
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 2 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, N swell with 388 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 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 Sunday (Aug 02) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 1.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 04) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the table for The Cove.
To be honest, the next week and a half is a bit of a struggle. We’ve got a real dry spell starting off. From Friday the 31st of July right through to the 10th of August, it’s mostly poor surf with messy winds and small, short-period swell. The combined energy is weak, sitting under 100 (133) at best, and the swell is coming from the WNW and N with a short period of just 6 to 8 seconds, which means weak, crumbly waves. The winds are often cross or cross-on, and there’s a lot of rain and clouds in the mix. Not a session you’d paddle out for.
The only glimmer in that first week is Sunday afternoon the 2nd of August. The swell drops a bit to 4 ft from the N, but the wind goes light from the NNW at 10 km/h, making it a light cross-onshore. The combined energy climbs to 310, which is moderate, but it’s still a marginal call. Not a standout, but if you’re desperate, it’s the best of a bad lot.
Then we hit the 11th of August. Tuesday morning brings a real shift. The swell jumps to 8 ft from the NNW with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a strong 885. That’s a solid winter swell, but it’s right on the limit for all but experienced surfers. The wind is from the SE at 20 km/h, blowing cross-off, so the waves will be clean. This is the standout of the entire forecast. The Cove (a reef setup) should handle that NNW direction well, and with clean conditions, it’s the one to circle on the calendar. It’s still a week and a half away, so keep an eye on it, but it’s got real potential. The afternoon is still good, with 7 ft and clean cross-off wind, but the morning is the pick.
After that, it fades again. The 12th of August has a tiny window of glassy conditions in the afternoon, with 2 ft and no wind, but the swell is small and weak. The rest of the second week is just small, weak, and windy.
The water temperature is sitting at 56°F with a 0.2° anomaly, so it’s about average for the time of year. Nothing shocking there.
So, bottom line: the first ten days are mostly a write-off. The one true standout is the morning of Tuesday the 11th of August, with a solid 8 ft NNW swell and clean cross-off winds. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s your window. The rest is small and messy.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | ||||||||||||||
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 6 | W 7 | WNW 6 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | WNW 8 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
92 | 58 | 88 | 118 | 144 | 191 | 190 | 380 | 332 | 275 | 140 | 109 | 65 | 45 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 34 | 17 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 2:44PM4.17m | 3:01AM4.28m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 8:27AM1.89m | 8:50PM2.27m | |||||||
— | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:09 | — | — | 5:11 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | |
— | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:31 | — | — | 9:30 | — | — | 9:28 | — | — | 9:24 | |
mm | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNE 7 |
25 | 23 | 88 | 118 | 144 | 137 | 190 | 380 | 332 | 275 | 140 | 109 | 65 | 45 | 42 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 34 | 15 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | NW 5 | W 11 | W 10 | — | — | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 |
16 | 9 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 110 | 52 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 18 | 17 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NW 6 | — | — | — | — | NNW 10 | — | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 6 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | E 5 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 5 | — |
— | 9 | — | — | — | — | 10 | — | 7 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | W 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | — | — | E 3 | ESE 3 | SE 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 4 | E 4 | E 3 | — | — | — | — | — |
92 | 58 | 86 | 62 | 91 | 191 | — | — | 7 | 4 | 5 | 16 | 20 | 19 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 7 | 816 | 832 | 207 | 46 | 170 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 65 | 34 | 59 | 17 | 63 | 864 | 17 |
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.











