Cowes tides today
- Tide now 3.1 ft ↑ rising · high 3:40 pm (8.7 ft)
- Best time to fish 2:50–4:40 pm average day · 6/10
- Beach day Not today Not a beach day · 0/10
- Waves · water 6.4 ft · 62 °F moderate · 10.3 s from the southwest
- Wind · air 7 mph · 59 °F from the WSW, gusts 14 · light drizzle
- Sun 6:15 am–7:51 pm 13 h 36 min of daylight
- Moon 89% · 11:51 pm waning gibbous · rises at 11:51 pm
- Best time to dive 3:10–4:20 pm fair day · 3/10
Today in Cowes there are high tides at 3:49 am (10.3 ft) and 3:40 pm (8.7 ft) and low tides at 9:32 am and 9:35 pm. Tide coefficient 89. Right now the tide is rising toward the high tide at 3:40 pm. The sun rises at 6:15 am and sets at 7:51 pm: 13 h 36 min of daylight. The moon is 89% illuminated (waning gibbous) and rises at 11:51 pm. Major solunar periods run from 2:18 am to 4:18 am and from 2:51 pm to 4:51 pm. The next spring tides arrive from October 27 to 29. The sea is moderate, with 6.4 ft waves. There's a light breeze from the west-southwest (7 mph). Light drizzle, 59 °F.
Fishing in Cowes today
Best time to fish
Solunar activity today: medium- High tide at 3:40 pm, coefficient 89
- Major period 2:51–4:51 pm
- Rising pressure (+0.13 inHg in 24 h), light offshore wind (6 mph) and 5.9 ft waves
- Waning gibbous: a bit more activity than at the quarters
- Highest tide coefficient today: 89 (average tides)
Your day at a glance
The best window, 2:50 pm to 4:40 pm, combines the 3:40 pm high tide and a major period, though with rising pressure. Also worth a try from 2:50 am to 4:20 am, with the 3:49 am high tide and a major period, though with rising pressure.
Species with the most records nearby: Australasian snapper, striped mullet, bluefish and mulloway. What you can catch
Beach day in Cowes
Is it a beach day?
- Sun and clouds
- UV 7 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen
- Low tide at 9:32 am: more sand
- Feels like 64 °F: chilly for the beach
- Rain (0.02 in)
- Light offshore wind (8 mph): it blows floats and inflatables out to sea
Today, hour by hour
- Swimming Use care · 6.4 ft
6.4 ft waves every 10 s: swim with care and stay where you can stand. Moderate rip current risk. Always follow the lifeguard's flags.
- Water 63 °F
Cold: ease in slowly.
- Sun & sunscreen UV 7 · SPF 50
Max UV 7 (high): SPF 50 sunscreen, reapplied every 2 hours.
- Wind 8 mph
Offshore breeze (8 mph). Watch floats and inflatables: offshore wind carries them out to sea.
- Tide & sand 9:35 pm
Low tide at 9:32 am and 9:35 pm: that's when there's the most sand. High tide at 3:49 am and 3:40 pm.
We don't have data on jellyfish, sargassum or beach closures: ask the lifeguard or check with the local beach authority. How it works · The next 7 days
Beaches near Cowes
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Silverleaves 1.2 mi · E
- Restrooms
- Showers
- Parking
- Saltwater Creek Beach 2.6 mi · W
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Ventnor Beach 3.7 mi · W
- Restrooms
- Parking
- YCW 3.7 mi · S
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Smiths Beach 3.8 mi · S
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Berrys Beach 5.0 mi · S
- Restrooms
- Parking
- Hutchinson Beach 5.0 mi · SW
- Thorny Beach 5.2 mi · SW
Named beaches within 6.2 mi, nearest first. Amenities from OpenStreetMap: some may be missing or out of date. View on OpenStreetMap · Add or fix on OpenStreetMap
Beaches and amenities: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
Webcams near Cowes
Webcams provided by windy.com — add a webcam
Tides in Cowes
Today's high and low tides
- ▲ High tide 3:49 am 10.3 ft · coef. 86
- ▼ Low tide 9:32 am 3.1 ft
- ▲ Next high tide 3:40 pm 8.7 ft · coef. 89
- ▼ Low tide 9:35 pm 0.5 ft
↑ Rising The tide is rising. 5 h 49 min to high tide at 3:40 pm.
Tide coefficient 86 for the 3:49 am high tide and 89 for the 3:40 pm high tide. Average coefficient. The water rises and falls 9.8 ft between the highest high and the lowest low: a large range for this place. 70 is an average tide here; 90 and above means spring tides; below 45, neap tides. What is the tide coefficient?
