
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove Cape May surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 10 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 6s period, SSW swell with 123 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 1.3m 6s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 10) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Thu 10th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove Cape May over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and grim for The Cove Cape May. We’ve got a long stretch of small, jumbled-up waves and onshore winds ahead. You're gonna want to keep your board in the car for a while, but there might be a tiny window of hope way down the line.
The first week is basically a write-off. We're looking at tiny, short-period slop from the 9th through the 13th. The swell energy is weak, with readings in the low tens and forties (like 17, 20, 47), and the wind is mostly onshore or cross, making it messy. It’s the kind of stuff that’ll have you checking your phone more than the ocean. Thursday the 10th has a slight bump in energy (146), but it’s still crossed-up and poor. It’s just not worth the paddle.
There’s a bit of a lull, and then we see some glassy conditions early next week on the 14th and 15th. Monday the 14th has that nice morning glass, but the swell is tiny at around 1ft. It’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride. The energy stays weak (24, 30). It's a good day for a swim, not a surf.
Then we get another run of small, onshore dribble from the 16th through the 20th. The period is short, so it’s just not going to have any push. The energy is consistently weak, barely cracking 50. It’s another flat spell with no real recommendation.
Now, as we head into the third week, things start to get more interesting. On Monday the 21st, we see a bump in energy, jumping up to that moderate range (195). We’re looking at 4ft of east-northeast swell with a 7-second period. It’s still a bit short period, but there’s some push. The morning is cross-on and messy, but the afternoon winds turn cross-off from the NNW at 19 mph, cleaning it up. It might be a bit of a war zone but it's the first sign of real surf.
But the standout, and I mean the only real standout in this whole forecast, is Tuesday the 22nd. The energy jumps to a moderate 116, and we get 3ft of east swell with an 8-second period. The wind is offshore from the NNE at 16 mph. This is the one. The guidance says surfable, and the conditions should be clean with that offshore wind. It won’t be pumping, but it’ll be the most rideable it's been. This is your window.
After that, it looks like things start to fade again, until Thursday the 24th, when the energy really jumps to a strong 291. We're looking at 3ft of southeast swell, but with a very long 13-second period. That's a groundswell. The thing is, at a point break like The Cove, a long-period SE swell could be great, but with 16 mph cross-offshore winds, it could also be a bit tricky. It’s a promising blip, but it’s over a week away, so don't book the time off just yet.
So, plain and simple: the 22nd is your best bet. Tuesday, September 22nd. Get out there if you can. It’s not going to be epic, but it’ll be ten times better than anything else we've got.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 31°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSW on Wed night, light winds from the WSW by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | SSW 6 | S 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 9 | SE 9 | SE 3 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | SE 5 | SSE 5 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
13 | 8 | 50 | 117 | 40 | 112 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 16 | 48 | 25 | 28 | 22 | 13 | 21 | 12 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | glassy | glassy | on |
High Tide | 7:13AM1.50m | 7:32PM1.81m | 8:01AM1.60m | 8:18PM1.80m | 8:46AM1.67m | 9:02PM1.75m | 9:29AM1.70m | 9:44PM1.66m | 10:10AM1.70m | 10:25PM1.55m | 10:51AM1.66m | 11:05PM1.43m | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:55AM0.01m | 12:57PM-0.00m | 1:41AM-0.05m | 1:49PM-0.04m | 2:25AM-0.07m | 2:38PM-0.05m | 3:06AM-0.05m | 3:25PM-0.02m | 3:45AM-0.01m | 4:11PM0.04m | 4:24AM0.07m | 4:57PM0.12m | |||||||
— | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | |
7:19 | — | 7:17 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:13 | — | — | 7:10 | — | — | 7:09 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 24 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 31 | 26 | 23 | 25 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 22 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 32 | 28 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 30 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 8 | E 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | S 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SE 9 | S 5 | E 8 | E 8 | SE 5 | SE 10 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 |
3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 19 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 14 | 13 | 9 | 7 | 6 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 | SE 7 | ESE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | NE 4 | — | — | SE 10 | — | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 |
6 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 15 | — | 22 | 13 | 21 | 12 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 10 | — | — | E 9 | E 8 | SE 10 | E 8 | ESE 9 | S 5 | E 9 | — | — | — | — | SW 4 | SE 6 | S 5 | — |
— | 4 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 5 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | SSW 6 | — | NE 3 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | — | SSE 5 | — | ENE 2 | — | — |
13 | 8 | 50 | 117 | 40 | 112 | — | 4 | — | — | 7 | 16 | 48 | — | 28 | — | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 321 | 727 | 727 | 727 | 21 | 15 | 118 | 236 | 280 | 330 | 1151 | 1170 | 552 | 247 | 236 | 118 | 175 | 330 | 81 |
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.










