Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 14 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 12s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 12s period, W swell with 1,066 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 7s 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m 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 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2ft (0.6m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for the Cove area over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it's a pretty tough stretch. The first few days are a write-off, with poor surf conditions and a messy cross-shore wind. We're looking at a bit of a blank run here. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about normal for this time of year, nothing to write home about.
Things start to get a sniff of life on Wednesday morning, August 19th. That morning, we've got a 5ft swell rolling in from the west, with a solid 11-second period, and light offshore winds from the SSE. It's clean, and the combined energy is up there at 628 – that's strong energy. The Cove is a reef setup, so that longer period groundswell will handle it well. This is the standout window, but it's a short one. The afternoon sees the wind swing around, and the quality drops off.
After that, it's back to the holding pattern. The next week is mostly small, weak, and messy. There's a glimmer on Monday morning, August 24th, with a clean 2ft swell from the WNW and a very long 12-second period, but it's tiny. The energy is only 128. You'd be on a longboard if you're even bothering.
The rest of the window into the end of August is just flat and forgettable, with no real quality on offer. The winds are mostly cross or cross-on, and the swell heights barely tick over. It's a long stretch of poor conditions.
So, the only true standout is the Wednesday morning the 19th at The Cove. It's a reef, so it's best for intermediate crew and up. That 5ft west swell with offshore wind should offer some clean, lined-up waves, but you'll want to be on it early before the wind changes. Crowds are possible here sometimes, so it might be worth a look.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sat morning, calm by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 12°C on Mon afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the ENE on Wed morning, fresh winds from the NNW by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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 10 | W 5 | W 5 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 10 | W 9 | N 8 | WSW 8 | W 7 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 45 | 68 | 97 | 368 | 309 | 183 | 91 | 40 | 48 | 40 | 42 | 67 | 126 | 1066 | 599 | 294 | 90 | 88 | 101 | 296 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:40PM5.35m | 11:18AM4.92m | 11:19PM5.28m | 11:55AM4.77m | 11:57PM5.10m | 12:32PM4.57m | 00:36AM4.83m | 1:10PM4.35m | 1:17AM4.51m | 1:52PM4.13m | 2:06AM4.17m | 2:44PM3.95m | 3:10AM3.88m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:28PM1.34m | 4:58AM0.82m | 5:07PM1.40m | 5:37AM0.98m | 5:45PM1.53m | 6:16AM1.25m | 6:23PM1.74m | 6:55AM1.57m | 7:03PM1.99m | 7:36AM1.93m | 7:49PM2.25m | 8:23AM2.27m | 8:51PM2.49m | |||||||
 |  | | |  | |  | | | |  | | | |  |  | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — |
 | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 | — | — | 9:00 | — | 8:57 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:49 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Temp °C | 16 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | N 6 | NW 6 | N 9 | W 8 |
| kJ | 45 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 21 | 91 | 36 | 39 | 39 | 42 | 55 | 34 | 1066 | 599 | 294 | 88 | 88 | 101 | 34 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | — | — | — | NW 9 | NW 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | ESE 5 | — | NNE 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 10 | N 9 | W 9 | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 15 | 42 | 40 | 48 | 40 | 22 | 2 | — | 21 | 29 | 103 | 90 | 79 | 53 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 5 | — | — | — | — | — | W 12 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 5 | W 5 | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | W 9 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 57 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 5 | W 5 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | E 3 | ESE 4 | WSW 8 | W 7 | — | — | NNE 2 | — | — | NW 7 | NNW 8 |
| kJ | 36 | 68 | 97 | 368 | 309 | 183 | — | — | — | 4 | 42 | 67 | 126 | — | — | 1 | — | — | 99 | 296 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 63 | 824 | 593 | 777 | 288 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 678 | 936 | 785 | 183 |
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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