
Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 10s period, WNW swell with 2,712 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.4m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Cove in the next 16 days are 4.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 30) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 13ft (4.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here. Looks like we’ve got a bit of a wild ride ahead for The Cove over the next couple of weeks, but we’ll have to be patient before anything really lines up. The first few days are a write-off thanks to strong winds and messy conditions, but there’s a clean window opening up around Monday the 27th that’s worth keeping an eye on. For now, the only real standout is tucked away in that second week, so let’s break it down.
The surf starts off rough on Thursday the 23rd and Friday the 24th. Swell’s there, pushing 6ft to 10ft from the WNW and W, but the wind is howling out of the W and WSW at 22 to 28 mph, making it a cross-shore or cross-off mess. The combined energy is moderate-to-strong (380 to 1187), but it’s not surfable for paddle surfing – more like a kite session if anything. By Saturday the 25th, the swell jumps to 13ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, but the wind is a near gale at 31 mph, creating a chaotic cross-shore chop. That’s expert-only territory if you’re brave, but honestly, it’s ugly.
Sunday the 26th sees the swell drop to 5ft, but the wind swings NW at 9 mph, blowing cross-on, so it’s still choppy. The energy is moderate (751), but it’s not worth paddling out. Monday the 27th is where things start to turn. The morning is still a bit wind-affected, but by Monday afternoon, the wind dies right off to a near-calm 3 mph from the WSW, blowing cross-off. The swell sits at a clean 5ft from the W with a 10-second period, and the energy is moderate (659). The wave comment says “expect very good surf conditions” – and yeah, that’s the first real chance for a decent session. The Cove is a fairly consistent reef break, exposed to the NW swell, and the afternoon glass-off will make it clean. Crowds are sometimes an issue, but on a Monday afternoon you might get lucky. The water temp is 55°, which is about average for this time of year, so a 4/3 wetsuit is your friend.
Tuesday the 28th morning keeps the clean vibe going with a 5ft W swell, a 9-second period, and a light SSW offshore breeze at 12 mph. The energy is moderate (437), and the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s another solid option for intermediate surfers. The afternoon stays clean but drops to a “marginal” call, so the morning is the pick.
Then from Wednesday the 29th through to Sunday the 2nd of August, it’s a real downer. Swell shrinks to below 3ft, the wind is all over the place, and the energy drops into the double digits (like 24 to 54). There’s nothing worth suiting up for.
Now for the standout. Monday the 3rd of August jumps back to life. Early morning, the wind is glassy – a dead calm 3 mph from the ESE – and the swell is 4ft from the WNW with a short 6-second period. The combined energy is moderate (200), but the wave comment says “expect good surf conditions.” That glassy morning is the best on offer in the whole 16-day window. The swell direction (WNW) matches the optimum NW direction reasonably well, and a clean, glassy reef break at The Cove with head-high waves is a treat. It’s a bit short period, but who cares when it’s that clean? The water temp is still about average, so no surprises.
After that, Tuesday the 4th of August has a glassy morning too, but the swell is only 3ft and the energy is weak (125). The rest of the forecast fades into tiny, wind-affected junk, with nothing else to recommend.
So if you’re planning a session, lock in Monday afternoon the 27th of July for a clean, fun wave, and circle Monday morning the 3rd of August as the real standout – that glassy, head-high drop at The Cove will be worth the wait. The forecast is pretty reliable for the near-term, and the long-range standouts are promising but less certain. Stay stoked, and I’ll catch you in the water.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WNW on Sat morning, light winds from the NW by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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 7 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | N 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
373 | 831 | 1099 | 1186 | 1432 | 2712 | 1746 | 872 | 533 | 394 | 530 | 392 | 490 | 375 | 389 | 417 | 225 | 252 | 279 | 265 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross | off |
High Tide | 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 | 9:40AM4.43m | 9:42PM4.80m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:30PM1.78m | 3:58AM1.44m | |||||||
— | — | 4:46 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:54 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | |
— | 9:55 | — | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 | — | — | 9:50 | — | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | |
mm | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 15 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | N 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | N 10 | W 8 |
7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 872 | 533 | 394 | 530 | 392 | 490 | 375 | 389 | 417 | 225 | 252 | 74 | 265 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 7 | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | W 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | SE 6 | N 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 155 | 218 | 333 | 400 | 273 | 169 | 92 | 48 | 33 | 31 | 17 | 1 | 83 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 7 | NNW 10 | — | NNW 10 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 9 | — | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | W 5 | — | SSW 3 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | — |
373 | 831 | 1099 | 1186 | 1432 | 2712 | 1746 | — | — | — | — | 62 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | 279 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1311 | 412 | 485 | 759 | 421 | 668 | 813 | 35 | 35 | 35 | 7 | 34 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 21 | 8 | 0 |
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.










