Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 10s period, ESE swell with 20 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Cove this week:
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 0.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 23) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about The Cove.
It’s a grim 16-day stretch, I gotta say. From now all the way until the 2nd of September, there’s just nothing going on for surf.
The first look is on Tuesday morning the 18th of August, with a tiny 0.7ft swell coming from the ESE and weak energy (17). The wind is a light cross-off, so it looks clean, but you’ll be standing around. Water temp is about 88°, which is nearly 2° warmer than normal for the time of year.
Every day after that is the same story: swell between 0.7ft and 3ft. The morning of Friday the 21st of August sees 2ft from the south with a 4-second period – that’s a windy, weak little bump. The wind goes offshore that morning, so it’s glassy, but the swell is just too small to bother with. Combined energy never cracks 60, mostly living below 30, which is just flat.
There’s a weak highlight on Wednesday afternoon the 26th of August: the period stretches to 15 seconds, and the energy hits 46, but the swell height is still only 0.7ft. That’s a long period groundswell, but with no size, it’s a ghost. And the wind is a cross-onshore, so it’s messy.
From the 27th of August through the 2nd of September, it’s all tiny, short-period windswell with onshore winds. No session stands out. The best chances for a clean paddle are Tuesday and Thursday mornings (18th and 20th of August) when it’s glassy, but you’ll be bobbing around on next to nothing.
Leave the boards in the car for this one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Thu night. Warm (max 33°C on Tue afternoon, min 26°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 64mm), heaviest during Sun night. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 23°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | S 4 | S 4 | SSE 4 | S 4 | ENE 9 | SE 3 | SSE 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | SSE 4 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 20 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 12 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 1:12AM0.77m | 2:01PM0.85m | 2:00AM0.72m | 2:58PM0.82m | 2:54AM0.70m | 3:58PM0.81m | 3:55AM0.69m | 4:56PM0.82m | 4:54AM0.70m | 5:48PM0.84m | 5:48AM0.73m | 6:34PM0.87m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:27PM0.19m | 7:39AM0.09m | 8:22PM0.23m | 8:30AM0.12m | 9:16PM0.26m | 9:23AM0.13m | 10:10PM0.27m | 10:16AM0.14m | 11:03PM0.27m | 11:09AM0.13m | 11:55PM0.25m | 12:00PM0.11m | 00:43AM0.22m | |||||||
 |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | | |  | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — |
 | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 7 | — | 1 | 4 | — | 9 | 40 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
Temp °C | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 29 |
Feels °C | 35 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 29 | 33 | 34 | 32 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 30 | 29 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 10 | ESE 10 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | SSE 3 | E 8 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ENE 9 | SSE 3 | NE 8 | ENE 8 | SE 4 | ENE 8 | ENE 8 | ESE 4 | NE 8 | NE 8 |
| kJ | 20 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 10 | NE 10 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | E 8 | NE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 9 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 8 | E 8 | E 7 | S 4 | E 11 | E 8 |
| kJ | 11 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NE 6 | S 4 | ENE 9 | NE 9 | NE 8 | NE 6 | E 5 | — | — | — | E 9 | E 6 | E 13 | E 8 | E 12 | E 12 | NE 8 | E 8 | E 11 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 4 | WNW 2 | SE 2 | S 3 | S 3 | SSE 3 | S 4 | S 4 | SSE 4 | S 4 | S 3 | SE 3 | SSE 4 | — | SE 4 | SSE 4 | — | SE 4 | SE 4 |
| kJ | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 13 | — | 4 | 11 | — | 6 | 12 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 305 | 262 | 305 | 305 | 368 | 427 | 1727 | 1183 | 1007 | 1727 | 889 | 836 | 351 | 137 | 591 | 800 | 351 | 427 | 382 | 297 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Florida | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Cove Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Cove 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 can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Cove 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) 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 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 is 0 km (0 miles) from West Palm Beach. If you plan a vacation in South Florida, look for hotels and other accommodation in West Palm Beach. West Palm Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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