
Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 29 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 8s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period, WNW swell with 904 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 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 Wednesday (Jul 29) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m 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 2.2m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (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 get into it. We’ve got a long 16-day window ahead, but I’ll be straight with you – for the most part, it’s a tough watch. The first decent surf doesn’t show up until the weekend of the 26th, but even then, the wind is gonna make a mess of it. There’s a little window of hope mid-week, but it’s small and fleeting.
Overall Pattern
The main event is a solid pulse of WNW swell that builds through Saturday the 26th and peaks on Sunday the 27th, with a whole lot of energy behind it. The combined energy readings are up there, hitting 804 Sunday morning and 838 Sunday afternoon. That’s some serious juice. But the problem is the wind. For the whole first week, it’s mostly cross-on from the west or northwest, keeping things choppy and lumpy. The water is sitting at 62°F, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least you won’t freeze your toes off.
The Only Real Window
Alright, let’s talk about the one spot that’s on the radar. Back Strands. This reef break is our only recommendation, and it’s fairly consistent, but it’s not without its quirks.
The surf starts to get serious on Saturday the 26th. Swell is 7ft from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, and the energy is strong (804). That’s a decent size, but it’s a bit much for beginners. For the more experienced crew, the shape should be there, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the WNW, cross-on, making it lumpy. It’s a bit of a battle.
Sunday the 27th is the peak of the swell. We’re looking at 7ft again, but the energy is still pumping (838). The wind is still fresh and cross-on from the WNW. Honestly, with that much swell and that much cross-onshore wind, a beach break would be a mess, but Back Strands is a reef, so it might just hold up. Still, it’s not going to be pretty. If you’re a solid paddle surfer, you might find some grunty, sectiony waves.
The Mid-Week Clean-Up
Then we get a break. The wind finally swings to the SSW on Monday the 27th. It’s a 12 mph cross-offshore breeze, and the swell drops to 4ft from the WNW. The energy is moderate (335). The morning looks clean. This is your best shot of the whole run. The waves are smaller, but the conditions are actually surfable. It’s not a standout, but it’s the only time the stars align a little.
Tuesday the 28th is a step back. The wind goes cross-shore and the swell drops again. The rest of the week is a slow fade into tiny, weak waves with energy readings dropping below 90. By Wednesday afternoon the 29th, we get a brief moment of glassy conditions with 3ft swell, but it’s pretty ordinary.
The Second Week – A Dead Zone
From Thursday the 31st right through to the end of the forecast on Saturday the 8th of August, it’s basically a flat spell. The swell height drops to 1.0ft or less, the energy is in the single digits or low double digits, and the wind is all over the place. There’s one day on the 8th of August where we see a little bump of 3ft from the WNW, but it’s cross-on and choppy again. Not worth scrambling for.
Bottom Line
Look, if you’re desperate, your best bet is Monday the 27th of July in the morning at Back Strands. The swell is 4ft, the wind is cross-off, and it’s the cleanest it’s going to get. The bigger swell on the weekend is too wind-affected for a good time. After that, it’s a long, flat stretch. It’s a quiet period, but forecasts can change. For now, I’d be sharpening my fins and waiting for the next one.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 13°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue morning, min 14°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
202 | 171 | 142 | 573 | 676 | 740 | 804 | 838 | 540 | 335 | 295 | 299 | 306 | 220 | 144 | 90 | 90 | 65 | 44 | 30 | 9 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:06PM2.53m | 3:33AM2.43m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:25PM1.21m | 9:43AM1.09m | 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 | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:47 | — | — | 9:46 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:39 | — | — | 9:37 | |
mm | — | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 19 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 19 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 8 | — | WNW 10 | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 |
— | — | 12 | — | 676 | — | — | — | 540 | 335 | 295 | 299 | 306 | 220 | 144 | 90 | 90 | 65 | 44 | 30 | 9 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 10 | NW 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | — | — | N 10 | NW 10 | NW 9 | NW 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 9 | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | — | SSW 4 | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | — | — | — | — | ENE 2 |
202 | 171 | 142 | 573 | — | 740 | 804 | 838 | — | — | 9 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 292 | 1272 | 22 | 1203 | 265 | 127 | 512 | 512 | 104 | 10 | 53 | 12 | 210 | 27 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 19 | 7 |
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.










