
Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, WNW swell with 391 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Back Strands this week:
The surf forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 1.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.
To be straight with you, the start of this forecast period is a bit of a bust. There’s nothing worth paddling out for until the tail end of the week. We’ve got a run of poor surf conditions with strong, onshore winds and messy, weak swell. Wednesday the 5th is a write-off – 25 mph winds out of the NW and a choppy 6 ft swell that’s just not clean. That energy is moderate (425) but the wind is just ruining it. That carries on through Thursday and Friday with small, chopped-out waves.
Now, it’s not until Saturday morning, the 8th of August that we see a glimmer of hope. The wind swings to a light cross-offshore from the SSW at 15 mph, cleaning things up. The swell is a modest 4 ft from the west with a 9-second period, and the energy is moderate (199). The surf is still weak, but the conditions are finally clean. It’s still only a 1 out of 10 kind of session, so don’t expect magic.
The real standout, the one you want to circle on the calendar, is Sunday morning, the 9th of August. We’ve got a light breeze out of the SSW at 6 mph, which is a light cross-offshore, keeping the face of the reef clean. The swell bumps up to 5 ft from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the energy jumps to a solid 386. This is the best wave energy on offer, and with the clean conditions, Back Strands is looking like the pick of the bunch. The water temp is a touch warmer than normal at 61°, so it’s not too bad for a winter session. This is your chance.
After that Sunday morning high, the afternoon turns a bit onshore, and Monday the 10th drops back to small, weak surf. Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th are tiny and not worth a mention. We then get a big pulse of energy on Thursday the 13th of August afternoon, with a massive 10 ft swell from the west at 10 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph. The energy is 1586, which is very strong, but it’s lumpy and messy. That’s strictly for the experts in the crew, and even then, it’s going to be a battle. The following morning, Friday the 14th, is still blown out with strong winds.
The second week settles into a pattern of small, clean windows. Saturday morning, the 15th of August, delivers glassy conditions with a light SSE breeze, but only 3 ft of west swell. Sunday the 16th morning is also glassy with a similar small 3 ft swell. The crowd profile at Back Strands is listed as "sometimes" busy, so you might have a few locals out, but nothing chaotic. The surf is small, but it’s clean. Monday the 17th morning offers a gentle offshore breeze from the SE and a 3 ft swell, so it’s another clean, small session.
Overall, the best bet is the Sunday morning the 9th. It’s the only time the swell, wind, and energy all line up for a genuinely good-looking wave. The rest is a mix of small clean days or bigger, wind-affected slop. Keep your wetsuit zipped and your eyes on that Sunday morning forecast.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 17°C on Fri afternoon, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Wed morning, light winds from the W by Thu afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun morning, min 14°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 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 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | W 5 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | NW 8 | NW 7 | WSW 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
425 | 204 | 97 | 28 | 15 | 19 | 40 | 302 | 302 | 199 | 251 | 295 | 386 | 367 | 232 | 112 | 43 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 20 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | on | cross | cross | on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:49AM2.80m | 11:06PM3.01m | 11:45AM2.69m | 00:08AM2.80m | 12:58PM2.63m | 1:30AM2.67m | 2:23PM2.69m | 3:01AM2.68m | 3:43PM2.92m | 4:18AM2.84m | 4:48PM3.24m | 5:19AM3.04m | 5:41PM3.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:39PM0.80m | 5:21AM0.75m | 5:39PM0.97m | 6:27AM0.90m | 7:03PM1.08m | 7:52AM0.97m | 8:42PM1.01m | 9:16AM0.88m | 10:04PM0.77m | 10:22AM0.67m | 11:06PM0.47m | 11:16AM0.43m | 11:58PM0.19m | ||||||||
5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:27 | — | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:21 | — | — | 9:19 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | |
mm | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 21 |
Feels °C | 7 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 20 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 5 | W 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | — | — | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | NW 8 | NW 7 | WSW 10 |
— | — | 8 | 8 | 7 | 19 | 36 | 302 | 302 | 199 | 251 | 295 | — | — | 232 | 112 | 43 | 24 | 15 | 13 | 20 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 11 | NW 8 | NW 8 | W 6 | W 9 | NW 8 |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | 35 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 11 | NNW 10 | W 9 | W 12 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 10 | 2 | 3 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | SW 3 | SW 3 | — | S 2 | S 4 | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | SE 2 | SSE 3 | S 3 |
425 | 204 | 97 | 28 | 15 | 2 | 6 | — | 1 | 9 | — | — | 386 | 367 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 494 | 500 | 727 | 36 | 281 | 48 | 53 | 127 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 | 36 | 22 | 22 | 32 | 7 | 7 | 61 | 33 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sligo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Back Strands Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Back Strands provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Back Strands can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Back Strands 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 (Back Strands) 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 Back Strands 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 Sligo? If you are looking for accommodation near Back Strands, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Sligo, consider staying in Sligo which is 19 km (12 miles) away. Other places in and around Sligo where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Killybegs which is 21 km (13 miles) away, Enniskillen, Ballina and Letterkenny.











