Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 20 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 21 Oct, 1AM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 25 Oct, 9AM (local time) - 18ft (5.5m), 14s period, WNW swell with 11,482 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 20 Oct, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 13s period with W 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 Tuesday (Oct 20) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 13s period. 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 5.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Oct 25) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Oct 24) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Tue 20th Oct) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 13s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 21st Oct) | 7ft (2.1m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 9AM (Sun 25th Oct) | 18ft (5.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 47mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (gales from the NW on Tue night, light winds from the NE by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 14°C on Sat afternoon, min 8°C on Fri night). Mainly near gales. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 20 | Wednesday 21 | Thursday 22 | Friday 23 | Saturday 24 | Sunday 25 | Monday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 13 | WNW 13 | W 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 13 | WNW 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 14 | W 12 | WNW 12 | W 10 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 799 | 669 | 1334 | 2337 | 2008 | 1058 | 723 | 563 | 640 | 1592 | 3626 | 3883 | 1379 | 532 | 2792 | 11482 | 4668 | 1530 | 494 | 188 | 387 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 2:17PM2.58m | 3:04AM2.29m | 3:15PM2.78m | 3:53AM2.54m | 3:58PM3.01m | 4:32AM2.81m | 4:36PM3.24m | 5:08AM3.07m | 5:13PM3.45m | 5:42AM3.31m | 5:50PM3.59m | 6:17AM3.49m | 6:28PM3.66m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:05PM1.15m | 8:57AM1.21m | 9:49PM0.89m | 9:45AM1.00m | 10:24PM0.62m | 10:25AM0.76m | 10:56PM0.35m | 11:02AM0.53m | 11:29PM0.13m | 11:38AM0.32m | 00:02AM-0.02m | 12:15PM0.16m | 00:37AM-0.07m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | |  | |  | | | | | |  | |  | | |
 | 8:11 | — | — | 8:11 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:18 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — |
 | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:21 | — | — | 6:17 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 5:14 | — | — | 6:12 | — |
mm | — | — | 26 | 3 | — | 4 | — | 1 | 13 | 1 | 2 | — | 4 | 4 | 8 | 1 | — | 7 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 15 | 11 |
Feels °C | 6 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 10 | -2 | -1 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 0 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 13 | WNW 13 | W 12 | — | — | WNW 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | — | — | — | W 12 | WNW 12 | — | — | — | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 12 |
| kJ | 799 | 669 | 1334 | — | — | 1058 | 723 | 563 | 640 | — | — | — | 1379 | 532 | — | — | — | 1530 | 494 | 188 | 387 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 12 | NNW 11 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 59 | 11 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 9 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | — | WNW 11 | WNW 13 | — | — | — | — | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 14 | — | S 5 | W 10 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | — | SE 3 | S 3 | SW 4 |
| kJ | 19 | 11 | — | 2337 | 2008 | — | — | — | — | 1592 | 3626 | 3883 | — | 60 | 2792 | 11482 | 4668 | — | 2 | 5 | 15 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 10 | 0 | 0 | 145 | 406 | 10 | 10 | 0 | 89 | 453 | 434 | 292 | 21 | 61 | 159 | 830 | 709 | 27 | 456 | 501 | 512 |
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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