
Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 31 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 31 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 7s period, W swell with 92 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Back Strands this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 1.0m 7s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 31) at 7PM. 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+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Fri 31st Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab your wettie and listen up. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve gotta be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper surf at Back Strands. We’re looking at a long, flat, and messy stretch before anything even thinks about showing up.
Right off the bat, the water is sitting at 61.3°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year. Don't get too excited though; it's not gonna save the surf.
For the first week, from Friday the 31st through to the 8th, it's just one of those soul-destroying runs we get sometimes. The swell is tiny, barely a ripple. We're talking ankle-snappers at best, and the wind is all over the shop—cross-onshore and choppy for the most part. The energy in the water is weak, with combined values mostly in the double digits, like 90 on Friday morning dropping down to 6 by the 4th. It’s a whole lot of nothing. Sunday the 2nd and Monday the 3rd do clean up with some light offshore breezes, but there’s just no swell to push through. It’ll be as smooth as glass but as flat as a pancake. Then we get a couple of days of onshore wind and rain to make sure we don't get too comfortable.
The gap with no real surf lasts a solid eight days. We finally get a pulse of something on Sunday the 9th of August. The morning is still weak, but the afternoon sees a jump up to 4.6ft from the WNW with a period of 9 seconds. The wind goes light and clean, turning cross-off. Energy climbs to a moderate 322. This is our first real sign of life, but it’s still just an average day, nothing to write home about. It’s a start though. The 10th will have a bit of that leftover WNW swell, but it fades quickly through the day.
Then another flat spell hits from the 11th to the 14th. The energy just drains right out of the water again. There's a day with a very long period swell forecast for the 12th, but no size behind it. All show, no go.
The signal for the final part of the window on the 15th is a bit more promising, but don’t go booking the day off yet. Saturday the 15th sees size build back up to 3.9ft – 4.3ft from the WNW, with moderate energy values of 104 and 186. The problem is, the wind turns onshore and cross-onshore, making it messy. If that wind cleans up, we could have something contestable, but as it stands, it will be lumpy. It’s a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed. But for now, it’s a waiting game.
Stay patient, keep your boards waxed, and watch the charts. This flat spell won't last forever.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 13°C on Mon morning). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 10 | NW 9 | W 11 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NNW 6 | NW 5 | W 10 | W 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
89 | 75 | 73 | 64 | 59 | 36 | 43 | 31 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 16 | 26 | 25 | 8 | 8 | 7 | |
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 | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 8:00PM3.57m | 8:15AM3.05m | 8:32PM3.56m | 8:49AM3.03m | 9:04PM3.50m | 9:25AM2.98m | 9:38PM3.38m | 10:04AM2.91m | 10:18PM3.21m | 10:49AM2.80m | 11:06PM3.01m | 11:45AM2.69m | 00:08AM2.80m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:34PM0.32m | 2:10AM0.35m | 2:05PM0.33m | 2:42AM0.35m | 2:38PM0.38m | 3:15AM0.38m | 3:13PM0.48m | 3:50AM0.46m | 3:52PM0.63m | 4:31AM0.58m | 4:39PM0.80m | 5:21AM0.75m | 5:39PM0.97m | ||||||||
5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:32 | — | — | 9:30 | — | — | 9:29 | — | — | 9:27 | — | — | 9:24 | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | — | 2 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 7 | W 10 | NW 7 | W 11 | NNW 6 | NW 5 | W 10 | NNW 5 |
1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 36 | 43 | 31 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 2 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 11 | N 8 | — | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NW 9 | NW 6 | NW 6 | N 9 | — | W 10 | — | W 10 | W 10 | — | W 10 |
— | 2 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 1 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 8 | 8 | — | 7 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | NW 10 | W 10 | — | — | NW 9 | W 9 | — | W 9 | W 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | NW 6 | — | — | NW 5 | — |
89 | 75 | 73 | 64 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 27 | — | 26 | — | — | 4 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 104 | 534 | 36 | 267 | 283 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 48 | 36 | 33 | 36 | 399 | 313 | 439 | 313 | 127 | 292 | 527 | 524 |
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.











