
Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 13 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 20 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 14s period, WNW swell with 5,029 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Sunday (Sep 13) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m 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 3.5m 14s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 3s period and expected on Monday (Sep 14) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 3ft (0.9m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sun 20th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what we’ve got.
Overall, we’re looking at a patchy run at Back Strands. There’s some decent potential early on and again late in the window, but the middle of the forecast is a write-off with strong, messy winds and big, lumpy conditions. You’ll need to pick your moments carefully.
Sunday morning the 13th is actually a nice little window. The swell is a clean 4ft out of the WNW with a solid 11-second period. Winds are light and offshore from the SSE, so the surface should be clean. The combined energy is moderate (279). It’s not huge, but it’s the best start we’ve got. The water is sitting at 60°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. That’s a nice little bonus.
Monday the 14th through to Saturday the 19th is a long, ugly stretch. Strong onshore and cross-onshore winds dominate, with swell sizes climbing well over 5ft and even hitting 12ft on Thursday the 17th. The energy gets wild (3487 on Thursday afternoon), but with that wind, it’s just a messy, lumpy, dangerous mess. Honestly, that kind of setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Stay out of the water unless you’re looking for a beating.
Now, Sunday morning the 20th is the standout. After a week of junk, the wind swings back offshore from the SSE, and we’ve got a proper 8ft WNW groundswell with a 13-second period. That’s a long-period groundswell, which will make for some real power and shape. Combined energy is very strong at 2415. This one’s for experienced surfers only—over 8ft and with that much energy, beginners should sit this out. The wind is moderate offshore, so expect clean, lined-up sets. The only downside is that at a reef break with that period, it might get a bit straight, but with the right tide it should be firing.
After that, things get messy again until Thursday morning the 24th. That’s another good one: a 6ft WNW swell, still decent period at 11 seconds, and the wind is glassy from the SSE. The energy is strong (813), and the surface will be like glass. It’s not the size of the 20th, but it’ll be clean and fun for a wider range of surfers. Friday the 25th holds up with offshore winds and 5ft swell, though the energy drops a bit (496). Still a good morning session.
The last few days of the window (26th onward) see the swell dropping back, with a small pulse on the 27th that looks too wind-affected to get excited about.
So the best on offer is clearly the Sunday morning the 20th for the experienced crew, and the Thursday morning the 24th for a cleaner, more manageable session. Don’t bother with the middle of the month—it’s a kiter’s playground, not a surfer’s.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Mon morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun afternoon, min 13°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sun morning, strong winds from the WSW by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed night, min 12°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the WNW on Wed morning, strong winds from the W by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | |||||||||||||||
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 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 11 | W 10 | W 6 | W 10 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 8 | W 10 | WNW 12 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | W 12 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 11 | WNW 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
260 | 137 | 71 | 51 | 188 | 556 | 221 | 423 | 1251 | 672 | 386 | 488 | 1170 | 3487 | 4960 | 2996 | 2065 | 1208 | 918 | 1201 | 2044 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 8:00PM3.74m | 8:20AM3.39m | 8:34PM3.49m | 8:53AM3.26m | 9:08PM3.19m | 9:26AM3.07m | 9:44PM2.87m | 10:03AM2.85m | 10:23PM2.55m | 10:49AM2.61m | 11:18PM2.28m | 12:00PM2.41m | 00:50AM2.11m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:39PM0.07m | 2:06AM0.07m | 2:15PM0.19m | 2:37AM0.27m | 2:50PM0.39m | 3:07AM0.52m | 3:27PM0.65m | 3:40AM0.79m | 4:07PM0.93m | 4:17AM1.07m | 5:00PM1.22m | 5:11AM1.31m | 6:32PM1.42m | ||||||||
7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | 7:11 | — | — | |
— | 7:55 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:51 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 2 | — | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | — | 1 | 2 |
Temp °C | 16 | 18 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 16 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 11 | NW 12 | NW 11 | — | — | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
260 | 137 | 71 | 51 | 188 | 6 | 5 | — | — | 672 | 386 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | W 10 | WSW 9 | W 9 | NW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
19 | 49 | 27 | 13 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | NW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 2 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | W 10 | W 6 | W 10 | WNW 12 | — | — | W 8 | W 10 | WNW 12 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | W 12 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 11 | WNW 12 |
— | — | 1 | 3 | 3 | 556 | 221 | 423 | 1251 | — | — | 488 | 1170 | 3487 | 4960 | 2996 | 2065 | 1208 | 918 | 1201 | 2044 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 12 | 27 | 10 | 53 | 727 | 830 | 569 | 422 | 53 | 159 | 457 | 524 | 265 | 538 | 1063 | 876 | 1122 | 292 | 22 |
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.










