Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 2 Oct 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 3 Oct, 4PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 9 Oct, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, WSW swell with 971 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 3 Oct, 4PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s 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 Saturday (Oct 03) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 10s 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 2.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Oct 09) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Friday (Oct 09) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Sat 3rd Oct) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Sat 3rd Oct) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Fri 9th Oct) | 7ft (2.1m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSE on Fri morning, light winds from the SSW by Sat afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Tue night, strong winds from the WNW by Wed afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 2 | Saturday 3 | Sunday 4 | Monday 5 | Tuesday 6 | Wednesday 7 | Thursday 8 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | W 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 586 | 688 | 469 | 326 | 267 | 318 | 320 | 363 | 746 | 663 | 525 | 394 | 216 | 173 | 340 | 411 | 631 | 678 | 531 | 372 | 226 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:03AM3.08m | 10:34PM2.74m | 11:08AM2.87m | 11:55PM2.47m | 12:36PM2.77m | 1:38AM2.38m | 2:10PM2.87m | 3:07AM2.53m | 3:25PM3.12m | 4:10AM2.77m | 4:21PM3.38m | 4:57AM3.02m | 5:06PM3.58m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:10PM0.70m | 4:28AM0.88m | 5:26PM0.96m | 5:46AM1.12m | 7:17PM1.04m | 7:34AM1.17m | 8:57PM0.86m | 9:01AM1.00m | 10:00PM0.58m | 10:01AM0.75m | 10:47PM0.32m | 10:48AM0.51m | 11:25PM0.13m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  | | |  | |  | | | | | |  | | |  | |
 | 7:35 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:41 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:46 | — | — | 7:48 | — | — |
 | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:04 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 6:59 | — | — | 6:55 | — | — | 6:53 | — |
mm | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 11 | 8 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | — | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 10 | WNW 10 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | — | — | — | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | W 10 |
| kJ | 586 | — | 71 | 326 | 267 | 318 | 320 | 363 | 746 | 663 | 525 | 394 | 216 | 173 | 340 | — | — | — | 531 | 372 | 226 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | W 11 | WNW 11 | — | — | S 3 | SSW 4 | SW 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | SSW 2 | SSW 4 |
| kJ | 27 | 688 | 469 | — | — | 5 | 11 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 411 | 631 | 678 | — | 1 | 20 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 129 | 260 | 53 | 10 | 0 | 21 | 27 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 27 | 178 | 19 | 3 | 145 | 552 | 527 | 53 | 27 | 80 |
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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