Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 11s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 10s period, W swell with 882 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 11s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. 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 2.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 2s period and expected on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, it’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for The Cove. It’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks, to be honest. We’ve got a few bright spots, but plenty of wind and not much decent swell for the first half of the run. Let’s get into it.
The water temperature at The Cove is sitting at 57°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no need to dig out the 5/4 just yet.
The first real chance to get a wet suit on comes on Monday, 24 August. The morning is ordinary, but by the afternoon, the wind switches to a light offshore from the SSE, and we’ve got a clean 7ft wave from the WNW. The period is a solid 11 seconds, so there’s some proper groundswell energy pushing in. The combined energy is a strong 867, which tells you this isn’t a weak little pulse. This is the standout of the whole outlook. The Cove is a reef break, so that longer-period swell is going to wrap in nicely and offer some proper lines. The sets will be a bit more spaced out, but it’ll be worth the paddle out. Crowds are sometimes a thing here, but on a Monday, with a decent forecast, you might get a few, but it’s not a zoo.
The next morning, Tuesday, 25 August, is still pretty clean, with a light offshore and glassy conditions in the afternoon. The swell has dropped right back to 3ft, though, so it’s more of a fun little session for a log or a fish. The energy is weak (117) so don’t expect any power.
We then hit a long dry spell. From Wednesday, 26 August, right through to Sunday, 1 September, the surf is either too small, too windy, or just plain poor. The wind is howling from the SE and SW at times, making a mess of things. The swell is small and inconsistent. It’s a proper gap of about a week where you’re better off doing something else.
Then, finally, on Tuesday, 1 September, the wind settles back offshore in the afternoon, but the swell is still tiny at 3ft. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.
The real second chance comes on Wednesday, 2 September. The morning has a gentle offshore breeze from the south and a 3ft swell from the west. The period is short at 7 seconds, so it’s more of a windswell, but with clean conditions and a moderate energy of 217, you’ll be able to get a few decent ones. The afternoon is smaller again, but still clean. It’s a solid second-best option if you missed the Monday.
So, to wrap it up: Monday, 24 August afternoon is your absolute best bet. Clean, solid 7ft groundswell with offshore winds. That’s the one to circle. After that, it’s a long wait for some small, clean waves on the 2nd of September.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (calm on Tue night, fresh winds from the NNW by Thu afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Fri night, light winds from the S by Mon morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
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) | N 8 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | N 7 | N 8 | N 7 | N 9 | N 8 | N 9 | N 6 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
29 | 235 | 448 | 252 | 181 | 320 | 348 | 430 | 302 | 340 | 169 | 351 | 125 | 66 | 42 | 137 | 105 | 176 | 850 | 603 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 1:17AM4.51m | 1:52PM4.13m | 2:06AM4.17m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:03PM1.99m | 7:36AM1.93m | 7:49PM2.25m | 8:23AM2.27m | 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 | |||||||
— | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
8:54 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:40 | — | — | 8:37 | — | |
mm | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 |
Feels °C | 15 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | W 10 |
29 | 235 | 448 | 252 | 123 | 71 | 46 | 25 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 125 | 66 | 33 | 20 | 105 | 176 | 850 | 603 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | N 7 | NNE 7 | — | W 17 | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 9 | — | NNE 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | NNW 10 |
8 | 26 | 15 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 6 | 5 | 37 | 26 | — | 19 | 10 | 5 | 10 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 17 | — | NW 10 | N 13 | NNW 11 | NNE 7 |
5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 8 | 6 | — | 16 | 3 | 12 | 5 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 8 | N 7 | N 9 | N 8 | N 9 | N 6 | NNW 9 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — |
— | — | 67 | 91 | 181 | 320 | 348 | 430 | 302 | 340 | 169 | 351 | 36 | — | 42 | 137 | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 17 | 7 | 16 | 345 | 87 | 362 | 756 | 183 | 229 | 223 | 223 | 259 | 223 | 36 | 7 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











