Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 1PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 12s period, W swell with 7,322 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period with WNW 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 Saturday (Sep 05) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. 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 5.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.8m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 11) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s coming our way.
The first proper surf window is a bit of a tease, but it’s there. Friday the 4th of September kicks off with a moderate 6ft swell from the west, with a 10-second period and moderate wave energy (718). The wind is a clean offshore, but it’s a bit of a lightweight – the overall score is marginal, and the conditions are a bit iffy. The water temp is sitting at 57°, which is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about.
Saturday the 5th is a mess. The swell jumps to 10ft from the west-northwest, but the wind is a strong cross-shore, making it ugly. Sunday the 6th is a better bet – a smaller 3ft west swell with a clean offshore breeze from the south-southeast, but the energy is weak (222). It’s surfable, but not a standout.
Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th are a write-off for quality. Tuesday the 8th sees a 16ft monster from the west with a 12-second period and massive energy (6662), but the wind is a near gale cross-shore. That’s a no-go for paddle surfing. The setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than anything else.
The next real glimmer comes on Monday the 14th of September. The Cove (The-Cove_4) will see a solid 12ft swell from the west-northwest, with a 10-second period and strong energy (2550). The wind is a clean offshore from the south, and the conditions are rated excellent for experienced surfers. This is the standout of the whole run. This is a reef break, so that long-period groundswell will handle well here, but at 12ft, this is strictly for experts.
The period after that gets messy again. Wednesday the 16th has a 8ft north swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a strong cross-onshore. The last few days of the run, around Friday the 18th and Saturday the 19th, look a bit more promising with lighter winds and a cleaner surface, but the swell is small and inconsistent.
Overall, the one true standout is Monday the 14th. If you’re an experienced surfer, that’s your window. The rest is a mixed bag of blown-out junk or small, weak waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the W on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SW by Sat night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Mon afternoon, near gales from the W by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 11 | W 8 | W 9 | W 11 | W 12 | W 12 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 687 | 3009 | 2457 | 1582 | 1177 | 446 | 117 | 89 | 394 | 284 | 349 | 1126 | 2254 | 6662 | 2308 | 1007 | 337 | 140 | 78 | 41 | 29 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross | cross | cross | cross | off | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross |
High Tide | 2:10PM4.17m | 2:47AM4.12m | 3:31PM4.04m | 4:29AM4.01m | 5:06PM4.09m | 6:11AM4.14m | 6:28PM4.33m | 7:23AM4.42m | 7:29PM4.65m | 8:16AM4.69m | 8:17PM4.95m | 9:00AM4.89m | 9:00PM5.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:29PM2.21m | 9:12AM2.31m | 10:04PM2.29m | 10:53AM2.41m | 11:44PM2.10m | 12:19PM2.25m | 00:56AM1.73m | 1:20PM1.99m | 1:50AM1.36m | 2:08PM1.71m | 2:35AM1.05m | 2:50PM1.49m | 3:16AM0.87m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  |  | |  | | |  | | | |  | | | | | | |
 | 6:18 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — |
 | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — |
mm | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 5 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | N 8 | — | — | — | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SE 5 | W 8 | W 9 | W 11 | W 12 | — | — | — | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
| kJ | 687 | 11 | — | — | — | 446 | 117 | 89 | 7 | 284 | 349 | 1126 | 2254 | — | — | — | 337 | 140 | 78 | 41 | 29 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | NW 8 | N 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | W 15 | — | SE 6 | — | — | — | N 6 | N 6 | NNE 5 | N 5 | W 11 |
| kJ | 31 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 66 | 37 | 26 | 7 | 67 | — | 5 | — | — | — | 61 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 9 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 9 | NW 8 | NW 7 | SE 7 | NNE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | W 12 | W 12 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 39 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 4 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | — | SE 4 | SE 4 | WSW 11 | SSW 3 | — | S 4 | SSW 5 | W 12 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | W 3 |
| kJ | 25 | 3009 | 2457 | 1582 | 1177 | — | 11 | 14 | 394 | 4 | — | 27 | 56 | 6662 | 2308 | 1007 | — | — | 4 | 2 | 6 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 10 | 621 | 621 | 421 | 345 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 28 | 7 | 621 | 621 | 1144 | 678 | 421 | 21 | 26 | 7 | 647 | 453 |
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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