Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, W swell with 656 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 9s. 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 1.8m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 01) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Mon 27th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s on the table for The Cove. This is a reef setup that’s exposed to the NW, and it’s fairly consistent, so it usually has something going on. We’re looking at a 16-day window, but I gotta be straight with you – the first week or so is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a run of marginal to poor conditions from the start, lasting through to the end of the first week of August. The wind is mostly messy, and the swell is just not cooperating. It’s a frustrating gap of about 8 days where there’s nothing really worth paddling out for.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on Monday morning, the 4th of August. The wind swings light from the ESE, which is cross-offshore, and it’s clean. The swell is a small 3ft from the north, but the period is a solid 11 seconds – that’s long-period groundswell, which this reef will love. The combined energy is moderate at 287. It’s not huge, but it’s a clean, workable wave for an intermediate. The water temp is about average for this time of year.
Then, the real standout of the whole forecast lands on Friday morning, the 7th of August. This is the one to circle on the calendar. It’s glassy – that’s dead calm, offshore wind from the WNW, just 3 mph. The swell is a clean 4ft coming from the WNW, with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate at 350. For a reef break like The Cove, that’s a recipe for smooth, lined-up waves. It’s a morning session you won’t want to miss. Keep in mind, this spot can draw a crowd, so get there early.
After that, things trail off again. The 8th and 9th have some surfable waves but the wind picks up and the quality drops. The second week looks like a mix of poor conditions and small, weak energy. The 11th of August sees a strong onshore breeze that’ll just ruin it.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The 4th of August is a decent, clean option if you’re desperate. But the clear winner is the glassy Friday morning on the 7th of August – that’s the best bet for a proper session.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Wed night, strong winds from the W by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | N 9 | N 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | NW 6 | NNW 7 | N 6 | W 5 | W 6 | WNW 7 | W 7 | WNW 6 | N 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 626 | 586 | 326 | 235 | 300 | 251 | 187 | 217 | 98 | 134 | 105 | 82 | 79 | 110 | 29 | 76 | 71 | 74 | 56 | 49 | 104 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:24AM4.15m | 8:32PM4.50m | 9:05AM4.29m | 9:09PM4.66m | 9:40AM4.43m | 9:42PM4.80m | 10:12AM4.53m | 10:14PM4.89m | 10:43AM4.59m | 10:44PM4.94m | 11:14AM4.61m | 11:15PM4.95m | 11:46AM4.59m | 11:48PM4.91m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:18PM2.06m | 2:49AM1.76m | 2:55PM1.92m | 3:24AM1.58m | 3:30PM1.78m | 3:58AM1.44m | 4:04PM1.69m | 4:30AM1.35m | 4:37PM1.63m | 5:03AM1.31m | 5:10PM1.63m | 5:36AM1.32m | 5:43PM1.68m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | 4:52 | — | — | 4:54 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:35 |
mm | — | — | 1 | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 9 | W 9 | W 8 | N 9 | W 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | — | N 6 | N 6 | W 6 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | N 7 | N 8 |
| kJ | 626 | 295 | 289 | 235 | 300 | 251 | 187 | 97 | 98 | 134 | 105 | 82 | 70 | — | 29 | 20 | 71 | 23 | 19 | 26 | 104 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | — | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NW 11 | N 8 | W 8 | NW 10 | NW 7 | W 7 | — | E 6 | W 11 | N 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 5 | W 9 | NW 7 |
| kJ | 402 | — | 326 | 176 | 133 | 162 | 126 | 5 | 84 | 28 | 79 | 14 | 4 | — | 1 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 8 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | NNW 7 | NW 6 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | N 9 | NNW 8 | W 11 | W 9 | NW 9 | W 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | — | — | 32 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 10 | — | SSE 3 | SW 3 | — | — | W 8 | — | ENE 3 | — | WNW 4 | NW 6 | NNW 7 | W 5 | W 5 | — | WNW 7 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 |
| kJ | — | 586 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | 217 | — | 4 | — | 30 | 79 | 110 | 80 | 76 | — | 74 | 56 | 49 | 24 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 34 | 148 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 32 | 7 | 447 | 63 | 46 | 484 | 491 | 1497 | 288 | 63 | 65 | 9 |
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.
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