Surf Forecasts:
Back Strands surf forecast from 1 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 1 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period, WNW swell with 68 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Back Strands this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Back Strands in the next 16 days are 0.9m 6s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 01) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sat 1st Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Back Strands over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, mates, Rusty here. Let's be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. We’ve got one little window that might be worth a look, but you'll have to be patient and pick your moment.
The long-range picture has some energy, but it's mostly wind-affected and dribbly. That first run of days, from the 1st through the 8th, is basically a write-off. We're looking at tiny surf, with the swell barely pushing 2 ft on most days. It's all short-period slop and onshore junk. There is some clean, glassy conditions early on the 2nd and 3rd, but with waves that small, you’d be better off on a longboard or a bodyboard, and even then, it's a struggle. The combined energy is very weak. It’s not even worth getting the wetsuit on for that first week.
Then we finally get a pulse. The morning of Sunday the 9th is our best bet. The swell bumps up to 3 ft (3 ft) from the W with a period of 9 seconds. The combined energy jumps into the moderate range, and the wind is dead glassy. That's the standout. Back Strands is a reef, so this longer-period energy should focus a little better than the beach breaks, and with zero wind, it should be clean as a whistle.
The morning of Monday the 10th is a good backup. Still around 3 ft from the WNW with 9 seconds of period. The energy is again moderate, and we get a light offshore ESE breeze to keep the face nice and clean. The wind is a bit stronger in the afternoon, but the morning looks like the go.
After that, it fades again. The 11th drops back to knee-high dribble. Then we get another little push on the 12th from the NW, but the period is a short 7 seconds. There's an offshore wind, so it will be clean, but that short period makes it a bit crumbly. Not as good as the 9th or 10th.
The rest of the second week is a classic fade-out. We're back to weak, short-period pulses and increasingly strong winds. By the 15th and 16th, there's some size, but it's being hammered by strong cross-shore and cross-on winds, with near gale conditions on Sunday the 16th. It's all messy and blown out. Honestly, for the 15th and 16th, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
So, the call is for Sunday morning, the 9th, and to a lesser extent, Monday morning, the 10th. Those are your windows. Lock them in.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon night, min 14°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 9 | NW 9 | N 9 | W 10 | W 10 | NW 6 | NW 6 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 66 | 60 | 40 | 43 | 31 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 45 | 41 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | on | on |
High Tide | 8:15AM3.05m | 8:32PM3.56m | 8:49AM3.03m | 9:04PM3.50m | 9:25AM2.98m | 9:38PM3.38m | 10:04AM2.91m | 10:18PM3.21m | 10:49AM2.80m | 11:06PM3.01m | 11:45AM2.69m | 00:08AM2.80m | 12:58PM2.63m | 1:30AM2.67m | |||||||
Low Tide | 2:05PM0.33m | 2:42AM0.35m | 2:38PM0.38m | 3:15AM0.38m | 3:13PM0.48m | 3:50AM0.46m | 3:52PM0.63m | 4:31AM0.58m | 4:39PM0.80m | 5:21AM0.75m | 5:39PM0.97m | 6:27AM0.90m | 7:03PM1.08m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  |  | | | | | | | |  |  | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:43 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:32 | — | — | 9:30 | — | — | 9:29 | — | — | 9:27 | — | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 |
mm | — | — | — | — | 1 | 5 | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 14 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 9 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 9 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 7 | NW 6 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 |
| kJ | — | 6 | 40 | 43 | 31 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 34 | 45 | 41 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | NW 9 | N 9 | W 10 | W 10 | — | — | — | — | NW 5 | NW 4 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 5 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 11 | W 10 | — | — | NW 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 7 | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 6 | NW 6 | NW 5 | NW 5 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 66 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 9 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 267 | 283 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 33 | 33 | 36 | 33 | 46 | 77 | 269 | 319 | 396 | 313 | 533 | 528 | 7 | 231 | 48 |
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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