2026 extremes: the highest tide of the year is on May 20 (10.9 ft) and the lowest, on November 28 (0.3 ft).
Mixed: two high and two low tides a day, but of quite different heights.
Heights above chart datum: the lowest astronomical tide (LAT), the zero of nautical charts in Europe. Astronomical prediction: wind and air pressure can raise or lower the water by a few inches, and more in a storm. Not for navigation. chart datum (LAT)
Tide coefficient and range in October
The biggest tides of the month come from October 30 to 31 (coefficient 93, 10.2 ft range). The smallest, from October 23 to 24 (coefficient 46, 4.6 ft).
Tide and solunar table · this week
| Day | Sun | Tide 1 | Tide 2 | Tide 3 | Tide 4 | Coef. | Moon | Major periods | Activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today, Thu 29 | 6:15 am · 7:51 pm | High tide 3:49 am · 10.3 ft | Low tide 9:32 am · 3.1 ft | High tide 3:40 pm · 8.7 ft | Low tide 9:35 pm · 0.5 ft | Coef. 89 | 89% | Major periods 2:18 am · 2:51 pm | Medium |
| Fri 30 | 6:14 am · 7:52 pm | High tide 4:38 am · 10.5 ft | Low tide 10:17 am · 3.0 ft | High tide 4:27 pm · 8.8 ft | Low tide 10:21 pm · 0.3 ft | Coef. 93 | 80% | Major periods 3:23 am · 3:55 pm | Medium |
| Sat 31 | 6:13 am · 7:53 pm | High tide 5:26 am · 10.5 ft | Low tide 11:01 am · 2.9 ft | High tide 5:13 pm · 8.9 ft | Low tide 11:07 pm · 0.4 ft | Coef. 93 | 70% | Major periods 4:27 am · 4:58 pm | Medium |
| Sun 1 | 6:11 am · 7:54 pm | High tide 6:12 am · 10.2 ft | Low tide 11:44 am · 2.8 ft | High tide 6:00 pm · 8.7 ft | Low tide 11:53 pm · 0.7 ft | Coef. 90 | 59% | Major periods 5:28 am · 5:56 pm | Medium |
| Mon 2 | 6:10 am · 7:56 pm | High tide 6:58 am · 9.8 ft | Low tide 12:27 pm · 2.8 ft | High tide 6:49 pm · 8.5 ft | — | Coef. 85 | Last quarter | Major periods 6:23 am · 6:50 pm | Medium |
| Tue 3 | 6:09 am · 7:57 pm | Low tide 12:40 am · 1.2 ft | High tide 7:43 am · 9.4 ft | Low tide 1:14 pm · 2.8 ft | High tide 7:41 pm · 8.2 ft | Coef. 78 | 37% | Major periods 7:15 am · 7:39 pm | Medium |
| Wed 4 | 6:08 am · 7:58 pm | Low tide 1:30 am · 1.8 ft | High tide 8:29 am · 8.9 ft | Low tide 2:04 pm · 2.8 ft | High tide 8:42 pm · 8.0 ft | Coef. 70 | 27% | Major periods 8:02 am · 8:25 pm | Medium |
▲ high tide · ▼ low tide · heights above chart datum (LAT). Major periods: start time; they last 2 hours. Activity: based on the moon phase and the solunar periods.
Where this tide comes from
Cowes has no station of its own, so we use the tide at Western Port Stony Point (TICON-4), 5.5 mi away. On the open coast the difference is usually a few minutes and inches; inside estuaries, rivers and enclosed bays it can be much larger.
Station data attribution: Slackwater database (https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database). Source: Hart-Davis, M., Dettmering, D., Seitz, F. (2025), TICON-4: TIdal CONstants based on GESLA-4 sea-level records, SEANOE, https://doi.org/10.17882/109129. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Modified: see https://github.com/openwatersio/slackwater-database#modifications-to-source-data
The sea at Cowes
Sea stateSea state: moderate
The waves you may find
- Most commonMost common3.2 ft
- Significant6.4 ft
- Highest expectedHighest13 ft
One wave in seven is higher than the significant height, and about 3 times a day one reaches 13 ft. Before heading out, expect waves of up to 13 ft.
Wind on the coast and offshore
Cross-offshore wind. The coast faces north and the wind comes off the land at an angle: calmer water near the shore, and bait and boats drift out to sea.
Wave height, next 7 daysWaves, next 7 days
Waves build over the next few days. The biggest waves arrive on Wednesday 4: 7.5 ft with a period of 8 s, from the southwest (moderate).
