Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 11s period, WNW swell with 1,172 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 2.3m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G'day, Rusty here, and I gotta be straight with you—this stretch is a real test of patience. The Cove is a quality reef setup, but it's going to dish out a whole lot of frustration before it offers anything worthwhile. The water’s sitting at 56°, which is pretty average for this time of year, so no surprises there.
The long-range stuff looks like it might have something, but we’re talking a solid week of nothing good. From Sunday the 19th right through to Thursday the 23rd, it’s all poor surf conditions. The swell is there, but the wind is just a mess—cross-shore and cross-onshore, choppy and lumpy. That 4ft to 5ft of WNW swell is just getting wrecked by moderate to strong breezes. Not worth a paddle.
Alright, Friday the 24th morning is the first real glimmer. We’ve got a 7ft WNW swell pushing in, and the wind swings cross-offshore, making it clean. The combined energy is moderate (616), and for a reef like The Cove, that’s a solid pulse. The swell period is a short 9 seconds, so it’ll be a bit peaky, but clean conditions at a dependable reef are a rare treat around here. This is the standout. It’s not huge, but it’s the best on offer by a long shot.
After that, things get messy again. Saturday the 25th afternoon has a bigger 8ft WNW swell and a longer 11-second period, giving it some real grunt (combined energy of 1172). But the wind is cross-shore, creating a cross-chop, so it’s only a marginal call. You’d need the right tide.
Monday the 27th morning is another one to watch. A 8ft WNW swell with a 10-second period and cross-offshore wind (clean). The combined energy is strong (1131). It’s a solid option, but the wind is a moderate breeze, so it’s not pristine.
The rest of the run is a write-off. Tuesday the 28th sees a massive 20ft WNW swell, but with a strong breeze and messy cross-shore wind, it’s just a washing machine for experts only. The energy is extreme (9213), but the conditions are poor. Wednesday the 29th is near gale-force cross-onshore winds; don’t even think about it. The whole second week is a mix of onshore wind and lumpy surf, with nothing clean.
So, bottom line: your best bet is Friday the 24th morning. That’s your window. Pin it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Sun night, strong winds from the WNW by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the W on Fri afternoon, moderate winds from the WNW by Sat morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 49 | 119 | 153 | 183 | 329 | 307 | 518 | 573 | 346 | 268 | 192 | 196 | 160 | 355 | 616 | 1004 | 972 | 630 | 1172 | 778 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 1:14AM4.84m | 2:04PM4.29m | 2:03AM4.58m | 2:54PM4.11m | 2:57AM4.31m | 3:51PM3.98m | 4:00AM4.08m | 4:54PM3.95m | 5:13AM3.94m | 6:01PM4.00m | 6:29AM3.92m | 7:01PM4.14m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:58PM1.91m | 7:38AM1.51m | 7:46PM2.13m | 8:29AM1.81m | 8:40PM2.34m | 9:27AM2.09m | 9:49PM2.49m | 10:35AM2.28m | 11:12PM2.51m | 11:45AM2.35m | 00:26AM2.39m | 12:46PM2.31m | 1:24AM2.19m | |||||||
 |  |  |  | | | |  |  | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | 4:39 | — | — | 4:41 | — | — | 4:43 | — | — | 4:46 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — |
 | — | 10:04 | — | — | 10:01 | — | — | 10:00 | — | — | 9:58 | — | — | 9:55 | — | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 9 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 10 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | — | — | — | WNW 11 | — | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 10 | 43 | 58 | 52 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 4 | 28 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 239 | — | 778 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 12 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 7 | — | — | — | N 7 | — | N 7 | — | — | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 27 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | 4 | — | 4 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 9 | NE 8 | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | — |
| kJ | 49 | 119 | 153 | 183 | 329 | 307 | 518 | 573 | 346 | 268 | 192 | 196 | 160 | 355 | 616 | 1004 | 972 | 630 | 1172 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 63 | 148 | 265 | 621 | 363 | 842 | 954 | 363 | 332 | 63 | 484 | 34 | 958 | 21 | 422 | 1106 | 842 | 453 | 35 | 668 |
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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