Surf Forecasts:
The Cove Cape May surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 5s period, SSE swell with 47 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Cove Cape May this week:
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove Cape May in the next 16 days are 1.0m 5s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 21) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove Cape May over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. We’re looking at the next 16 days for The Cove Cape May, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a pretty bleak stretch of small, weak windswell. We kick off on Thursday, August 20th, with waves struggling to hit 1ft out of the SE. The combined energy is a measly 13, and with a cross-onshore wind, it’s choppy as hell. This is a tough start.
The pattern doesn’t change much. Through the rest of August and into early September, we see a lot of days with the same story: tiny swell, mostly under 1.5ft, and periods of offshore or cross-offshore winds that keep the water’s surface clean, but there’s just no power behind it. The wave energy barely cracks the 50s on a few occasions, like on the 26th of August afternoon when it hit 54, but that’s from a 4-second period – a complete dud without any push. We’re looking at a solid two-week gap of really poor surf conditions.
The only real glimmer, and I mean the faintest whisper of a chance, comes on Tuesday, September 1st. The morning shows a 1.3ft SE swell, but the period jumps to 12 seconds – that’s long-period groundswell energy. The combined energy hits 58, and we’ve got a moderate offshore wind from the NNE. It’s the only day in the entire 16-day window that rates even a 1 out of 10, described as "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions." The Cove is a point break, and that long-period SE swell is a decent direction for it, but the size is absolutely tiny. It’s a promise of something better, but it’s so small it’s barely worth a paddle. The rest of the forecast is a write-off of onshore slop and tiny chop.
Hang in there, but don’t hold your breath. This is a long, dry spell for Cape May.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 27°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ENE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 11 | 18 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 21 | 12 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 28 | 46 | 27 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 2:49PM1.41m | 3:10AM1.06m | 3:49PM1.41m | 4:15AM1.05m | 4:48PM1.44m | 5:16AM1.07m | 5:41PM1.49m | 6:08AM1.12m | 6:28PM1.56m | 6:53AM1.19m | 7:11PM1.62m | 7:34AM1.28m | 7:50PM1.66m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:03AM0.33m | 9:11PM0.39m | 8:58AM0.37m | 10:13PM0.39m | 9:56AM0.38m | 11:11PM0.36m | 10:52AM0.35m | 00:01AM0.31m | 11:43AM0.30m | 00:44AM0.25m | 12:30PM0.24m | 1:22AM0.19m | 1:13PM0.19m | 1:57AM0.13m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  |  |  |  | | |  | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — |
 | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:38 | — |
mm | — | — | 8 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 27 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 27 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | — | E 15 | SE 10 |
| kJ | 11 | 18 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 13 | 19 | 19 | 21 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 18 | 18 | — | 4 | 4 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ENE 5 | ESE 8 | SE 12 | E 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SE 12 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | — | E 16 | E 15 | E 13 |
| kJ | 2 | — | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 21 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 7 | E 15 | E 15 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | NE 5 | E 8 | SE 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | NE 4 | E 6 | — | — | E 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 3 | N 2 | NE 5 | ENE 5 | — | ENE 5 | — | — | — | — | WNW 3 | NW 3 | WNW 3 | NNW 3 | NNE 4 | — | S 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 |
| kJ | — | 11 | 1 | 22 | 23 | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 5 | 28 | 46 | 27 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 536 | 555 | 81 | 1008 | 2615 | 105 | 321 | 70 | 242 | 21 | 36 | 38 | 98 | 60 | 105 | 175 | 330 | 255 | 497 | 497 | 5 |
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.
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