Surf Forecasts:
The Cove Cape May surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 22 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period, E swell with 46 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 0.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 22) 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 0.3m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 11AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Sat 22nd Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
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: Cape May is not doing us any favours in this forecast window. The wave energy is just too weak to get excited about, and the wind is all over the shop. We’ve got a solid 16-day stretch ahead, but it’s a long, flat grind with nothing that really stands out for a proper surf.
The first day with any swell to speak of is Friday, the 21st of August. Over at The Cove Cape May, we’re looking at a tiny 0.2m (0.7ft) swell pushing in from the ESE. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s all wind-slop, not a groundswell. The water temp is a warm 25° (77°F), which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but with the combined swell energy sitting at a weak 14, you’ll be doing more floating than riding. The morning has a cross-off wind from the N at 15 km/h (9 mph), so it’s clean, but there’s just no power. By the afternoon, the wind swings S and goes onshore, killing any chance of a wave.
Saturday the 22nd kicks off with a bit more push, the swell bumps to 0.5m (2ft), but the period drops to 7 seconds. The wind is a messy E at 20 km/h (12 mph), cross-off in the morning but cross-shore by the afternoon, creating a chop. The energy is still weak at 36. It’s a write-off.
Sunday the 23rd is a joke—swell drops back to 0.4m (1ft) from the SSE, with a period of only 5 seconds. The wind is howling W at 20 km/h (12 mph), making it cross-shore and choppy. The energy is a pathetic 14.
Monday the 24th through Tuesday the 25th of August see the swell staying tiny, between 0.2m (0.7ft) and 0.3m (1ft). The period on Monday is a long 12 seconds, but there’s no height to do anything with it. The morning winds are clean from the NW, but you’re still looking at energy levels in the teens. It’s a flat spell.
Wednesday the 26th has a moment of glassy conditions in the morning—wind from the SSE at just 5 km/h (3 mph)—but the swell is still only 0.3m (1ft). You could paddle out on a longboard, but don’t expect a ride.
The rest of the week remains poor. Swell stays below 0.5m (2ft), with energy levels struggling to hit 49. The winds are a mix of cross and onshore, with a lot of “unknown” wave states, which tells me it’s messy.
We roll into the end of August and start of September. Saturday the 29th has a clean cross-off wind from the NNW at 10 km/h (6 mph), with the swell at 0.5m (2ft) and an 8-second period. The energy is weak at 38. It’s clean, but the waves are tiny. Sunday the 30th is similar.
By Monday the 31st of August, the swell is still 0.5m (2ft) to 0.6m (2ft), but the period drops to a shocking 4-5 seconds. The wind is onshore from the SSE at 20-30 km/h (12-19 mph), making it choppy and lumpy. The energy is still only 21. This is not surfable.
Tuesday the 1st of September is a total loss with onshore winds and tiny swell. Wednesday the 2nd has a brief moment of clean cross-off wind from the NW at 10 km/h (6 mph) in the afternoon, with a 0.3m (1ft) swell and 10-second period. Energy is 25. Again, too small.
The final day with any hope is Saturday the 5th of September. The morning offers a clean cross-off wind from the NW at 5 km/h (3 mph), with the swell at 0.6m (2ft) but from the S, with a period of only 4 seconds. The combined energy is a weak 20. It’s clean, but it’s all wind-slop.
Honestly, the whole 16-day window is a flat and wind-affected mess. There’s nothing here for a surfer. The waves are too small, the periods are too short, and the wind is rarely your friend. Forget the surfboard for now. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, if you’ve got the gear. Keep an eye on the charts, though—it tends not to stay poor for long.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sat morning. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Mon afternoon, min 20°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 7 | E 8 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | E 8 | SE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 7 | SE 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
7 | 8 | 8 | 22 | 45 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 18 | 22 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 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 | 8:12AM1.36m | 8:27PM1.68m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:54PM0.14m | 2:31AM0.08m | |||||||
6:18 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | |
— | 7:46 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:38 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 21 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 22 | 25 | 26 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 23 |
Feels °C | 21 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 22 | 26 | 25 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | SE 13 | SE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | S 6 | SSE 6 | ESE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 9 | SE 10 | ESE 10 | SE 6 |
3 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 19 | 18 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 9 | 13 | 23 | 9 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 5 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SE 14 | SE 10 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | SE 12 | SE 7 | ESE 12 | SSE 6 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | E 6 | E 6 | S 5 | E 15 | — | — | E 12 | SE 9 |
4 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 3 | 22 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 4 | — | SE 9 | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 12 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | ESE 6 | — | E 7 | E 6 | E 13 | — | S 7 | E 11 |
7 | 2 | 2 | — | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 3 | — | — | E 7 | E 8 | — | WSW 3 | WSW 3 | — | — | W 3 | — | NW 3 | SSW 5 | SSW 3 | — | S 5 | S 3 | — | SE 7 | — |
1 | — | — | 22 | 45 | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 18 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1008 | 1383 | 207 | 497 | 255 | 516 | 372 | 109 | 109 | 81 | 164 | 105 | 372 | 296 | 296 | 1176 | 1170 | 1008 | 415 | 415 | 21 |
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.











