
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 16 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 23 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 7s period, WNW swell with 277 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 1.7m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 23) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 9s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 18) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a long look at what Mother Nature’s got cooking for us.
First off, it’s a tough stretch ahead. We’ve got a 16-day window, but don’t get excited too early. There’s a real dry spell at the beginning with a solid block of days offering nothing you’d wanna paddle out for. From Wednesday the 15th all the way through to late on Saturday the 25th of July, it’s mostly poor surf conditions and choppy, messy wind. You’re looking at a gap of about ten days there where the call is simply to leave the board in the car.
The only real glimmer in this whole long-range picture is a couple of sessions on offer at The Cove. This is a reef setup, exposed to the NW swell, and it’s fairly consistent when the conditions line up. The water temp is sitting around 55°F, which is about normal for the time of year with a negligible anomaly.
The standout moment – and I mean the *only* one worth circling on the calendar – is the morning of Sunday, the 26th of July. We’ve got a glassy forecast, which is a huge positive. The swell is coming from the WNW at 4 ft with a period of 9 seconds. The wind is set to be glassy (3 mph from the WSW) which means the surface will be silky smooth. The combined wave energy is at 310 (moderate). That’s your window. It’s still a week and a half out, so treat it as a promising look, not a guarantee, but it’s the best on offer by a country mile. For a reef break like The Cove, that period and direction should line up nicely for some clean, rideable walls. The Sunday afternoon session isn’t bad, but the cross-on wind comes up a bit, so stick to the morning.
Earlier in the week, on Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th, the swell actually jumps up – we’re seeing 7 ft to 7 ft from the WNW (combined energy hitting 665 to 902 – strong). That’s proper size, but the conditions are described as marginal and the winds are cross-off at 15 to 25 mph. For a reef, that's a bit gnarly and mostly for the experienced crew who know the lineup. The rest of the time, the wind is a mess of cross-onshore and choppy conditions with weak, short-period swell. A lot of that 5 ft to 6 ft stuff on the 22nd and 23rd looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddling, given the strong cross-shore breeze and messy, lumpy water.
Basically, Rusty’s call is: sit tight for ten days, keep an eye on the morning of the 26th of July, and if you’re a confident surfer, maybe the Friday the 24th morning could be a heavy, challenging session. Otherwise, the forecast is a slow burn this time around.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the WNW by Fri afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wed 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 13 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
39 | 25 | 27 | 55 | 210 | 125 | 110 | 99 | 140 | 104 | 75 | 42 | 62 | 72 | 83 | 83 | 90 | 84 | 77 | 69 | 122 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 10:14PM5.21m | 10:57AM4.92m | 10:59PM5.25m | 11:45AM4.85m | 11:44PM5.19m | 12:31PM4.70m | 00:29AM5.05m | 1:16PM4.50m | 1:14AM4.84m | 2:04PM4.29m | 2:03AM4.58m | 2:54PM4.11m | 2:57AM4.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:03PM1.40m | 4:34AM0.87m | 4:47PM1.44m | 5:20AM0.88m | 5:31PM1.54m | 6:05AM1.00m | 6:14PM1.70m | 6:51AM1.22m | 6:58PM1.91m | 7:38AM1.51m | 7:46PM2.13m | 8:29AM1.81m | 8:40PM2.34m | 9:27AM2.09m | |||||||
— | — | 4:31 | — | — | 4:31 | — | — | 4:33 | — | — | 4:35 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | 4:39 | — | — | 4:41 | |
— | 10:09 | — | — | 10:08 | — | — | 10:07 | — | — | 10:05 | — | — | 10:04 | — | — | 10:01 | — | — | 10:00 | 9:58 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 16 |
Feels °C | 17 | 16 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 13 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | E 7 | NW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | NW 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 |
39 | 25 | 27 | 55 | 210 | 125 | 110 | 99 | 1 | 104 | 75 | 42 | 46 | 59 | 83 | 83 | 48 | 84 | 48 | 48 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | E 6 | W 12 | W 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | ENE 10 | N 5 | NNE 6 | N 6 | NE 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | W 10 | W 9 | — | — |
1 | 1 | 3 | 23 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 14 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 18 | 41 | 45 | 41 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 5 | — | — | — | — | E 6 | — | — | ENE 8 | WNW 13 | W 9 | N 9 | E 6 | — | N 7 | N 8 | — | — | — |
— | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 7 | 32 | 14 | 2 | 1 | — | 9 | 35 | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 3 | SE 3 | — | — | — | NNW 4 | NW 4 | NW 5 | NW 8 | N 7 | — | WNW 3 | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | NW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 |
4 | 1 | — | — | — | 9 | 12 | 38 | 140 | 1 | — | 3 | 62 | 72 | 80 | 81 | 90 | — | 77 | 69 | 122 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 59 | 17 | 183 | 20 | 87 | 87 | 1106 | 63 | 87 | 289 | 7 | 35 | 104 | 176 | 299 | 601 | 63 | 46 | 668 | 21 | 63 |
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.











