Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 9s period, NW swell with 1,265 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period with N 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 Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 2.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 8ft (2.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here with a look at the next couple of weeks for The Cove.
Right now, we're in a bit of a dry spell. The first surf worth mentioning doesn't show up until early on Sunday the 18th, so there's a solid week-plus of small or messy conditions to get through. It’s gonna be a quiet run until then, with mostly onshore winds and weak swell making for a pretty frustrating stretch.
But hang in there. The real action kicks off on Monday morning, August 19th. That's the standout of the whole period. We’ll see a clean 7ft swell rolling in from the WNW with moderate energy (647), and light offshore winds from the SW. The Cove is a reef setup that loves a NW swell direction, and while this is coming from the WNW, the quality looks excellent. Sets should have some push, and with that offshore flow, the faces will be glassy. This is the session to circle on the calendar.
Following that, things get a bit messy with cross-shore winds through the middle of the week, but the size hangs around in the 5ft range. By Saturday morning, August 22nd, the swell bumps up again—8ft from the west, with a 9-second period and moderate wave energy (1179). The wind is light cross-shore, so it won't be perfect, but there’s plenty of water moving. This one's better for experienced surfers as the size is getting solid. The following morning, Sunday the 23rd, sees the biggest swell of the forecast at 10ft from the NW, but it's cross-on and more suited to experts only.
For the weekend of the 23rd and into Monday the 24th, there's a chance for cleaner conditions again. Monday morning, August 24th, brings a 6ft WNW swell with moderate offshore winds from the SSE. The wave energy is solid (722), and that offshore breeze will tidy things up nicely. It’s a good backup option if the swell drops a little from the weekend.
Overall, the first week is a write-off, but the second week delivers. The real gem is Monday the 19th – get on it if you can. The big groundswell around the 22nd and 23rd is powerful but needs the right wind, so keep an eye on local conditions.
Stay frothy,
Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue night, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun morning, calm by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 979 | 865 | 656 | 1080 | 777 | 404 | 163 | 102 | 40 | 23 | 96 | 92 | 55 | 82 | 50 | 49 | 81 | 38 | 22 | 12 | 19 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:32PM4.36m | 7:16AM4.39m | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | 9:57AM4.97m | 9:59PM5.31m | 10:39AM4.99m | 10:40PM5.35m | 11:18AM4.92m | 11:19PM5.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:22PM2.08m | 1:01AM1.85m | 1:26PM1.88m | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | 3:48PM1.37m | 4:17AM0.79m | 4:28PM1.34m | 4:58AM0.82m | 5:07PM1.40m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:17 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:13 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 16 | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | N 8 | NW 11 | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | NNE 7 | W 10 | W 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | N 8 | W 9 | W 7 | W 6 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | 26 | 13 | 189 | — | — | 404 | 163 | 102 | 40 | 16 | 96 | 92 | 55 | 82 | 50 | 49 | 22 | 38 | 22 | 12 | 19 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | E 6 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 40 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 24 | 1 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | W 10 | — | W 9 | W 11 | SE 5 | N 8 | SE 6 | N 10 | E 5 | E 5 | E 6 | E 6 | E 7 | SE 6 | N 4 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 22 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | NNW 9 | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | SE 4 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | W 5 | W 9 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 979 | 865 | 656 | 1080 | 777 | — | 2 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 13 | 81 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 176 | 421 | 421 | 183 | 170 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 21 | 21 | 183 | 207 |
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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