too small. The energy is a paltry 41.
Now, the two standout days, if you can call them that, are Tuesday the 25th and Saturday the 29th. Tuesday the 25th morning sees a 7ft swell from the southwest, 8-second period, with cross-shore winds. The combined energy jumps to 709, which is strong. But the winds are lumpy and cross-choppy, and the conditions are marginal. This is really only for experienced surfers, and even then, it’s not great.
The best bet comes on Saturday the 29th. The afternoon brings a 10ft swell from the south-southwest, with a 9-second period and gentle cross-onshore winds. The combined energy is a massive 1846 – that’s very strong wave energy. But the wind is onshore and choppy, so it’s messy. The swell is big enough that it’s for experts only. The direction is from the south-southwest, which is close to the optimum southwest direction for this spot, but the quality is still poor.
The gap between decent surf is huge – you’re looking at days of nothing from the start until the 21st, and then a few more days of small, weak, or choppy conditions before the big swell on the 25th. And then the best, but still messy, swell on the 29th. Honestly, this stretch is more interesting for the wind than the waves. The onshore winds and strong cross-shore breezes on the 19th, 20th, and 25th afternoons make it look more like a kite-surfing setup than a paddle-surfing one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 16°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | WNW 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
126 | 161 | 86 | 97 | 55 | 27 | 25 | 15 | 26 | 124 | 76 | 58 | 43 | 120 | 165 | 247 | 629 | 422 | 294 | 158 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:46PM5.14m | 7:08AM4.81m | 7:27PM5.07m | 7:48AM4.72m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:35AM-0.21m | 1:49PM-0.07m | 2:14AM-0.09m | 2:28PM0.09m | 2:52AM0.15m | 3:06PM0.34m | 3:28AM0.47m | 3:44PM0.66m | 4:05AM0.83m | 4:23PM1.01m | 4:44AM1.18m | 5:07PM1.34m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | |
8:42 | — | — | 8:39 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:34 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:30 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 18 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 9 | S 18 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | SSW 17 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | SSW 15 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 |
126 | 161 | 86 | 97 | 55 | 27 | 25 | 15 | 26 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 29 | 115 | 102 | 22 | 422 | 294 | 158 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 13 | S 13 | WSW 8 | S 12 | S 12 | WSW 8 | — | — | W 7 | — | S 16 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SSW 16 | — | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 |
3 | 3 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 12 | — | — | 8 | — | 5 | 11 | 11 | 29 | 24 | 24 | — | 21 | 41 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 13 | S 12 | — | S 20 | S 12 | S 18 | S 18 | S 18 | — | S 19 | — | SW 17 | SSW 17 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
2 | 3 | 3 | — | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 7 | — | 11 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 2 | — | N 4 | N 4 | NNW 4 | NNE 3 | NW 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | W 8 | W 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 5 | WNW 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | — | NNW 3 | N 5 |
1 | — | 12 | 13 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 124 | 76 | 58 | 43 | 120 | 165 | 247 | 629 | — | 4 | 13 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 45 | 13 | 429 | 212 | 29 | 11 | 231 | 269 | 417 | 189 | 256 | 295 | 13 | 231 | 719 | 192 | 260 | 107 | 183 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Cornwall | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
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.











