Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 9s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 10 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 10s period, W swell with 200 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 9 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 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 Thursday (Jul 09) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.9m and 9s 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 1.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 10) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 2s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Thu 9th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 10th Jul) | 3.5ft (1.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, ol’ Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – I’ve scanned the charts for the next couple of weeks, and honestly, it’s a tough one. We’re looking at a long, dry spell with very little to get excited about.
Right now, the only wave that’s even worth a mention is Back Strands (a reef setup). On Thursday the 9th, we’ve got a bit of groundswell sneaking in. The morning shows a clean 3 ft wave from the west with a period of 9 seconds and a light cross-off breeze. The combined energy is modest (133), but the afternoon session is where it’s at. The wind drops to nothing – glassy conditions – and the same 3 ft swell hangs around. The water is sitting at 61°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice bonus. This is your best window, but it’s still a small, ordinary day.
Don’t get your hopes up after that. From Friday the 10th all the way through to Wednesday the 24th of July, the outlook is grim. The swell drops off to tiny, ankle-to-knee-high dribble, and when it does try to show a pulse, the wind is onshore, cross-on, or just plain messy. The combined energy readings are in the teens and twenties, sometimes even single digits – that’s barely a ripple. The period swings wildly, but the height just isn’t there. For a reef break, the conditions are consistently poor, and the forecast scores reflect that.
If you’re a kite surfer, you might find some interest in the afternoons around the 19th to the 23rd, when the onshore breeze picks up to 15-19 mph, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a no-go.
There’s no standout wave here. The one window on Thursday the 9th afternoon is your only real shot, and even then, it’s a small, clean wave for a longboard or a funboard. The rest of the 16-day run is a total blank. The area just isn’t cooperating right now, but take heart – it tends not to stay this flat for long, and forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Tue afternoon, min 15°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 9 | Friday 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 21 | WNW 7 | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 133 | 126 | 73 | 184 | 200 | 163 | 119 | 90 | 59 | 22 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 14 | 23 | 56 | 31 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 5 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross |
High Tide | 1:34PM2.63m | 1:52AM2.87m | 2:45PM2.75m | 3:06AM2.90m | 3:52PM2.96m | 4:17AM3.01m | 4:53PM3.22m | 5:20AM3.15m | 5:48PM3.50m | 6:16AM3.26m | 6:39PM3.74m | 7:07AM3.31m | 7:27PM3.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:30PM1.04m | 8:20AM0.76m | 8:50PM0.94m | 9:28AM0.66m | 10:02PM0.72m | 10:29AM0.52m | 11:05PM0.47m | 11:23AM0.36m | 00:01AM0.23m | 12:13PM0.21m | 00:53AM0.06m | 12:59PM0.12m | 1:43AM-0.02m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:09 | — | — | 5:11 | — | — | 5:11 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:07 | — | — | 10:06 | — | — | 10:05 | — | — | 10:04 | — | — | 10:02 | — | — | 10:01 | — | — | 10:00 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 18 | 19 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 18 | 22 | 24 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 22 |
Feels °C | 18 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 18 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
| kJ | 133 | 126 | 73 | 184 | 200 | 163 | 119 | 90 | 59 | 22 | 18 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 23 | 56 | 31 | 16 | 14 | 6 | 5 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | W 14 | W 13 | W 7 | — | W 18 | — | — | — | W 10 |
| kJ | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | 4 | 14 | 4 | — | 6 | — | — | — | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 20 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 2 | — | — | E 2 | ESE 2 | ESE 2 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 0 | 12 | 19 | 158 | 21 | 17 | 178 | 12 | 32 | 33 | 80 | 292 | 117 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 32 | 77 | 117 | 117 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sligo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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The surf report / weather widget below is available to embed on third party websites free of charge and provides a summary of our Back Strands surf forecast. Simply grab the html code snippet that we provide and paste it into your own site. You can choose your preferred language and metric/imperial units for the surf forecast feed to suit users of your site. Click here to get the code.
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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