The Cove Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.62° N 3.65° W

The Cove Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 22 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's The Cove sea temperature is
13.0° C
0.1° 

The Cove surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


The Cove surf forecast from 22 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, WNW swell with 1,632 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 10s 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 Monday (Jul 27) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.8m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Mon 27th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Best Surf 4PM (Mon 27th Jul)6ft (1.8m) 10s
Most Powerful10AM (Sat 25th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a long, hard look at what The Cove has in store for us. The next week and a half starts rough, but there are some absolute bombs on the horizon if you’ve got the patience.

Right from the get-go, we’ve got a bit of a flat spell to sit through. The wave energy is weak, with combined swell energy readings below 200. It’s not really worth paddling out for. That first window of real interest doesn’t open up until Friday the 24th. The sea’s been messy, but we finally see clean conditions with an 8ft swell from the west at 9 seconds. The energy jumps up to 933 (moderate) on Friday morning, building to 8ft from the west by the afternoon (998 energy). Even with a stiff breeze, it’s clean water. Not epic, but a sign of life.

Saturday the 25th is a bit of a beast, but the wind turns against us. The swell packs a serious punch – 10ft from the WNW with energy hitting 1625, making it strong. But that fresh onshore wind puts a nasty lump on it. That’s heavy water for very experienced surfers only, if anyone is game.

The 27th of July (Monday) and 28th (Tuesday) offer some hope. The swell drops back to a manageable 6ft to 7ft, coming from the west with a 10-second period. And crucially, the wind turns cross-offshore, giving us clean, lined-up waves. The combined swell energy sits in the moderate 861 to 998 range. Surf quality is still listed as marginal, but it’s a far cry from the earlier chaos. It’s on the bigger side of intermediate territory, but clean.

Now, hold on to your boards because the real standout is August 1st. Saturday morning delivers 13ft of solid WNW groundswell with an 11-second period. The combined energy is a massive 3981. That is strong. It's going to be a heavy, powerful day. The wind is light and offshore, which means The Cove will be absolutely pristine. This is a big-wave day for experts only, but if you’ve got the nerve, this is as good as it gets. The afternoon gets messy with rain and a cross-on wind, so get it early.

The water temperature is 55°, which is only 0.2° off normal for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.

Monday, August 4th, is another beauty. We’re looking at 11ft from the west with a moderate 9-second period, and a light offshore breeze keeping it glassy. The combined swell energy is a powerful 2007. Another full-green-light day for the experienced crew.

Wednesday, August 5th, keeps the run going if you want a slightly smaller option. The morning offers a cleaner, 8ft WNW swell with light offshore winds, and the combined energy is a solid 1060. It’s still a stout wave, but slightly more manageable for strong intermediates.

The first week is a patience game, but that first weekend of August is firing. It’s a long-range call so keep an eye on it, but the early signs are promising.

Rusty, signing off.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Wed afternoon). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the WNW on Wed afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Fri night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Mainly fresh winds.

Wed
22
Thursday
23
Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
3
2
2
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.5
WNW
8
1.4
WNW
8
1.6
WNW
7
2
W
7
2.3
WNW
8
2.4
W
9
2.5
W
8
3
W
9
3
WNW
10
2.5
WNW
10
2.2
WNW
10
1.6
WNW
10
1.6
NNW
10
1.6
W
10
1.6
W
10
1.8
W
10
1.8
W
9
1.8
W
9
2.3
W
9
1.8
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
287
231
284
411
702
961
997
1395
1632
1314
1000
463
492
499
500
630
539
556
904
509
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
30
WNW
30
W
35
W
35
WSW
35
WSW
40
W
45
WSW
40
WNW
25
WNW
25
WNW
30
NW
25
WNW
15
SW
25
WSW
20
S
25
SW
20
SSW
25
SSW
20
SW
Wind State
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
4:00AM4.08m
4:54PM3.95m
5:13AM3.94m
6:01PM4.00m
6:29AM3.92m
7:01PM4.14m
7:34AM4.01m
7:51PM4.32m
8:24AM4.15m
8:32PM4.50m
9:05AM4.29m
9:09PM4.66m
Low Tide
9:49PM2.49m
10:35AM2.28m
11:12PM2.51m
11:45AM2.35m
00:26AM2.39m
12:46PM2.31m
1:24AM2.19m
1:36PM2.21m
2:10AM1.96m
2:18PM2.06m
2:49AM1.76m
2:55PM1.92m
3:24AM1.58m
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:43
4:46
4:48
4:50
4:52
4:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:58
9:55
9:53
9:52
9:50
9:47
9:45
 mm
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
Temp °C
13
13
15
15
13
16
15
14
13
13
12
13
13
13
14
15
16
20
21
15
Feels °C
9
8
9
8
7
9
8
6
6
8
9
7
8
10
9
11
12
16
16
12
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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