Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 24 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 9s period, NNW swell with 2,886 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 4.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 13ft (4.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the table for The Cove over the next couple of weeks.
Right now, it’s a bit of a desert out there. We’ve got a long dry spell starting off, with nothing really worth paddling out for from Monday the 24th all the way through to the first few days of September. You're looking at tiny, weak waves with cross-off winds that just aren't bringing any love. A lot of poor conditions and flat spells.
The first real flicker of hope shows up on Thursday, September 3rd. The swell starts to build, and we get a morning window of clean 5ft surf from the North. The wind is a light cross-off breeze out of the SSW, which should keep things tidy. The combined energy is moderate at 584, and with an 11-second period, those waves are going to have a bit of punch and shape. It’s not huge, but after the drought, it’ll feel like a gift.
Now, the standout. If you’ve got the skill and the nerve, circle September 8th. This is a serious day, but it comes with a massive caveat. Tuesday morning is forecasting a big 25ft swell from the NNW with a 12-second period. The energy reading is an enormous 16149. I’m not going to sugarcoat it – for 99% of surfers, this is too big and dangerous. The Cove is a reef break, and with that size, it’s a gun-only, expert-only affair. The wind is light onshore from the North, but that swell is just so dominant, the raw power is the story. The tide and wind data say it's favorable, but the sheer scale of it is the limiting factor. The afternoon drops to a still very hefty 13ft. This is the one true highlight, but it’s not for the faint-hearted.
So, to put it simply: endure the flat spell, grab that Thursday the 3rd for a fun, clean session, and if you’re a hardcore charger, keep your eyes on that massive pulse on the 8th.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds. | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 763 | 551 | 311 | 146 | 50 | 19 | 12 | 22 | 67 | 57 | 35 | 11 | 10 | 27 | 438 | 2292 | 2741 | 1562 | 878 | 301 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:29PM4.24m | 8:08AM4.17m | 8:10PM4.48m | 8:43AM4.38m | 8:45PM4.70m | 9:14AM4.57m | 9:16PM4.89m | 9:44AM4.72m | 9:46PM5.03m | 10:13AM4.81m | 10:16PM5.11m | 10:42AM4.84m | 10:47PM5.13m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:49AM1.97m | 1:59PM2.11m | 2:26AM1.71m | 2:35PM1.88m | 2:59AM1.48m | 3:08PM1.68m | 3:31AM1.30m | 3:40PM1.52m | 4:03AM1.17m | 4:11PM1.43m | 4:35AM1.10m | 4:44PM1.40m | ||||||||
 |  | | | | |  |  |  | | |  | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | 8:37 | — | — | 8:36 | — | — | 8:32 | — | — | 8:30 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 14 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | E 8 | E 9 | E 9 | E 8 | — | — | — | N 8 |
| kJ | 763 | 551 | 311 | 146 | 50 | 19 | 12 | 22 | 67 | 57 | 35 | 11 | 64 | 81 | 36 | 10 | — | — | — | 301 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | WNW 7 | W 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | W 8 | NNE 8 | N 10 | — | — | — | — | W 12 |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 11 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | N 9 | N 9 | NW 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | SE 4 | SE 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | ESE 7 | E 8 | — | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | — |
| kJ | 4 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 29 | 19 | 54 | 78 | 57 | — | 27 | 438 | 2292 | 2741 | 1562 | 878 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 9 | 9 | 34 | 34 | 10 | 170 | 207 | 158 | 34 | 34 | 291 | 176 | 214 | 63 | 87 | 87 | 87 | 65 | 32 | 298 |
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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