Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 17 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 5s period, SSE swell with 47 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 1.0m 5s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 17) at 11PM. 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 4s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Fri 17th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 5s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me break this down for you. It’s Rusty here.
Alright, lookin’ at the charts for The Cove, and honestly, it’s a pretty flat spell we’re in for. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a write-off for anything decent. We’re talkin’ a long stretch of small, weak, and messy conditions. There’s no standout session, no real window where it all comes together, so don’t get your hopes up for a proper paddle.
The first few days, from Friday the 17th through to the end of the month, are dominated by tiny swell. We’re talkin’ ankle to knee-high at best, with most of the energy readings barely cracking double digits. The combined energy is weak, mostly under 30 (7-68) for the whole run. The wind is a constant problem – cross-onshore or cross for the most part, with speeds often 9-15 mph, which just chops up what little wave there is. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Friday the 24th or Monday the 27th where the wind backs off and goes cross-off, leaving the surface clean, but the swell is still a pathetic 0.7 ft with a period of 7-8 seconds. It’s just not enough to ride.
Even the better-looking pulses, like the morning of Thursday the 30th of July, with a 3 ft swell from the SE and a period of 5 seconds, still have poor conditions. The energy is only 68, which is weak, and the wind is cross-onshore, making it choppy. The water temp is 86° on the first day, which is about 2° warmer than normal for this time of year, so the water feels good, but the waves are a no-go.
For the first week of August, it’s the same story. Tiny swell, poor winds, and no quality. The best swell direction (NNE) never lines up with any decent energy or clean wind. For beginners, anything over 5 ft is a no-go, but we never see that anyway. The whole period is unsuitable for anyone but maybe a kite surfer on a windy afternoon, but for a paddle surfer, there’s nothing here.
So, the short version: a flat, choppy, and disappointing 16 days ahead. The only positive is that it’s a fairly consistent area for small waves, so it’s not unusual to see a blank run like this. Keep the board in the car, but don’t rush to the water.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Fri night. Warm (max 32°C on Fri afternoon, min 27°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Mon afternoon, min 28°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NE 6 | NE 7 | SSE 4 | ENE 7 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | ENE 9 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 6 | 9 | 20 | 5 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 24 | 12 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 7 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:08AM0.89m | 11:35PM0.94m | 12:02PM0.87m | 00:22AM0.88m | 12:55PM0.86m | 1:07AM0.81m | 1:49PM0.83m | 1:54AM0.75m | 2:45PM0.81m | 2:43AM0.70m | 3:42PM0.80m | 3:36AM0.66m | 4:38PM0.79m | 4:31AM0.65m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:12PM-0.10m | 5:51AM-0.07m | 6:09PM-0.03m | 6:43AM-0.05m | 7:06PM0.04m | 7:33AM-0.03m | 8:04PM0.10m | 8:23AM-0.01m | 8:59PM0.15m | 9:11AM0.02m | 9:52PM0.18m | 9:59AM0.03m | 10:45PM0.20m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — |
 | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:13 | — | — | 8:12 | — |
mm | — | 2 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 32 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Feels °C | 32 | 33 | 27 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 6 | NE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 4 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | ESE 4 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | ESE 4 | NE 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 4 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | 6 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 3 | E 8 | E 8 | ENE 7 | E 8 | NE 9 | ENE 9 | E 7 | E 7 | S 4 | E 7 | NE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | E 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | E 8 | SSE 5 | ESE 8 | ENE 8 |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | — | — | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | — | NE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ESE 8 | E 10 | ESE 8 | NE 8 | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 6 | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 3 | SSE 4 | S 4 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SSE 5 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 4 | SE 5 | — | ESE 4 | ESE 3 |
| kJ | — | 9 | 20 | 2 | 16 | 11 | 4 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 24 | 12 | 14 | — | 1 | 4 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1727 | 1736 | 1007 | 834 | 834 | 351 | 1121 | 834 | 834 | 834 | 285 | 351 | 1383 | 376 | 297 | 155 | 834 | 351 | 262 | 325 | 498 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Florida | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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