Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 11 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, W swell with 408 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 10s. 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 1.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.
It’s been a quiet stretch, and honestly, this 16-day window starts off with a bit of a tease but nothing to write home about for a while. The overall pattern is a bit of a slow burner, with the real action not showing up until late in the run.
The first real chance to get wet is Thursday morning, July 9th. The Cove is showing a clean 4ft swell out of the west, with a period of 9 seconds and a light offshore breeze from the SSE. Combined energy is moderate at 231. The water temp is 54°, which is right about average for this time of year – nothing to complain about there. That morning session is the standout for the first week. It’s a reef break, so it’s not a total free-for-all, and it’s fairly consistent and exposed to the west swell. The score out of 10 is a 2, so it’s not epic, but it's the best on offer. Crowds are only sometimes an issue, so you might have it to yourself if you’re early.
After that Thursday morning, it dries up fast. The wind shifts onshore from the north-northwest by Thursday afternoon, and the quality drops. Then we hit a long, dry spell. From Friday the 10th right through to late July, the recommendations are all zeros or ones. The surf is tiny, the period is short, and the wind is a mess – mostly cross-offshore, but the swell is just too weak to do anything with. There’s a gap of about 10 days with no real surf on offer.
The only other flicker of hope comes in the second week. On Friday morning, July 24th, we see a bump in the swell to 6ft out of the west, but it’s a short-period 6-second wind swell. The combined energy is up to 309, which is moderate, but the wind is a gentle cross-onshore, making it choppy. The score is a 0, so it’s a messy one. That said, it’s the biggest swell of the window, but it’s not clean. For a reef break exposed to the west, it’s going to be a bit of a washing machine. If you’re an expert looking for a fight, maybe, but for the average surfer, it’s a pass.
The standout for the whole period is that Thursday morning, July 9th at The Cove. It’s clean, it’s a legit groundswell, and the reef will give it some shape. It’s your best bet, but don’t expect perfection.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 21°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 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 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 192 | 264 | 184 | 97 | 319 | 408 | 267 | 203 | 129 | 64 | 43 | 43 | 45 | 40 | 28 | 147 | 242 | 127 | 62 | 40 | 25 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:32PM4.19m | 4:44AM4.32m | 5:39PM4.30m | 5:57AM4.37m | 6:43PM4.48m | 7:09AM4.50m | 7:42PM4.70m | 8:15AM4.66m | 8:36PM4.92m | 9:14AM4.82m | 9:27PM5.10m | 10:07AM4.91m | 10:14PM5.21m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:13AM1.93m | 10:45PM2.31m | 11:26AM1.91m | 00:02AM2.14m | 12:33PM1.81m | 1:08AM1.85m | 1:33PM1.67m | 2:06AM1.53m | 2:27PM1.53m | 2:58AM1.22m | 3:16PM1.44m | 3:47AM0.99m | 4:03PM1.40m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | | | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 4:18 | — | — | 4:20 | — | — | 4:22 | — | — | 4:24 | — | — | 4:24 | — | — | 4:26 | — | — | 4:28 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:17 | — | — | 10:16 | — | — | 10:15 | — | — | 10:14 | — | — | 10:13 | — | — | 10:12 | — | — | 10:09 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 18 | 18 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 18 | 19 | 17 |
Feels °C | 22 | 18 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 |
| kJ | 192 | 264 | 184 | 97 | 319 | 408 | 267 | 203 | 129 | 64 | 43 | 43 | 45 | 40 | 28 | 82 | 242 | 127 | 62 | 40 | 25 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 10 | NNE 10 | NNE 9 | W 12 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NE 8 | NE 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | — | W 21 | W 15 | WNW 10 | WNW 12 | — | W 18 | W 18 | — | — |
| kJ | 39 | 38 | 17 | 72 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 9 | 4 | 18 | 147 | — | 6 | 6 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NNE 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | — | W 14 | W 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 15 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 7 | E 6 | ENE 2 | ESE 2 | — | ESE 3 | SE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | SE 3 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 12 | 10 | 32 | 63 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 183 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 82 | 176 |
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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