New Jersey
Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with 11mph WSW winds.
Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with 11mph WSW winds.
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at The Cove for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at The Cove, New Jersey. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with 11mph WSW winds.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on S swell at 4s with 15mph out of the W. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 0–1ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. Slim pickings today — 0-1ft and very poor with strong N wind at 17mph.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Patience pays off today — morning is very poor with 1-2ft. The breeze eases and things smooth out to poor by PM.
Mon, Sep 7: 1–2ft, 11s period, rated Poor. Aim for the middle of the day — 1-2ft on ESE swell at 10s with gentle NNW breeze. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor today — get one free email when The Cove turns Good.
Check The Cove from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
The Cove at Sandy Hook is one of New Jersey's premier point breaks, producing long right-hand walls that peel along the tip of the Sandy Hook peninsula. The unique south-facing orientation picks up S and SE swells that most of the east-facing Jersey Shore misses, lighting up on hurricane groundswells and strong south wind swells. A fiercely localized wave with a dedicated crew, The Cove is considered a regional classic and one of the few true point breaks on the entire East Coast.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at The Cove is 1-2ft with a 5.9s swell period. Wind is W at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at The Cove is 1-2ft, produced by a 2.1ft ESE wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.3ft SE secondary swell at 9s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf The Cove is Monday from 8 AM to 11 AM with 1ft waves, a 10.5s swell period, and conditions rated Poor. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
The Cove works best with a SE swell and SW winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at The Cove. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
The Cove is a point with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. The Cove at Sandy Hook is one of New Jersey's premier point breaks, producing long right-hand walls that peel along the tip of the Sandy Hook peninsula. The unique south-facing orientation picks up S and SE swells that most of the east-facing Jersey Shore misses, lighting up on hurricane groundswells and strong south wind swells. A fiercely localized wave with a dedicated crew, The Cove is considered a regional classic and one of the few true point breaks on the entire East Coast.
The prime season at The Cove is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at The Cove include localism, strong currents, rocks, cold water. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our The Cove forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
