Back Strands Surf Break

Lat Long: 54.45° N 8.49° W

Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 31 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Back Strands sea temperature is
16.6°C
2.0° 

Back Strands surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Back Strands surf forecast from 31 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 5 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 13s period, W swell with 5,917 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s 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 4.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 1AM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Wed 2nd Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 8s
Best Surf 7PM (Sat 5th Sep)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s
Most Powerful10AM (Fri 4th Sep)13ft (4.0m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. Honestly, this is a pretty bleak run for Back Strands. A solid 16-day window, but there’s no standout, no sweet spot, and barely a window that’s worth paddling out. The vibe is more about waiting than scoring.

Right now, from Monday the 31st through to the end of the first week, the conditions are dominated by messy, choppy, and often blown-out surf. The water temperature is 62°, which is a touch warmer than average for this time of year, so at least it’s not freezing.

The first day, Monday the 31st, has a moderate 5ft swell from the WNW, but the onshore wind is a stiff 16 mph, making it poor. The combined swell energy is moderate at 220. It’s a no-go. Tuesday the 1st stays poor with a cross-shore wind and weak 3ft to 4ft swell. Wednesday the 2nd morning sees a brief window of offshore wind from the SE, but the swell is tiny at 2ft with a short period of 8 seconds and weak energy (57). It’s not worth the hype.

The real low point hits Friday the 4th, when a big 13ft WNW swell rolls in, but with a near gale cross-onshore wind at 31 mph, it’s totally blown out – only for experts, and even then, it’s just messy. The combined energy is a massive 5917, but it’s useless for clean surfing. That same pattern continues into Saturday the 5th morning with a 6ft swell and onshore wind. Saturday afternoon sees a light 5ft swell and a light cross-shore wind, but it’s still marginal.

The quality improves slightly on Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th, with clean cross-offshore winds, but the swell drops to 3ft with a 9-second period, and the energy is low (128). It’s surfable for a longboard or a small-wave board, but nothing special.

From Tuesday the 8th through to the end of the second week, it’s a mixed bag of marginal conditions. The highlight is perhaps Monday the 14th, when a long-period groundswell of 8ft from the west with a 15-second period rolls in. The combined energy is strong at 2424. But the wind is cross-onshore at 9 mph, so it’s fairly choppy. This is a promising swell – long period means better shape and energy, but it’s more suited to a point or reef. At Back Strands, a reef break, it could work well, but the wind is the issue. Tuesday the 15th sees a similar 10ft swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is fresh and cross-shore, making it lumpy. This is only for experts.

Overall, the best on offer is Monday the 14th with that long-period swell, but it’s a borderline call due to the wind. The rest of the 16 days is a long wait. If you’re a patient surfer, keep an eye on that Monday, but don’t expect perfection.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Wed morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Fri morning, calm by Sat afternoon).

Monday
31
Tuesday
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
WNW
7
0.9
W
10
1
W
6
0.9
W
8
1.2
W
8
1.1
W
8
0.7
W
8
0.6
W
7
0.9
W
7
0.8
W
9
1.3
W
10
2.5
W
10
4
W
13
3.5
W
13
3
WNW
12
1.9
WNW
11
1.5
WNW
10
1
WNW
9
0.9
W
9
0.9
W
9
1
W
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
199
153
79
100
176
153
57
40
86
94
327
1252
5917
4445
2124
769
399
177
117
142
223
Wind (km/h)
25
WNW
20
W
20
SSW
25
SW
20
WSW
10
S
15
SE
25
SW
20
SW
20
SSW
35
WSW
40
SW
50
WSW
45
W
35
WNW
20
NW
5
SW
20
SSE
30
S
30
SSW
30
WSW
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
High Tide
8:33PM3.60m
8:55AM3.23m
9:10PM3.42m
9:34AM3.12m
9:51PM3.18m
10:19AM2.95m
10:42PM2.89m
11:18AM2.76m
11:53PM2.61m
12:40PM2.65m
1:30AM2.47m
2:18PM2.72m
3:09AM2.55m
Low Tide
2:13PM0.22m
2:42AM0.18m
2:49PM0.33m
3:17AM0.33m
3:29PM0.50m
3:57AM0.55m
4:17PM0.73m
4:47AM0.81m
5:22PM0.97m
5:58AM1.05m
7:02PM1.11m
7:40AM1.13m
8:53PM0.99m
cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
mod rain
part cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:37
6:39
6:41
6:43
6:45
6:47
6:48
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:29
8:25
8:23
8:21
8:19
8:15
8:14
 mm
1
2
4
7
1
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
Temp °C
15
15
14
17
17
15
16
18
17
17
17
14
15
15
14
14
15
15
18
18
15
Feels °C
10
11
10
13
14
13
15
15
15
15
11
7
6
7
7
9
14
10
14
14
11
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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