Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 25 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period, WNW swell with 917 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 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 (Jul 27) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m 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 2.2m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 7ft (2.2m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s headed our way over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the first few days are a write-off. We’ve got a decent sized swell running through the weekend, but the wind is just howling out of the west and cross-onshore, making an absolute mess of things. You’re looking at lumpy, choppy, poor surf conditions from Saturday the 25th right through Sunday the 26th. The wave energy is moderate (peaking at 917 on Sunday afternoon), but with a fresh breeze and cross-on wind, it’s not worth paddling out for. The water is a touch warmer than normal at 62°F, but that’s the only good news.
Now, Monday the 27th is where we get our first real window. The swell drops back to a more manageable 5 ft from the WNW, but the real story is the wind. We’ve got a light S’ly breeze, which is clean cross-off. The combined energy is still a solid moderate (390), and the waves are forecast to be clean. This is your best bet for the near term. The period is 10 seconds, so there’s some decent shape to it.
The rest of the week into early August is a mixed bag of small, weak swells and onshore winds. The energy drops right off into the weak range (values down in the 40s and 30s), and the wind is mostly cross-on or cross. You’ll get a few small windows of clean conditions on the 28th and 29th, but the swell is tiny – under 3 ft – and the period is short. It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.
Looking further out, there’s a little pulse showing up around the 8th and 9th of August. The Saturday afternoon on the 8th sees a bump in energy to 192, with a 4 ft swell from the west. The wind is still cross-on though, so it’s going to be choppy. It’s a low-confidence call this far out, so keep an eye on it, but don’t plan your week around it. The 9th looks similar, with moderate energy around 106, but the wind stays onshore.
Honestly, if you’re looking for the standout, it’s Monday morning, the 27th of July, at Back Strands. That’s the cleanest, most surfable window we’ve got. The rest of the 16 days is mostly a bunch of small, messy, or wind-affected waves. It’s a tough stretch for the reef.
Rusty out.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sat night, light winds from the SSW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Warm (max 21°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 579 | 689 | 819 | 880 | 917 | 616 | 386 | 276 | 240 | 151 | 140 | 136 | 108 | 80 | 55 | 27 | 103 | 137 | 73 | 75 | 180 |
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 | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | on | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on |
High Tide | 4:11PM2.65m | 4:34AM2.52m | 5:02PM2.83m | 5:21AM2.66m | 5:44PM3.03m | 6:01AM2.79m | 6:22PM3.22m | 6:36AM2.90m | 6:56PM3.38m | 7:10AM2.98m | 7:29PM3.51m | 7:43AM3.03m | 8:00PM3.57m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:27PM1.08m | 10:36AM0.96m | 11:14PM0.92m | 11:19AM0.79m | 11:55PM0.76m | 11:56AM0.63m | 00:32AM0.61m | 12:30PM0.48m | 1:06AM0.49m | 1:03PM0.38m | 1:38AM0.40m | 1:34PM0.32m | 2:10AM0.35m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | |  | | |  |  |  | | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:46 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:39 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:37 |
mm | 3 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 10 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | N 11 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 |
| kJ | — | 689 | — | — | — | 616 | 386 | 276 | 240 | 151 | 140 | 136 | 108 | 80 | 2 | 27 | 103 | 137 | 73 | 75 | 180 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | — | — | N 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 579 | — | 819 | 880 | 917 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 55 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 265 | 265 | 145 | 424 | 422 | 265 | 0 | 53 | 10 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 14 | 268 | 7 | 36 | 205 | 53 | 53 | 552 | 10 |
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.
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