The Cove Cape May Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening with your local surf.

To be straight with you, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty quiet for The Cove Cape May. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak swell and mostly tricky winds, so you’ll need to keep your expectations in check. There’s no real standout session that’s going to blow you away, but there are a few windows where a longboard or a foamie might get you a few fun little rides if you’re patient.

Right now, through this weekend and into next week, the swell is tiny. We’re talking knee-high at best, with swell heights hanging around 1 ft to 2 ft from the southeast and east-southeast. The period is short, around 7 to 8 seconds, so there’s no real push or power behind it. The combined wave energy is very low, mostly between 19 and 55 (weak energy). Winds are mostly cross-off or cross, which keeps the surface reasonably clean, but with so little swell, it’s hard to get excited. Saturday morning, July 25th, is about as good as it gets early on, with some clouds and a light 9 mph cross-off breeze from the ENE, but the swell is only 1 ft. It’s surfable if you’re desperate, but very ordinary.

Sunday and Monday are more of the same, with poor surf conditions and the wind swinging more onshore, especially by Monday afternoon with a 12 mph SSE breeze chopping things up. Tuesday sees a morning window with light SE cross-shore wind and 1 ft swell, but there’s a risk of thunderstorms later. The water temperature is sitting around 76°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a wetsuit.

The middle of next week, around Wednesday July 29th, the swell bumps up just a touch to 2 ft from the SE, and we get a clean morning with a 9 mph N cross-off wind. It’s still small, but that’s probably the cleanest conditions in the first week. The combined energy is still weak at 54. Thursday July 30th morning is also clean with a light 6 mph N breeze and 2 ft swell, but again, very marginal. The period stretches to 9 seconds on Thursday afternoon, and the energy hits 100 (moderate), but the wind goes cross-shore from the SE, so it’s not a game-changer.

Then we hit a real flat spot from Friday July 31st right through to Tuesday August 4th. The swell drops to 0.7 ft to 2 ft, and the wind is mostly onshore or cross-on, often moderate to fresh, with gusts up to 16 mph. Sunday August 2nd is particularly ugly with onshore wind from the S at 16 mph and 3 ft of messy, short-period swell. The combined energy stays weak, between 11 and 97. This is not the time to be in the water unless you’re after a really frustrating paddle.

Now, there is a tiny glimmer of hope on Monday August 3rd. The morning shows 3 ft of swell from the SSE with a 9-second period, and the wind is cross-off from the ENE at 9 mph. The combined energy jumps to 157 (moderate), which is the best reading in the whole forecast. The waves are described as surfable but very ordinary, so don’t expect magic, but it’s the closest thing to a session worth checking. The swell direction is SSE, which is not quite the optimum SE, but it’s close enough. Still, 3 ft is small, and it’s only a score of 1 out of 10, so keep the enthusiasm in check. That’s the pick of a very lean period, but only for the dedicated.

After that, the swell drops back down again for the rest of the second week. From Tuesday August 4th through to Sunday August 9th, we’re back to 1 ft to 2 ft of short-period, weak swell, with combined energy mostly well under 100. Winds are all over the place, from onshore to cross-on, with occasional clean windows. Friday August 7th morning sees a 2 ft swell with a light offshore breeze from the NNE at 6 mph, which will be clean, but again, tiny. Saturday August 8th morning has a 12 mph cross-off from the E and 1 ft swell, clean but tiny.

To sum it up: this is a flat, quiet outlook for The Cove Cape May. There are no big swells, no long-period groundswells, and no sessions that will have you calling in sick for work. Monday August 3rd morning is the best bet if you’re itching for a paddle on a longboard, but honestly, you’re not missing much. The rest of the time, the surf is poor to non-existent. Hang tight, check back later, and hopefully the forecasts will improve.

Stay patient,
Rusty.

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