Surf Forecasts:
The Cove surf forecast from 5 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 20ft (6.0m), 12s period, W swell with 9,572 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 5 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 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 2.0m 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 6.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sat 5th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 20ft (6.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Cove over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let’s chew the fat on The Cove. It’s a reefy spot, out in the open, and it gets real happy when the swell comes from the northwest. Water temp is about 57°F, pretty much normal for the season.
The start is a total bust. Saturday the 5th is a nasty 12ft WNW swell with a strong cross-shore wind and wild wave energy. The ocean is a frothy mess. That blown-out slop carries right through the weekend and into Monday. Tuesday the 8th is the worst – a massive 20ft WNW swell, near gale cross-onshore winds, and the wave energy is off the charts. That’s way over 8ft, so it’s for the hardcore only, and with 34 mph winds, it’s a full-on washing machine. This is kite-surfing territory.
The middle of the week eases up, but it’s still not good. Wednesday the 9th is choppy. By Thursday the 10th, the swell drops to a tiny 2ft with a 7-second period, and the energy is weak. The wind goes light and glassy, so it’s clean, but there’s no power. Same for Friday the 11th – clean but small.
Here’s your first real window. Saturday the 12th is the pick of the first week. The swell bumps to 5ft to 6ft from the W, with a period of 11 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, hitting the right direction. The wind is light offshore or glassy, and the wave energy is solid. The Cove will be peeling off with clean, long waves. It’s a reef, so expect a bit of a wait between sets, but when they come, they’ll be worth it. Crowds can be a thing here, so on a day like this, get in early.
Sunday the 13th is smaller, but still clean. Monday and Tuesday (14th and 15th) have clean mornings, but the wind picks up again. Tuesday afternoon gets messy.
The real one to circle is Thursday the 17th. This is a long-range look, so it’s not locked in yet, but it’s got potential. The swell is 10ft from the WNW with a 10-second period. That’s over 8ft, so it’s experts only at The Cove. The wind is light offshore, and the wave energy is pumping. This is excellent for the experienced crew. The 18th Friday drops off, but the 19th Saturday and 20th Sunday have more solid, clean swell, though the wind gets stronger.
So, to wrap it up: the first few days are a write-off. Saturday the 12th is your clean, fun day. Thursday the 17th is the big one for the brave and the skilled. Keep your eyes on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Sat night, near gales from the WSW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Tue afternoon). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WNW on Tue morning, calm by Thu afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 10 | W 8 | W 12 | W 13 | W 12 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 10 | W 5 | W 9 | W 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 1541 | 1243 | 516 | 117 | 66 | 418 | 196 | 1144 | 6057 | 9572 | 4063 | 1509 | 732 | 351 | 109 | 57 | 40 | 146 | 136 | 83 | 440 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off |
High Tide | 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 | 9:38AM5.00m | 9:38PM5.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 3:29PM1.34m | 3:55AM0.82m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — |
 | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:55 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:46 | — |
mm | — | — | 3 | 5 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 13 |
Feels °C | 5 | 6 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 9 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | NNE 8 | W 8 | W 12 | W 13 | — | — | — | N 7 | W 9 | NNW 7 | W 8 | W 7 | W 10 | NE 7 | W 9 | W 10 |
| kJ | — | — | 516 | 117 | 66 | 24 | 196 | 1144 | 6057 | — | — | — | 44 | 185 | 82 | 57 | 40 | 146 | 2 | 83 | 440 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | NNE 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | SE 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | — | NE 6 | NE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | 22 | 78 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 109 | 20 | 11 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | NW 7 | W 16 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 7 | W 11 | N 5 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | 37 | 36 | 2 | 21 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | — | SE 4 | SSE 4 | WSW 10 | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | — | W 12 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 8 | — | S 2 | SE 3 | SE 3 | W 5 | WNW 5 | — |
| kJ | 1541 | 1243 | — | 17 | 12 | 418 | 9 | 25 | — | 9572 | 4063 | 1509 | 732 | 351 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 136 | 47 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 593 | 388 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 593 | 14 | 678 | 678 | 759 | 759 | 759 | 63 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 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.
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