Back Strands Surf Break

Lat Long: 54.45° N 8.49° W

Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 am 25 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Back Strands sea temperature is
16.4°C
1.6° 

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 25 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 11s period, W swell with 3,129 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s 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 (Aug 25) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s 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 3.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) 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 Tuesday (Sep 01) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1PM (Tue 25th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 9s
Best Surf 1PM (Tue 25th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 9s
Most Powerful10AM (Mon 31st Aug)11ft (3.5m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let me tell you about the waves over the next couple of weeks at Back Strands. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but we will slog through it together. Honestly, the first week is pretty average, but things might just turn around in the second week if we’re lucky.

The forecast kicks off Tuesday the 25th with tiny, weak surf. We’re looking at a 3ft West swell but with only a 10-second period, so it's struggling. The cross-off wind from the ESE is okay, but there's just not enough grunt – the wave energy is only 118, so it’s pretty weak. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild to report there. This pattern of poor surf holds for a while. Wednesday the 26th is even smaller, dropping to 1ft, and the energy plummets to 19. Thursday the 27th is a bit better with a 2ft swell but it’s still poor. By Friday the 28th, wind swings onshore from the WNW, making it messy. Saturday the 29th is a write-off with tiny 0.7ft waves and a cross-chop.

Now, there’s a tiny glimmer on Sunday the 30th – the swell bumps up to 3ft from the West, with a moderate energy reading of 127. The morning looks clean with a cross-off breeze from the South. It’s still only 3ft though, so don’t get too excited. But that afternoon, it gets lumpy again.

Then things get hectic. Monday the 31st sees a big jump in size – an 12ft West swell with a massive 3129 wave energy reading. That is strong, but the wind is howling onshore from the West at 22 mph, making it lumpy and dangerous. This is expert-only territory. That big swell hangs around Tuesday September 1st (10ft) and Wednesday September 2nd (4ft), but the wind is still nasty, blowing cross-shore or cross-on at 19-28 mph, creating a real mess. This setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing honestly.

We hit another lull after that. Thursday the 3rd through Saturday the 5th offers marginal conditions at best. The best of that lot is Friday the 5th morning – we get a 7ft West swell with an 11-second period (decent groundswell) and a clean cross-off wind from the ENE. The energy is 935, which is moderate to strong. That’s your only real standout in the whole period. It’s a Saturday, and crowds are sometimes an issue here, so expect a few others in the water. The 5ft afternoon is okay, but the period drops back.

After that, it’s back to poor surf right through to the end of the window on Wednesday the 9th. That Wednesday morning offers a 5ft West-Northwest swell with a light cross-off breeze, but the period is only 7 seconds, so the waves will be weak and crumbly. It’s surfable, but ordinary.

Overall, it's a pretty bleak run with a big, windy spike in the middle. The best bet is that clean Saturday morning on the 5th of September.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Thu morning, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu night, min 13°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (calm on Thu night, fresh winds from the W by Sun afternoon).

Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
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
0
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)
0.8
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.4
W
8
0.4
W
8
0.3
W
7
0.6
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.4
WNW
8
0.4
NW
8
0.4
NW
7
0.2
WNW
7
0.2
W
7
0.2
W
7
0.7
W
9
0.9
W
9
1
W
10
2
W
9
3.5
W
11
2.5
WNW
10
1.1
WNW
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
118
56
21
18
10
67
60
40
22
15
14
5
4
3
74
126
177
651
3129
1109
180
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
20
SE
15
ENE
20
E
15
ENE
10
E
10
ENE
10
E
5
NE
10
WNW
10
W
10
SW
20
SW
25
SW
20
S
20
S
20
W
40
WNW
35
W
30
WSW
25
SSW
Wind State
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
5:04AM2.60m
5:23PM3.06m
5:41AM2.80m
5:57PM3.30m
6:13AM2.97m
6:28PM3.50m
6:45AM3.12m
6:58PM3.64m
7:16AM3.23m
7:29PM3.71m
7:48AM3.29m
8:00PM3.70m
8:21AM3.29m
8:33PM3.60m
Low Tide
11:00AM0.83m
11:37PM0.71m
11:35AM0.61m
00:09AM0.50m
12:06PM0.43m
00:40AM0.32m
12:37PM0.29m
1:09AM0.18m
1:08PM0.20m
1:39AM0.11m
1:40PM0.18m
2:10AM0.10m
2:13PM0.22m
2:42AM0.18m
cloud
cloud
heavy rain
light rain
cloud
part cloud
clear
rain showers
rain showers
cloud
clear
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
light rain
mod rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:26
6:28
6:31
6:31
6:33
6:35
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:43
8:40
8:37
8:36
8:34
8:30
8:29
 mm
14
4
4
2
2
1
1
3
1
2
7
1
1
10
Temp °C
18
18
15
15
16
16
19
19
18
16
16
15
16
17
14
15
15
14
15
15
16
Feels °C
15
14
13
12
15
16
19
19
19
15
15
13
13
12
9
11
11
7
8
10
12
  • 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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