The Cove Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.62° N 3.65° W

The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 09 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Cove sea temperature is
13.6°C
0.8° 

The Cove surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Cove surf forecast from 9 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 12 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 12 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 13s period, WNW swell with 4,001 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 9 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Cove this week:

The surf forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 09) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 3.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Sep 12) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7PM (Wed 9th Sep)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Best Surf 1AM (Sat 12th Sep)10ft (3.0m) 14s
Most Powerful 7AM (Sat 12th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here, let’s talk about The Cove. This is a reef setup, so it’s got that nice, defined shape when it works, but it ain’t for the groms. We’re looking at a solid run of swell, but the wind is gonna be the main character in this story for a while.

The first few days are a bit of a write-off, honestly. Wednesday the 9th and Thursday the 10th are a bust—wind is messy, cross-on, and the waves are small and weak. Not worth paddling out for. Friday the 11th is even worse, with a fresh 22 mph cross-swell kicking up a lumpy 7 ft mess. You’d be fighting the chop more than the wave.

The first real standout comes on Saturday the 12th. The morning session is the one to watch. We’ve got a powerful 12 ft WNW swell rolling in with a very long 13-second period. The combined swell energy is a massive 3947, so there’s plenty of grunt. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SSE at 12 mph. That’s gonna keep the faces reasonably clean. But be warned, 12 ft on a reef is expert territory only. This is a big, powerful groundswell, and at that size, it’s going to be heavy and a bit straight at the take-off. Not for the faint of heart.

Sunday the 13th is a bit smaller, but the afternoon is a real gem. The swell drops to 6 ft from the WNW, and the wind goes completely glassy at 3 mph. The energy is still solid at 995. That’s clean, smooth, and perfect for a reef. This is the best session of the first week.

Monday the 14th through Tuesday the 16th is a mixed bag of moderate swells and gnarly wind. The swell is there, but it’s often cross or cross-on, making for lumpy, unappealing conditions. Not worth a special trip.

We get a bit of a reprieve on Thursday the 17th morning. It’s glassy again with a 4 ft N swell, but the energy is low (235). It’s a good little window for a quiet paddle, but nothing to get hyped about.

The real gold is waiting in the second week. Saturday the 19th is a beauty. A solid 4 ft W swell with a 11-second period, and the wind is a clean offshore from the SSE at 12 mph. The energy is 339, and the conditions are clean. That’s a fun, manageable size for intermediate surfers.

But the absolute standout of the whole forecast is Monday the 21st of September. The morning session is firing. We’ve got a 6 ft WNW groundswell with a very long 13-second period, and the energy is a strong 1139. The wind is a light cross-offshore from the SSE. That’s going to produce some seriously good, lined-up waves. The long period will make for some nice, walled-up sections at this reef. It’s a bit bigger, so it’s for experienced surfers, but it’s the best quality on offer.

Then, to top it off, Wednesday the 23rd has a fantastic afternoon. The swell is 7 ft from the west with a 13-second period, and the wind is completely glassy. Energy is 1273. That’s a fresh, powerful, and perfect wave. The morning of Thursday the 24th is also a bomb, with a 8 ft WNW swell and clean offshore wind, but it’s big and powerful. Again, expert zone.

So, to sum it up: the first few days are a wash. The best on offer is the Saturday the 12th morning for the big, powerful stuff, and the Monday the 21st morning for the best quality, cleanest, and most surfable swell. The Wednesday the 23rd afternoon is a close second. Don’t bother with the messy middle days.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the W by Fri morning).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Wednesday
9
Thursday
10
Friday
11
Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
0
1
1
0
1
5
4
3
3
2
3
3
1
1
3
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
NNW
8
1
W
9
0.6
W
8
0.9
W
7
1
W
8
1.7
W
10
2.1
W
7
2.1
W
9
3
WNW
14
3.5
WNW
13
3
WNW
13
3
WNW
12
2.3
WNW
11
1.9
WNW
10
1.4
WNW
10
1
NNW
12
1.9
W
9
1.8
W
10
1.8
W
11
1.6
W
10
1.3
W
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
220
157
45
86
116
598
440
747
3275
3940
3102
2442
1277
778
341
283
537
618
723
520
327
Wind (km/h)
20
WNW
15
W
20
S
20
SSE
20
S
25
WSW
35
W
30
WSW
20
S
20
SSE
15
WNW
15
W
20
W
5
W
20
SSE
25
SSW
25
WSW
10
S
35
W
40
WNW
15
W
Wind State
cross-on
cross
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
glassy
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
cross-on
cross
High Tide
8:16AM4.69m
8:17PM4.95m
9:00AM4.89m
9:00PM5.19m
9:38AM5.00m
9:38PM5.31m
10:12AM5.01m
10:14PM5.32m
10:45AM4.94m
10:49PM5.21m
11:16AM4.81m
11:23PM5.00m
11:47AM4.64m
11:58PM4.71m
Low Tide
2:08PM1.71m
2:35AM1.05m
2:50PM1.49m
3:16AM0.87m
3:29PM1.34m
3:55AM0.82m
4:05PM1.28m
4:31AM0.90m
4:40PM1.32m
5:06AM1.09m
5:15PM1.44m
5:39AM1.36m
5:50PM1.64m
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
light rain
part cloud
rain showers
clear
cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:28
6:31
6:33
6:35
6:37
6:39
6:41
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:52
7:50
7:46
7:44
7:40
7:38
7:36
 mm
2
3
1
1
2
1
3
1
Temp °C
12
13
12
14
14
13
13
14
12
12
13
12
13
15
12
16
17
15
14
12
12
Feels °C
7
9
9
9
10
9
5
8
7
10
9
9
9
14
8
13
12
12
6
6
7
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

Are you planning a holiday in Scotland - North Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near The Cove, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - North Coast, consider staying in Scrabster which is 7 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Scotland - North Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Wick which is 39 km (24 miles) away and Kirkwall, 56 km (35 miles) away.

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