Water temperature
Water temperature →Water temperature changes how fish behave: in very cold or very warm water they feed less. The water is steady these days, with no sudden changes.
Water warmer than normal for late October (+0.9 °F).
Satellite: NASA MUR (JPL MUR MEaSUREs, PO.DAAC), doi:10.5067/GHGMR-4FJ04. Sources and licenses
Water temperature →Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:51 am (local time).
Nearest buoy
This is a real measurement of the sea, not a forecast. Data from Deakin University, via the E.U. Copernicus Marine Service. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information (doi:10.48670/moi-00036).
Diving in Cowes today
Diving and snorkeling today
Likely visibility: poor- Slack water around high tide (3:40 pm): little current from 3:10 pm to 4:00 pm
- 5.6 ft swell at 10 s from the southwest: strong surge on the bottom
- Light offshore wind (6 mph)
- 0.0 mph current toward the east, weak (model)
- Sun high: more light underwater
- Slack water today: high tide 3:49 am (3:30–4:10 am), low tide 9:32 am (9:10–10:00 am), high tide 3:40 pm (3:10–4:00 pm) and low tide 9:35 pm (9:20–9:50 pm)
- Likely visibility: poor. Swell (up to 6.0 ft at 10 s) over the last few days has stirred up the water. Based on the last 24 hours of data.
- Water at 62.2 °F: a 7 mm wetsuit, with hood and booties.
- Snorkeling: better not, with these waves, wind or current.
- Night dive: dark from 8:19 pm. Waning gibbous (89%), rising at 11:51 pm: a bright night.
Your diving day at a glance
The best window, 3:10 pm to 4:20 pm, combines slack water at high tide, light wind, weak current and the sun high, though with a big swell. Also worth a look from 9:30 am to 10:50 am, with slack water at low tide, light wind, weak current and the sun high, though with a big swell.
Slack water comes from the tide: in inlets, channels and between islands the water can keep running for an hour or two after. Ask the local dive shop.
Never dive alone and check with the local dive shop: this rating is a guide, not a substitute for a professional.
Dive sites, wrecks and dive shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Pyramid Rock West Fish seen: Blue-throated wrasse, New Zealand banded wrasse, Scorpis aequipinnis, Pseudogoniistius nigripes 5.6 mi
- Nobbies North Fish seen: Blue-throated wrasse, Herring Cale, New Zealand banded wrasse, Rock Perch 8.4 mi
- Washing Machine Fish seen: Herring Cale, Blue-throated wrasse, Scorpis aequipinnis, Pseudogoniistius nigripes 9.2 mi
- Cape Woolamai Mid Fish seen: Blue-throated wrasse, Herring Cale, New Zealand banded wrasse, Rock Perch 10 mi
- Churchill Island Marine National Park 5.4 mi
- Flinders - Somers Coastal Reserve 8.2 mi
- Reef Island and Bass River Mouth Nature Conservation Reserve 10 mi
- Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary 12 mi
Within 12 mi. Some may be missing or closed; marine reserves usually need a permit. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Sites: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Sites and fish: Reef Life Survey / IMOS NRMN, CC BY 4.0; fish names, Wikidata.
Weather in Cowes
Now in Cowes
- Low / high
- 52 / 65 °F
- Rain
- 0.04 in · 24%
- Clouds
- 91%
- Humidity
- 77%
- Dew pointDew point
- 51 °F
- Visibility
- 15 mi
- UV indexUV
- 2 · low
- Air qualityAir
- Fair · 30
- Saharan dust
- No
Pressure and fishing
- ↗ RisingRising · now Anglers say fish bite less for a while
- → SteadySteady Anglers expect normal activity
- ↘ FallingFalling Anglers say fish feed more before the change
Rising now (+0.05 inHg in 3 hours). Over the next 48 hours: −0.60 inHg. Rising pressure: anglers say fish bite less for a while. Fast changes, either way, tend to affect fishing.
