Back Strands Surf Break

Lat Long: 54.45° N 8.49° W

Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 09 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Back Strands sea temperature is
16.2° C
1.3° 

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 9 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 9s period, WNW swell with 206 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s 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 (Aug 10) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 1.1m 9s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Mon 10th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Best Surf 4AM (Mon 10th Aug)3ft (0.9m) 8s
Most Powerful 4PM (Sun 9th Aug)3.5ft (1.1m) 9s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the table for this stretch.

Honestly, buds, it's a heartbreaking run of forecasts here. We’re looking at a solid 16-day window, and for the first week and a half, it’s basically a ghost town. There’s almost nothing worth paddling out for. The one spot on the radar is Back Strands, but for the first several days, the waves are just too small and weak to get excited about. We’re talking about a run of flat, powerless conditions from the 9th right through to the morning of the 13th, where the swell barely tickles the reef. The combined wave energy is in the low double digits (72 or less) for most of that time, which is about as weak as it gets.

The first real glimmer of hope, if you can call it that, shows up on the morning of Thursday the 13th. The swell bumps up to 2ft from the west, with a period of 10 seconds and the combined energy finally hits triple digits at 100. The wind is light out of the SSW, making for clean conditions. Look, it’s not going to be epic, but it’s the first surfable wave of the whole run. The water is sitting at 61°, which is a touch warmer than what’s normal for this time of year, so that’s a small comfort.

We then hit another dry spell for a few days, with the swell dropping back into the dirt. The next potential window opens up on the morning of Monday the 18th. The swell picks up to 4ft from the west, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy is a solid 186. The wind is light SSW, keeping it clean. It’s nothing special, but it’s surfable.

For my pick of the litter, I’m looking at the afternoon of the 22nd of August. The swell from the WNW is 4ft with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy is 248, which is moderate. It’s a west-northwest swell, which matches the optimum for this spot. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s not perfect, but it's the most energy we see in the whole outlook. The crowds are marked as "sometimes" at Back Strands, so there’s a chance you’ll have company, but it’s not a guarantee.

The long-range stuff after that is a bit of a mixed bag. The 24th of August morning has a clean 3ft swell from the west with a fresh breeze, but the consistency is low. Don’t plan your life around it.

The sad truth here is that for a spot that’s fairly consistent, this is a rough run. The forecasts can change, so keep your eye on it, but for now, don’t expect much.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun morning. Warm (max 23°C on Tue afternoon, min 13°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Wed afternoon. Warm (max 24°C on Wed afternoon, min 14°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
Saturday
15
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
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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)
1.3
W
9
1.1
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
8
0.7
WNW
8
0.6
WNW
8
0.5
W
7
0.3
W
7
0.2
W
13
0.5
W
11
0.4
WSW
10
0.4
WSW
10
0.5
W
11
0.7
W
10
0.7
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.5
W
8
0.4
W
8
0.4
WNW
8
0.5
W
7
0.6
WNW
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
276
206
125
67
45
27
8
12
57
31
30
62
100
98
62
38
34
20
19
26
32
Wind (km/h)
20
SW
15
WNW
10
WNW
10
SW
0
NNW
15
ESE
15
SE
20
S
15
SE
10
SSE
15
SW
10
S
5
SSW
15
NW
5
WNW
10
WNW
15
WNW
5
NW
15
NNW
20
NNW
20
N
Wind State
cross
on
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross-off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
on
on
cross-on
on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
3:43PM2.92m
4:18AM2.84m
4:48PM3.24m
5:19AM3.04m
5:41PM3.57m
6:10AM3.21m
6:28PM3.84m
6:55AM3.32m
7:11PM4.00m
7:36AM3.37m
7:52PM4.02m
8:16AM3.35m
8:31PM3.91m
Low Tide
10:04PM0.77m
10:22AM0.67m
11:06PM0.47m
11:16AM0.43m
11:58PM0.19m
12:02PM0.22m
00:44AM-0.01m
12:45PM0.08m
1:26AM-0.10m
1:25PM0.02m
2:05AM-0.08m
2:04PM0.06m
2:43AM0.05m
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:58
6:00
6:01
6:03
6:05
6:07
6:09
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:19
9:16
9:15
9:13
9:09
9:07
9:06
 mm
3
1
Temp °C
14
14
15
14
18
18
19
23
22
21
24
21
20
20
17
16
16
15
16
15
13
Feels °C
11
10
13
13
16
15
16
20
22
21
24
22
21
19
17
16
14
14
13
12
10
  • 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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