Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 11s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 11s period, WNW swell with 308 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 10s 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 10s. 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 1.2m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 11s |
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 table for the coming days.
Right out of the gate, I gotta be straight with ya—there’s a long dry spell ahead. We’re looking at a stretch of over a week with hardly anything to get excited about. Conditions are rough, the swell is tiny or junk, and the wind is just making a mess of things. You’d be better off cleaning the wax off your board than paddling out for most of this.
The first sniff of anything worthwhile doesn’t show up until Monday the 24th of August. That’s when we get a bit of life into the water at Back Strands. We’ve got a west-northwest groundswell pushing in around 4ft with an 11-second period—nice and clean thanks to a light east-southeast cross-offshore breeze. There’s moderate energy in the water (308), and it’s actually surfable. The morning window on Monday is your best bet with those clean conditions. The afternoon holds smaller 3ft waves with a gentle offshore, but the clouds roll in and it’s just ordinary.
Tuesday the 25th is a letdown. Swell drops right off to 2ft, and even though the wind stays clean out of the east-southeast, there’s barely any energy (67). You might get a few knee-high runners but nothing to write home about.
After that, we slip back into a lull. From Wednesday the 26th right through to the end of the month and into early September, it’s poor. Tiny swells, onshore winds, and lumpy, choppy surf. The energy readings are mostly in the double digits and low triple digits, which tells you it’s weak. The water temp is sitting around 62°F—about a touch warmer than normal for the time of year, so the water feels a bit friendly even if the surf doesn’t.
Now, around the 3rd and 4th of September, we see a bump in size. Thursday the 3rd has a 3ft to 4ft west-southwest swell, but the wind is on it and the conditions are ordinary (energy 158-234). Friday the 4th brings a bigger, longer-period groundswell from the west, hitting 7ft with a 12-second period and a massive energy spike (1357). But—and it’s a big but—the wind is howling at 22 mph from the west, fresh cross-onshore. That’s a lumpy, blown-out mess. That size and power with that wind? It might be interesting for the kite surfers, but for a paddle surfer, it’s not worth the hassle. The period is over 11 seconds, so it’s a solid groundswell that would normally love a reef or point, but the wind just kills it here.
So, the standout? Honestly, Monday the 24th of August is your only real shot. Get it early. Everything else is blown out or too small.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Thu afternoon, calm by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 21°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the ESE by Tue morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | W 9 | NW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
90 | 120 | 88 | 38 | 13 | 10 | 15 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 95 | 308 | 200 | 154 | 58 | 41 | 14 | 19 | 43 | 48 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | glassy | cross | on | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 00:08AM2.39m | 12:52PM2.41m | 1:34AM2.22m | 2:28PM2.40m | 3:12AM2.25m | 3:50PM2.56m | 4:19AM2.41m | 4:44PM2.80m | 5:04AM2.60m | 5:23PM3.06m | 5:41AM2.80m | 5:57PM3.30m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:46PM1.21m | 6:15AM1.27m | 7:18PM1.37m | 7:50AM1.36m | 9:06PM1.34m | 9:21AM1.26m | 10:15PM1.16m | 10:19AM1.06m | 11:01PM0.94m | 11:00AM0.83m | 11:37PM0.71m | 11:35AM0.61m | 00:09AM0.50m | |||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
8:54 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:47 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:40 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 18 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 19 | 17 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | — | — | W 8 | WNW 7 | NW 5 | W 9 | WNW 6 | W 9 | NW 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 |
90 | — | — | 10 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 95 | 308 | 200 | 154 | 58 | 41 | 14 | 12 | 43 | 48 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 10 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | W 10 | — | WNW 13 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | NW 8 | W 10 | WSW 3 | W 4 |
— | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 13 | 2 | — | 18 | 24 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 8 | NW 7 | — | W 9 | NW 6 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 11 | — | — |
— | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 6 | NW 5 | — | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 2 | ESE 3 | ESE 2 | E 2 | S 2 | — | — |
31 | 120 | 88 | 38 | 13 | — | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 721 | 178 | 313 | 313 | 117 | 61 | 320 | 272 | 80 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 | 184 | 158 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
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.











