
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 11s period, N swell with 1,107 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 8s period with NNW 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 2.1m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's peel back the lid on what's coming our way for the next couple of weeks.
Truth is, it's a rough stretch on paper. There's a big dead patch of bland, windy slop to start, and the first real chance to get wet is a long way off.
Right off the bat, Wednesday the 29th and Thursday the 30th are total washouts. Thursday morning has a clean little 3ft swell from the NNW poking into The Cove, a reef set-up, but the combined energy is only 179 and it's a short-period swell. It's surfable, but just barely. The rest of that first week, through the end of July and the start of August, is just lumpy junk with 15-25 mph winds. The water is about 56°, right where it should be for now.
Nothing worth a second look until Monday the 3rd of August. That morning has some real potential. The Cove gets a 6-7ft north swell, a proper groundswell with an 11 second period and a combined energy of 960. That's a serious amount of water moving. It's getting a bit big for the learner crew, but for the average surfer, it's got some grunt. The only problem is that morning onshore wind from the NNW at about 6 mph. The afternoon eases up a bit with a lighter cross-onshore, but it's still only a marginal call. This is your best window by a mile, but the wind is the big question mark.
After that, the tank runs dry. From Tuesday the 4th through to Monday the 10th of August, it's flat to tiny, with combined energy dropping into the tens for days on end. There's a clean bit of knee-high nothing on the morning of the 10th, but that's about it for a week.
The next pulse hits on Tuesday the 11th of August. A 6ft WNW swell shows up, but it's a weak, short-period 7 second swell with lumpy side-shore wind. The combined energy reads 348, so there's some push, but it'll be a bumpy, closed-out mess. Wednesday the 12th has an even bigger 6ft WNW swell, a better 9 second period, and combined energy of 641, but it's raining with choppy cross-onshore winds. Then it fades into small, blown-out slop for the rest of that week.
So here's the call: the best, and really the only, standout is the morning of Monday the 3rd of August at The Cove. It's got the size and the power, but the wind will decide if it's a classic or a fight. After that, you're looking at a long, dry spell with nothing to offer. It's a waiting game.
Rusty, out.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed night, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Wed night, fresh winds from the W by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sat night, calm by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 6 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | N 12 | N 11 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NNE 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
96 | 96 | 87 | 200 | 188 | 160 | 129 | 144 | 115 | 215 | 155 | 976 | 934 | 584 | 372 | 225 | 169 | 175 | 189 | 162 | 92 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:12AM4.53m | 10:14PM4.89m | 10:43AM4.59m | 10:44PM4.94m | 11:14AM4.61m | 11:15PM4.95m | 11:46AM4.59m | 11:48PM4.91m | 12:20PM4.52m | 00:23AM4.81m | 12:59PM4.42m | 1:04AM4.67m | 1:46PM4.29m | 1:55AM4.48m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:04PM1.69m | 4:30AM1.35m | 4:37PM1.63m | 5:03AM1.31m | 5:10PM1.63m | 5:36AM1.32m | 5:43PM1.68m | 6:12AM1.38m | 6:19PM1.78m | 6:50AM1.50m | 6:59PM1.93m | 7:34AM1.68m | 7:47PM2.10m | ||||||||
4:58 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:11 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:31 | — | — | 9:30 | — | — | 9:28 | |
mm | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | W 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | WNW 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 12 | N 11 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NNE 8 |
96 | 28 | 41 | 27 | 17 | 25 | 99 | 144 | 115 | 137 | 153 | 976 | 934 | 584 | 372 | 225 | 169 | 175 | 189 | 162 | 92 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | W 8 | NW 7 | — | — | N 11 | NNW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 11 |
28 | 28 | 7 | — | — | 2 | 129 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 15 | 57 | 37 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 20 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | W 10 | — | W 9 | — | W 9 | WNW 5 | — | W 8 | W 10 | WNW 6 |
28 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 7 | — | 6 | 3 | — | 6 | 17 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | NNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | W 6 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
15 | 96 | 87 | 200 | 188 | 160 | — | 64 | 91 | 215 | 155 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 11 | 412 | 34 | 34 | 426 | 7 | 832 | 412 | 286 | 286 | 7 | 32 | 32 | 10 | 32 | 16 | 0 | 87 | 32 | 10 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










