Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 12 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 12 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 8s period, WNW swell with 343 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 12s 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 1.6m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Wed 12th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 1PM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 8s |
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’s cookin’ for Back Strands over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start. We’ve got a few days of small, messy stuff, but nothing that’s really worth paddling out for. The water temp is running a touch warmer than normal for this time of year at 61°, which is a nice little bonus for the early sessions when we do get a clean one.
The first real glimmer of hope comes on the morning of Wednesday the 21st of August. We’ve got a light offshore breeze from the southeast, cleaning up a small 2ft swell from the west-northwest. The energy is weak (82), but it’s clean, and the wind is off. That’s about as good as it gets for the first week, honestly. Still, it’s a surfable wave, just very ordinary.
The real standout, the one that’s got me a little fired up, is looking like Wednesday the 26th of August. The swell from the west jumps up to a solid 5ft, and the period is a short 8 seconds, but the combined energy is a solid moderate 297. The wind is light and offshore from the east, keeping it clean. This is the best-looking window in the whole forecast. The water will still be a touch warm, and the break is a reef setup, so it should hold that west swell nicely. The crowd factor is “sometimes” here, so you might have a few others in the water, but it’s not a circus.
After that, Thursday the 27th sees a big pulse of energy. The swell hits 7ft from the west with a longer period of 11 seconds, and the combined energy rockets up to 1066 – that’s strong. But the wind is a light cross-onshore from the north, so it’s not going to be as clean as the day before. With that size, it’s going to be for experienced surfers only. The reef at Back Strands should handle it, but the chop will be a factor.
Overall, if you’re looking for a paddle, the best bet is the 26th. The 21st is a small, clean session if you’re desperate. The rest of the window is mostly small, onshore, and not worth getting wet for.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 22°C on Wed afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 22mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon night, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (calm on Sun night, fresh winds from the WSW by Mon night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 33 | 33 | 119 | 100 | 71 | 83 | 39 | 68 | 87 | 110 | 107 | 101 | 82 | 56 | 17 | 12 | 80 | 305 | 187 | 150 | 237 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | on | on |
High Tide | 6:28PM3.84m | 6:55AM3.32m | 7:11PM4.00m | 7:36AM3.37m | 7:52PM4.02m | 8:16AM3.35m | 8:31PM3.91m | 8:54AM3.26m | 9:09PM3.67m | 9:31AM3.13m | 9:47PM3.35m | 10:09AM2.95m | 10:27PM3.01m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:02PM0.22m | 00:44AM-0.01m | 12:45PM0.08m | 1:26AM-0.10m | 1:25PM0.02m | 2:05AM-0.08m | 2:04PM0.06m | 2:43AM0.05m | 2:43PM0.20m | 3:18AM0.25m | 3:22PM0.41m | 3:54AM0.51m | 4:02PM0.67m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | |  |  |  |  | | | | |
 | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:13 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:06 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:01 | — | 8:59 | — |
mm | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 4 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 21 | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 20 | 23 | 22 | 20 | 22 | 17 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | NW 7 | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 33 | 33 | 119 | 100 | 71 | 83 | 39 | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 12 | 12 | 80 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | WNW 6 | N 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 6 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 3 | S 3 | — | — | — | — | W 4 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | — | S 2 | S 4 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WNW 7 |
| kJ | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 68 | 87 | 110 | 107 | 101 | 82 | 56 | — | 1 | 13 | 305 | 187 | 150 | 237 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 7 | 36 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 53 | 276 | 727 | 313 | 767 | 794 | 178 | 77 | 19 | 7 | 46 | 12 | 145 | 622 | 876 | 319 |
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.
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