The Cove Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.62° N 3.65° W

The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 20 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Cove sea temperature is
13.9° C
0.5° 

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 20 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 11s period, WNW swell with 1,142 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 23 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 9s period with WNW 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 Sunday (Aug 23) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m 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 2.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Sun 23rd Aug)5.5ft (1.7m) 9s
Best Surf 7AM (Mon 24th Aug)7ft (2.2m) 11s
Most Powerful10AM (Mon 24th Aug)7ft (2.2m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let's get into it. The next couple of weeks are pretty lean overall for The Cove. We’ve got a long stretch of poor conditions to work through before anything really fires up.

For the start, from Thursday the 20th through to the end of the first week, it’s a tough watch. We’re dealing with a mix of onshore and cross-shore winds, mostly fresh and strong, and the swell is messy and short-period. The combined energy is mostly moderate to low – around 411, dropping down to 103 at its weakest – so there’s just not much push. The water’s sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing to complain about there. But honestly, for a reef break, the conditions are just poor. Kite surfers might find something interesting in the stronger winds, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.

Then we get to Monday the 24th of August, and that’s the standout window. Monday morning, the wind goes slight and almost offshore from the southeast, just 3 mph. The swell kicks up to a solid 7ft from the WNW, with a period of 11 seconds – that’s proper groundswell. The combined energy jumps to 1147, marking moderate-to-strong energy. The setup looks excellent for experienced surfers. The Cove is a reef, so that longer period should line up nicely, but at 7ft, it’s going to be too much for beginners. If you’ve got the skill, this is the morning to be out there. It’s clean and there’s real power. Crowds are possible at this spot, so get there early.

After that high, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are clean but the swell drops right off – down to 4ft and then 2ft through Wednesday, with energy falling to 403 and then down to 122. The wind is cross-offshore, but the wave size just isn’t there to make it worthwhile. The rest of that week into the first of September stays in that 3ft to 6ft range, with the wind flicking around and most of it onshore or cross-shore. The energy is mostly low to moderate, and the surf quality is poor.

Now, look ahead to Wednesday the 2nd of September. This one is promising but less certain. The morning shows a massive 15ft swell from the NW, with a period of 10 seconds and combined energy of 3860 – that’s strong wave energy. But the wind is onshore from the NNW at 9 mph. That kind of size, even with a bit of wind, will be for experts only, and it’s going to be a beast. Given it’s still a week and a half out, keep an eye on it, but if the wind swings right, this could be a crazy session at The Cove.

Finally, Thursday the 3rd of September morning looks like a solid option for the experienced crew. The swell is a more manageable 7ft from the west, period at 7 seconds, with light offshore wind from the SSW at 6 mph. Energy is moderate at 532, and the conditions are expected to be very good – clean waves with that light offshores. The crowd profile is worth a mention too; it’s a spot that sees people sometimes, so there might be a few out. After that, the wind goes strong again and the conditions close out.

Overall, the clear winner is Monday the 24th of August morning. That’s the one to circle. Thursday the 3rd of September morning is a strong backup if you can wait. Everything else in between is either blown out or too small.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Thu afternoon). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SE on Mon morning, fresh winds from the SE by Tue morning).

Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
Monday
24
Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
4
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.8
N
7
1.9
N
7
1.8
N
8
1.6
N
8
1.2
N
9
1.1
N
9
0.8
NNE
9
0.7
NNE
8
1.1
WNW
6
1.3
WNW
6
1.4
WNW
8
1.8
WNW
10
2.2
WNW
11
1.9
WNW
11
1.6
WNW
11
1.2
WNW
10
0.7
WNW
10
0.7
NNW
10
0.7
N
10
0.7
N
10
0.8
N
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
340
377
460
351
215
194
101
70
82
129
237
636
1142
831
681
306
96
112
98
96
135
Wind (km/h)
30
N
30
NNW
25
NNW
30
NW
30
NW
25
WNW
25
WNW
30
W
20
W
25
W
25
W
10
SW
5
SE
15
E
15
ESE
30
SSE
35
SE
20
ESE
25
ESE
25
ESE
25
ESE
Wind State
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
2:44PM3.95m
3:10AM3.88m
3:54PM3.84m
4:38AM3.72m
5:18PM3.86m
6:14AM3.76m
6:34PM4.01m
7:22AM3.94m
7:29PM4.24m
8:08AM4.17m
8:10PM4.48m
8:43AM4.38m
8:45PM4.70m
Low Tide
8:51PM2.49m
9:29AM2.54m
10:25PM2.60m
11:03AM2.65m
00:01AM2.49m
12:23PM2.55m
1:05AM2.25m
1:18PM2.35m
1:49AM1.97m
1:59PM2.11m
2:26AM1.71m
2:35PM1.88m
2:59AM1.48m
light rain
rain showers
cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:43
5:47
5:48
5:50
5:52
5:56
5:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:49
8:46
8:44
8:40
8:37
8:36
8:32
 mm
1
2
Temp °C
12
12
11
11
12
12
14
14
14
15
16
14
16
17
14
16
16
13
16
16
14
Feels °C
6
6
5
5
6
7
9
9
10
11
11
11
14
14
12
10
10
8
12
12
11
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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