Today, hour by hourHour by hour
Bars: mean wind. Dashed line: gusts. Arrows point where the wind blows to.
| Time | 12:00 am | 3:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:00 am | 12:00 pm | 3:00 pm | 6:00 pm | 9:00 pm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sky | Overcast | Light drizzle | Overcast | Light drizzle | Light drizzle | Partly cloudy | Mainly clear | Clear |
| Temperature | 56° | 55° | 55° | 58° | 61° | 65° | 62° | 54° |
| Wind (mph) | 7 WSW | 7 W | 6 WSW | 6 WSW | 7 WSW | 6 WSW | 5 SSW | 4 S |
| Gusts | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 9 |
| Waves | 6.6 ft | 6.3 ft | 6.3 ft | 6.4 ft | 6.3 ft | 6.0 ft | 5.8 ft | 5.5 ft |
| Rain | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in | 0.00 in |
- 9:00 am 58° 6 WSW 6.4 ft
- 12:00 pm 61° 7 WSW 6.3 ft
- 3:00 pm 65° 6 WSW 6.0 ft
- 6:00 pm 62° 5 SSW 5.8 ft
- 9:00 pm 54° 4 S 5.5 ft
- 12:00 am 51° 1 S 5.4 ft
- 3:00 am 49° 1 NNE 5.1 ft
- 6:00 am 48° 2 NE 4.9 ft
Next 14 daysComing days
| Day | Sky | Low / high | Max wind | Max wave | High tides |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Today · 29 | 52 / 65 °F | 8 mph WSW | 6.6 ft | 3:49 am · 3:40 pm | |
| Fri 30 | 48 / 77 °F | 7 mph NNE | 5.4 ft | 4:38 am · 4:27 pm | |
| Sat 31 | 55 / 68 °F | 16 mph NW | 6.2 ft | 5:26 am · 5:13 pm | |
| Sun 1 | 54 / 67 °F | 12 mph W | 5.8 ft | 6:12 am · 6:00 pm | |
| Mon 2 | 49 / 69 °F | 11 mph ESE | 4.7 ft | 6:58 am · 6:49 pm | |
| Tue 3 | 52 / 65 °F | 12 mph SSW | 4.6 ft | 7:43 am · 7:41 pm | |
| Wed 4 | 50 / 66 °F | 8 mph NNW | 7.5 ft | 8:29 am · 8:42 pm | |
| Thu 5 | 50 / 59 °F | 19 mph SSW | 6.8 ft | 9:18 am · 9:53 pm | |
| Fri 6 | 49 / 62 °F | 6 mph SW | 10.0 ft | 10:12 am · 11:10 pm | |
| Sat 7 | 50 / 61 °F | 13 mph WSW | 9.4 ft | 11:12 am | |
| Sun 8 | 48 / 67 °F | 8 mph ESE | — | 12:21 am · 12:14 pm | |
| Mon 9 | 53 / 79 °F | 16 mph N | — | 1:22 am · 1:12 pm | |
| Tue 10 | 58 / 77 °F | 9 mph W | — | 2:15 am · 2:03 pm | |
| Wed 11 | 51 / 66 °F | 10 mph W | — | 3:01 am · 2:48 pm |
- Fri 30 Overcast 48° / 77° 5.4 ft
- Sat 31 Heavy drizzle 55° / 68° 6.2 ft
- Sun 1 Light drizzle 54° / 67° 5.8 ft
- Mon 2 Heavy drizzle 49° / 69° 4.7 ft
- Tue 3 Rain 52° / 65° 4.6 ft
- Wed 4 Drizzle 50° / 66° 7.5 ft
- Thu 5 Heavy drizzle 50° / 59° 6.8 ft
Each day comes from the best model covering this spot: regional ones first (HRRR and NBM in the U.S., AROME, ICON-EU), then ECMWF; day 16, NOAA GFS. Waves: Météo-France up to day 10, then ECMWF WAM, coarser and further offshore. High tides: our own tide calculation.
- The models Partly agree · medium confidence: unsure about rain today. See the models →
- Outlook Next few weeks, compared with normal: normal temperatures, normal rain and a slightly warmer sea. See the outlook →
- Normal Today, normal highs for late October (66 °F). Climate by month →
Forecast from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0) with models from ECMWF, NOAA, Météo-France, DWD, Copernicus Marine and CAMS. Updated at 9:51 am (local time).
The sun in Cowes
Sunrise and sunset
- First light 5:13 am
- Full dark 8:53 pm
- Civil dawn 5:47 am
- Civil dusk 8:19 pm
- Solar noon 1:03 pm (65° high)
- Daylight 13 h 36 min (+2 min)
- Evening golden hour 7:15 pm
- Full dark 8:53 pm
Golden hour and the day-night map
Today the sun is 92,345,323 mi away and looks 32′ 11″ across.
The moon in Cowes
Moon phase and position
Today the moon is 226,459 mi away and looks 32′ 47″ across.
Solunar periods
Today's activity: medium- 2:18–4:18 am Major · the moon passes overhead · high activity
- 2:51–4:51 pm Major · the moon passes underfoot · high activity
- 7:23–8:23 am Minor · moonset · medium activity
- 11:21 pm–12:21 am Minor · moonrise · medium activity
According to solunar theory, fish feed more when the moon passes overhead or underfoot (major periods, about 2 h) and when it rises or sets (minor periods, 1 h). It works best around new and full moon.
