
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, NNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 10s period, WNW swell with 4,322 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s 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 Monday (Jul 27) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 10s. 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 4.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 15ft (4.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s chew through what’s coming.
The first few days are a bit of a bust. Friday the 24th starts with a big, angry 8ft to 10ft west swell, but that 22 mph cross-off wind is howling, and the energy is huge (1100-1244). It’s just too messy to be enjoyable. Saturday the 25th is the worst of it – a 15ft wall of WNW swell with over 4000 on the energy scale, getting torn apart by a near gale. Kite surfers would love it; paddle surfers, forget it.
We’ve got a gap. Sunday and Monday are still blown out or just marginal. The swell drops back to 6ft, but the wind keeps it lumpy.
The real window opens Monday afternoon, the 27th. The wind finally eases to a light breeze from the southwest (6 mph), and it’s a clean, cross-off breeze. The Cove is a reef break, so it’ll handle that longer-period NW groundswell well. The swell is only 5ft, but with a 10-second period, it’ll have some shape. The water temp is around 55°, which is dead average for the time of year. This is the standout – not huge, but clean and fun for an intermediate surfer. The energy is a moderate 733, so it’s got some push.
Tuesday the 28th hangs on. The morning has a 4ft west swell with a moderate breeze, but the afternoon picks up to 5ft, and it’s still clean. Good second choice.
Wednesday the 29th is small – 4ft to 4ft – but glassy in the afternoon. Grab a longboard.
Then it all dries up. From Thursday the 30th through Sunday the 3rd of August, the swell flatlines. Waves under 3ft, weak energy readings (under 100), and the wind is mostly cross or cross-on. It’s a proper lull. The Cove is a consistent spot, but when it’s this flat, it just doesn’t break.
Looking into the second week, Monday the 3rd of August afternoon sees a spike back to 8ft from the west-northwest, but the period is a short 7-8 seconds, and it’s cross-onshore. Messy. Tuesday the 4th of August has a better look: 8ft to 7ft from the NNW with a light onshore wind. The energy is strong (831-662), and the reef will straighten some of that out. For experienced surfers, that’s the one to keep an eye on.
After that, the swell fades and the wind gets messy. The tail end of the 16 days on the 8th of August has some 5ft swell with a long 11-second period, but a fresh cross-shore wind ruins it.
So, bottom line: the best bet is Monday afternoon, the 27th of July at The Cove. Clean, manageable, the reef will be working. For a bigger session, keep an eye on Tuesday the 4th of August if you’ve got the chops.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Fri night, light winds from the SSW by Sun night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon morning, calm by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | N 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
1099 | 1243 | 1465 | 4322 | 3021 | 1186 | 610 | 446 | 529 | 423 | 348 | 273 | 241 | 351 | 251 | 173 | 190 | 153 | 157 | 111 | 60 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 6:01PM4.00m | 6:29AM3.92m | 7:01PM4.14m | 7:34AM4.01m | 7:51PM4.32m | 8:24AM4.15m | 8:32PM4.50m | 9:05AM4.29m | 9:09PM4.66m | 9:40AM4.43m | 9:42PM4.80m | 10:12AM4.53m | 10:14PM4.89m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:45AM2.35m | 00:26AM2.39m | 12:46PM2.31m | 1:24AM2.19m | 1:36PM2.21m | 2:10AM1.96m | 2:18PM2.06m | 2:49AM1.76m | 2:55PM1.92m | 3:24AM1.58m | 3:30PM1.78m | 3:58AM1.44m | 4:04PM1.69m | ||||||||
4:46 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:54 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 | — | — | 9:50 | — | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | |
mm | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | N 10 | NNW 9 | W 10 | W 9 | N 8 | W 9 | N 8 | N 8 | W 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 |
1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1186 | 610 | 446 | 529 | 423 | 348 | 273 | 241 | 90 | 251 | 47 | 47 | 153 | 157 | 111 | 60 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | NNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 |
— | — | — | — | — | 212 | 280 | 402 | 400 | 400 | 339 | 199 | 146 | 88 | 66 | — | — | 118 | 72 | 72 | 52 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | — | — | NNW 6 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 28 | — | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | W 4 | W 5 | S 2 | — | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — |
1099 | 1243 | 1465 | 4322 | 3021 | — | — | — | — | 10 | 46 | 1 | — | 351 | — | 173 | 190 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1106 | 759 | 421 | 678 | 813 | 34 | 35 | 198 | 0 | 370 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 63 | 63 |
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.










