Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 17 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 19 Oct, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 16s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 24 Oct, 4AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 14s period, WNW swell with 7,769 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 17 Oct, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s 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 (Oct 17) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 4.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Oct 24) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Oct 20) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Sat 17th Oct) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 19th Oct) | 4ft (1.2m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sat 24th Oct) | 15ft (4.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 12°C on Mon afternoon, min 6°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 55mm), heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue afternoon, min 7°C on Thu night). Mainly gales. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 17 | Sunday 18 | Monday 19 | Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 14 | W 12 | W 15 | WNW 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 446 | 320 | 191 | 125 | 561 | 235 | 859 | 1060 | 1081 | 787 | 736 | 1116 | 2864 | 2767 | 1365 | 710 | 747 | 555 | 883 | 1096 | 4400 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | off | glassy | off | cross-off | off | off | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 10:17AM2.70m | 10:43PM2.26m | 11:24AM2.52m | 00:05AM2.10m | 12:54PM2.47m | 1:48AM2.11m | 2:17PM2.58m | 3:04AM2.29m | 3:15PM2.78m | 3:53AM2.54m | 3:58PM3.01m | 4:32AM2.81m | 4:36PM3.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:32PM1.19m | 4:30AM1.24m | 5:54PM1.37m | 5:51AM1.39m | 7:52PM1.35m | 7:43AM1.38m | 9:05PM1.15m | 8:57AM1.21m | 9:49PM0.89m | 9:45AM1.00m | 10:24PM0.62m | 10:25AM0.76m | 10:56PM0.35m | ||||||||
 | |  | | | | | | | |  |  |  | |  | |  |  | | | | |
 | 8:04 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:11 | — | — | 8:11 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — |
 | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:27 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:17 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 38 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
Temp °C | 9 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 5 | -4 | -3 | -2 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 14 | W 12 | W 15 | WNW 14 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 | W 12 | — | — | — | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | — | — | — |
| kJ | 446 | 320 | 191 | 125 | 561 | 235 | 859 | 1060 | 1081 | 787 | 736 | 1116 | — | — | — | 710 | 747 | 555 | — | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 13 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | W 16 | — | W 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 17 | 15 | 14 | 20 | — | 158 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 11 | — | N 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 5 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | WNW 11 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | — | — | — | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | — | — | 2864 | 2767 | 1365 | — | — | — | 883 | 1096 | 4400 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 129 | 399 | 449 | 13 | 53 | 10 | 430 | 1212 | 1193 | 1063 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sligo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website
The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Back Strands surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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.
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