Back Strands Surf Break

Lat Long: 54.45° N 8.49° W

Back Strands Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 25 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Back Strands sea temperature is
16.6°C
1.8° 

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 25 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 1 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, W swell with 1,055 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 25 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 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 Tuesday (Aug 25) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.5m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 1AM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1PM (Tue 25th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 9s
Best Surf 1PM (Tue 25th Aug)2.5ft (0.7m) 9s
Most Powerful10AM (Tue 1st Sep)7.5ft (2.3m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what we've got coming down the line for Back Strands. It's a reef setup, fairly consistent, and it's feeling the swell from the west. The water temp is sitting at 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – nothing crazy, but it's nice.

Honestly, the next week or so is a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak, and messy conditions starting from Tuesday the 25th of August. That morning there's a little 3ft swell from the west, but with a short 10-second period and a cross-off wind, it's just not got any punch. The energy is barely registering at 118, and the report calls it poor surf. It's flat and frustrating from there right through until Saturday the 30th – nothing but small, choppy junk with onshore winds. You could sit out there for an hour and only see knee-high slop. Not worth the paddle out.

We finally see a pulse of real energy rolling in on Monday the 1st of September. Tuesday the 1st morning is the standout of the whole outlook. We’ve got a solid 8ft swell from the west, with a decent 10-second period. The combined energy jumps right up to 1060, which is proper strong. The wind is a clean cross-off from the south at 15 mph, which should groom it up nicely. That’s a proper winter swell for the experienced crew – at 8ft, it's big, powerful, and on a reef so it’s going to be walled up and hollow. The afternoon turns to junk with a strong cross-on, so your window is the morning session only.

After that, the rest of the first week of September looks lumpy and messy. The 7th of September has a massive 8ft swell, but with a strong onshore wind from the NNW, the wave energy is over 1200 but it's going to be a washing machine – for experts only, and even then, it's not going to be pretty on a reef with that wind.

The very last few days, the 8th and 9th of September, clean up a bit. The 9th of September morning shows a 3ft swell from the west with a very long period of 12 seconds – proper groundswell – and a light cross-off breeze. The energy is a moderate 224, so it'll have some push, but it's small. That long period might make it a bit too straight for a beach, but on this reef it could actually offer some clean, lined-up waves, though it's marginal.

Bottom line: the whole first week is a dud. The only day worth circling on the calendar is the morning of the 1st of September for a solid, powerful swell under clean offshore winds. The rest is mostly a waiting game.

Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 14°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Tuesday
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
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
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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)
0.8
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.4
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
7
0.6
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.4
WNW
8
0.4
NW
6
0.4
NW
5
0.3
NW
6
0.3
NW
6
0.4
NW
6
0.5
W
9
0.5
NW
9
0.5
NW
9
0.4
NW
10
0.5
W
10
0.9
W
9
1.1
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
118
56
21
10
10
67
60
40
22
11
10
5
6
10
43
42
41
34
48
130
181
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
20
ESE
15
ENE
20
E
15
ENE
10
ENE
10
ENE
5
NNW
5
ENE
10
NW
15
WNW
0
WNW
5
NNW
10
NW
10
WNW
10
E
20
NE
25
NW
20
SW
35
W
20
WSW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross-off
on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-off
cross
on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
5:23PM3.06m
5:41AM2.80m
5:57PM3.30m
6:13AM2.97m
6:28PM3.50m
6:45AM3.12m
6:58PM3.64m
7:16AM3.23m
7:29PM3.71m
7:48AM3.29m
8:00PM3.70m
8:21AM3.29m
8:33PM3.60m
Low Tide
11:00AM0.83m
11:37PM0.71m
11:35AM0.61m
00:09AM0.50m
12:06PM0.43m
00:40AM0.32m
12:37PM0.29m
1:09AM0.18m
1:08PM0.20m
1:39AM0.11m
1:40PM0.18m
2:10AM0.10m
2:13PM0.22m
2:42AM0.18m
cloud
light rain
mod rain
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
clear
light rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:26
6:28
6:31
6:31
6:33
6:35
6:37
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:43
8:40
8:37
8:36
8:34
8:30
8:29
 mm
1
9
1
1
4
2
1
2
4
2
1
2
3
Temp °C
18
19
15
16
16
16
18
19
17
16
15
15
14
15
14
13
13
13
14
15
14
Feels °C
15
15
13
14
15
15
18
20
17
15
13
14
14
13
12
11
10
8
8
8
8
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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