Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, NW swell with 834 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 9s. 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 2.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a proper look at what’s heading our way.
First up, we’ve got a bit of a slow start at The Cove. The early part of the week is looking pretty average, with messy wind and lumpy conditions. The swell is there, but it’s not clean enough to get excited about. It’s the kind of situation where you’d be better off waiting for a better window.
The first real standout arrives on Wednesday, 29 July. The morning brings a clean 3ft northerly swell with a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The wind swings to a light offshore in the afternoon, and the waves clean right up. The energy is modest at 239-201, but for a reef break like The Cove, that long-period groundswell will be lining up nicely. It’s an intermediate wave, and with the wind so light, it’s going to be a glassy, fun session. Just keep an eye on the crowds, because this spot can get busy when it’s like this.
The next one to watch is Monday, 3 August. It’s a bit further out, but the morning session is looking promising. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the north-northwest, and the wind is dead glassy – a 3 mph northeasterly. That’s about as good as it gets. The energy is moderate at 414, and the waves will be clean and well-shaped. The swell is getting a bit solid for beginners, but for intermediates, it’s a great opportunity. The period is 8 seconds, so it’s a mix of swell types, but on a reef it’ll hold up well.
After that, the forecast drops off a bit. There’s a small window of clean surf on Friday, 7 August, with a 5ft northerly and a gentle cross-offshore breeze. The energy is moderate at 285, and it’ll be a clean, fun morning. But honestly, nothing else really stands out.
Overall, the best on offer is the Wednesday, 29 July morning and the Monday, 3 August morning. The Monday session is the bigger of the two, but the Wednesday session is more reliable being closer. If you’re a confident intermediate, get on the Monday glass-off. If you want something a bit more predictable and a little smaller, hit the Wednesday.
The water temperature is sitting at 56°F, which is about normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
Right, that’s the run-down. Wrap up warm, watch the tides, and I’ll see you out there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Mon night, fresh winds from the WSW by Tue afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the W by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 10 | W 10 | N 9 | N 10 | W 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 7 | WNW 7 | NNW 9 | N 10 | N 9 | W 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 544 | 394 | 458 | 477 | 520 | 377 | 281 | 313 | 329 | 126 | 115 | 84 | 61 | 57 | 41 | 390 | 308 | 283 | 509 | 300 | 282 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 7:51PM4.32m | 8:24AM4.15m | 8:32PM4.50m | 9:05AM4.29m | 9:09PM4.66m | 9:40AM4.43m | 9:42PM4.80m | 10:12AM4.53m | 10:14PM4.89m | 10:43AM4.59m | 10:44PM4.94m | 11:14AM4.61m | 11:15PM4.95m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:36PM2.21m | 2:10AM1.96m | 2:18PM2.06m | 2:49AM1.76m | 2:55PM1.92m | 3:24AM1.58m | 3:30PM1.78m | 3:58AM1.44m | 4:04PM1.69m | 4:30AM1.35m | 4:37PM1.63m | 5:03AM1.31m | 5:10PM1.63m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  | | | | |  | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:54 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:50 | — | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 19 | 16 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 10 | N 9 | N 10 | W 8 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 8 | NNW 9 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 |
| kJ | 544 | 394 | 436 | 477 | 295 | 377 | 281 | 313 | 329 | 126 | 115 | 84 | 61 | 57 | 41 | 27 | 80 | 283 | 509 | 300 | 162 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | — | W 10 | W 10 | — | NNW 9 | W 9 | — | N 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NW 10 | E 7 | E 6 | — | W 6 | — | — |
| kJ | 229 | — | 458 | 461 | — | 289 | 212 | — | 166 | 113 | 86 | 61 | 28 | 18 | 24 | 1 | 1 | — | 76 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 4 | N 10 | NNW 10 | — | E 7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 2 | 10 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 9 | — | — | W 10 | — | SSE 3 | W 9 | — | S 3 | — | — | WNW 3 | WNW 4 | WSW 5 | W 7 | WNW 7 | W 6 | — | W 5 | W 7 |
| kJ | — | 343 | — | — | 520 | — | 5 | 240 | — | 1 | — | — | 3 | 10 | 91 | 390 | 308 | 153 | — | 73 | 282 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 148 | 34 | 34 | 288 | 0 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 1181 | 593 | 421 | 421 | 46 | 678 | 593 | 345 |
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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