Upcoming moon phases
2026 moon calendar →- Last quarter Mon, Nov 2 · 7:29 amNov 2 in 4 days
- New moon Mon, Nov 9 · 6:03 pmNov 9 in 11 days
- First quarter Tue, Nov 17 · 10:48 pmNov 17 in 19 days
- Full moon Wed, Nov 25 · 1:54 amNov 25 in 27 days
Perigee on October 29, 226,426 mi away, coinciding with the spring tides from October 27 to 29: they will be stronger than usual.
Where to fish in Cowes
Piers, ramps and tackle shops nearby
Map: OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles · © OpenStreetMap contributors
- Cowes Jetty 0.4 mi
- Tankerton Jetty 5.1 mi
- Fairhaven Jetty ruin 8.0 mi
- San Remo Pier 8.3 mi
- Cowes Yacht Club Slipway 0.4 mi
- Cowes Boat Ramp 1.0 mi
- Rhyll Boat Ramp 4.0 mi
- Tankerton Boat Ramp 5.0 mi
- Stony Point Boat Ramp 5.4 mi
- Newhaven Boat Ramp Jetty 7.9 mi
- San Remo Harbour 8.3 mi
- Jim's bait and tackle 8.4 mi
Within 9.3 mi. A spot may be missing or closed. Open the map on OpenStreetMap · Missing one? Add it to OpenStreetMap
Spots: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) and Overture Maps.
Nearest lighthouse
McHaffies Point 4.0 mi west
- Light
- Light that goes dark once every 5 s; white, red or green depending on where you see it from · Oc WRG 5s
- Range
- 16 nautical miles (18 mi)
- Light height
- 89 ft above sea level
Light details: NGA List of Lights (USA); the rest from Wikidata. For reference only: not for navigation. Sources and licenses
Tides near CowesTides nearby
- Phillip Island2.2 mi
- Rhyll3.4 mi
- Ventnor3.7 mi
- Sunderland Bay4.1 mi
- Crib Point7.4 mi
- Newhaven7.6 mi
- San Remo9.0 mi
- Bittern9.1 mi
- Corinella11 mi
- Hastings11 mi
Cowes at a glance
- Town or city of about 4,770 people. Coordinates: 38.452° S, 145.239° E.
- It is 52 mi southeast of Geelong, the main place in Victoria. The sun rises 4 min earlier and sets 3 min earlier than in Geelong.
- The nearest tide station, Western Port Stony Point, is 5.5 mi to the north.
- Its coast faces north.
- Beaches and harbors nearby: Smiths Beach (3.8 mi), Western Park Beach (4.8 mi), Berry Beach (4.9 mi).
Questions about CowesQuestions
What time is high tide today in Cowes?
Today in Cowes there are high tides at 3:49 am (10.3 ft) and 3:40 pm (8.7 ft) and low tides at 9:32 am and 9:35 pm. Tide coefficient 89.
What time is sunset today in Cowes?
At 7:51 pm. There is light until the end of civil twilight, at 8:19 pm.
What time is sunrise tomorrow in Cowes?
At 6:14 am. First light comes at 5:12 am.
What phase is the moon today?
Waning gibbous, 89% illuminated. New moon on Mon, Nov 9 · 6:03 pm.
When are the next spring tides?
From October 27 to 29, together with the lunar perigee: they will be stronger than usual.
What are today's solunar periods?
Major 2:18–4:18 am, Minor 7:23–8:23 am, Major 2:51–4:51 pm, Minor 11:21 pm–12:21 am. Today's activity is medium.
What's the weather like today in Cowes?
Light drizzle, from 52 °F to 65 °F, with a light breeze from the west-southwest (7 mph) and a 24% chance of rain.
How is the sea today in Cowes?
Moderate (Douglas 4): 6.4 ft waves with a period of 10.3 s from the southwest. The water is 62.4 °F.
When is the best time to visit Cowes?
The best time to visit Cowes is from December to March: highs of 71 °F to 76 °F, about 6 rainy days a month and 8 hours of sunshine a day.
Can I use this data for navigation?
No. These are predictions for fishing and leisure; for navigation, use the official publications.
Where this data comes from
Tide: Western Port Stony Point station, with constants from TICON-4 (Hart-Davis, Dettmering and Seitz, 2025, SEANOE), licensed CC BY 4.0, via Slackwater database (changes). Sun and moon: our own calculation with astronomy-engine. Places: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Coastline: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).