
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove Cape May surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period, E swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period, ENE swell with 102 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 7s period with E swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Cove Cape May this week:
The surf forecast for The Cove Cape May over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove Cape May in the next 16 days are 1.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Friday (Jul 24) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove Cape May over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the Cape May region over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this 16-day window is looking pretty flat and rough. The only break we’re looking at is The Cove Cape May, a point break that’s fairly consistent. The water is sitting at about 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one small win.
We’re starting with a real dry spell. From Thursday the 23rd of July right through to Saturday the 26th, the surf is basically non-existent. There’s a tiny bit of knee-high sea around 1 ft to 4 ft, but it’s either cross-on, short period (6 seconds), or just messy. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting between 12 and 92. Not worth paddling out for.
Sunday the 26th of July is the first day that shows even a glimmer of hope. The morning brings a 3 ft swell from the ENE with a 7-second period, and the wind is blowing offshore from the NE at 9 mph. The conditions are clean, and the energy picks up a bit to 139 (moderate). It’s still only a 1 out of 10 in terms of quality, but it’s the best we’ve seen. The swell is small, but that offshore wind will make it rideable. Expect some crowds though – this spot is often busy.
Monday the 27th through to the end of the month (August 4th) is a real slog. The swell stays tiny, mostly 1.0 ft to 2 ft, with periods all under 8 seconds. The wind is all over the place – cross-on, onshore, or just light. The energy is consistently weak, under 60. There’s a brief moment on Wednesday the 29th of July morning with a light offshore from the N at 6 mph, but the swell is only 2 ft from the SSE. It’s clean, but you’ll be scratching for waves.
Looking into the first week of August, it’s more of the same. The 4th of August has a glassy morning with 1 ft of swell, but it’s short period. The 7th of August Friday morning has a gentle offshore from the NNE, but the swell is a pathetic 1.0 ft. The Friday afternoon shows a 3 ft swell from the SSW, but it’s a 4-second period – that’s windswell junk – and it’s clean, but the quality is zero.
Honestly, there’s no standout here. The best of a bad bunch is Sunday the 26th of July morning. The offshore wind and the slight bump in energy make it the only session worth even considering. But keep expectations low – it’s small, and the waves will be ordinary. For the rest of the 16 days, you’re better off doing something else.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 19°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Mon night. Warm (max 24°C on Mon night, min 21°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Mon morning, fresh winds from the S by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 4 | SSE 5 | SE 7 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
21 | 20 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 83 | 92 | 77 | 85 | 31 | 22 | 15 | 34 | 51 | 25 | 18 | 23 | 37 | 29 | 32 | |
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-off | off | off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross | off | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 4:31PM1.43m | 4:49AM1.06m | 5:23PM1.47m | 5:45AM1.07m | 6:12PM1.51m | 6:35AM1.09m | 6:57PM1.56m | 7:21AM1.13m | 7:39PM1.62m | 8:03AM1.18m | 8:19PM1.65m | 8:43AM1.23m | 8:57PM1.67m | |||||||
Low Tide | 10:47PM0.32m | 10:34AM0.29m | 11:42PM0.29m | 11:24AM0.28m | 00:32AM0.25m | 12:11PM0.25m | 1:16AM0.21m | 12:55PM0.21m | 1:57AM0.16m | 1:37PM0.18m | 2:34AM0.12m | 2:17PM0.15m | 3:09AM0.09m | |||||||
— | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | |
8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 2 | 3 | 7 | — | — | 19 |
Temp °C | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 22 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 25 | 28 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | — | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | SE 8 | E 7 | SSE 5 | S 6 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | SSE 7 |
16 | 20 | 20 | 11 | 20 | 6 | — | 77 | 33 | 31 | 12 | 15 | 8 | 51 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 37 | 29 | 32 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | S 6 | S 6 | S 5 | S 5 | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 7 | ENE 7 | E 7 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | E 9 | SE 10 | SSE 9 |
21 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 18 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 15 | 15 | 3 | 25 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | SSE 7 | — | S 6 | — | — | — | ENE 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | — | — | E 8 |
3 | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 3 | — | — | — | 9 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | ENE 4 | E 4 | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | ENE 7 | — | SSW 3 | SW 3 | S 4 | WSW 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | ENE 8 | E 4 | ENE 4 |
— | — | 10 | 25 | 34 | 83 | 92 | — | 85 | — | 1 | 2 | 34 | 10 | 1 | — | — | 14 | 9 | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 21 | 105 | 234 | 344 | 1 | 376 | 497 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 321 | 1383 | 21 | 7 | 36 | 102 | 0 | 321 | 7 |
Best forecast wave conditions in New Jersey | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Cove Cape May Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Cove Cape May provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Cove Cape May can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Cove Cape May 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 (The Cove Cape May) 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 The Cove Cape May 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.
The Cove Cape May is 50 km (31 miles) from Ocean City. If you plan a vacation in New Jersey, look for hotels and other accommodation in Ocean City. Ocean City has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










