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Balnakiel Bay surfForecast / Scot – North Coast / UK
12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Thursday 01 Jan 2026 GMTForecast update in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Balnakiel Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Balnakiel Bay sea temperature is
9.8° C
(Which is 1.0°C warmer than normal for this time of year)Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Balnakiel Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jan 04) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Balnakiel Bay in the next 12 days are 6.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jan 02) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Jan 08) at 9AM.
| Wave Type | Time (GMT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 3PM (Sun 4th Jan) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 3PM (Sun 4th Jan) | 11ft (3.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 3AM (Fri 2nd Jan) | 21ft (6.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 12 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range Forecast Moderate rain (total 15mm), heaviest on Thu night giving way to a moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Fri morning. Temperatures will be slightly above freezing (max 3°C on Thu night, min 1°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (gales from the NNW on Thu night, fresh winds from the N by Sun afternoon). | Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 25mm), mostly on Sun night. Becoming colder with a light covering of snow, mostly falling on Mon night. Icy conditions (max 6°C on Wed morning, min 0°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (light winds from the W on Mon night, strong winds from the W by Wed morning). | |||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 02 | Saturday 03 | Sunday 04 | Monday 05 | Tuesday 06 | Wednesday 07 | Thu 08 | ||||||||||||||||
| Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | ||
Rating (10 max) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
| Wave Height (m) & direction (?) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Period(s) (?) | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 15 | 11 | |
Wave (?)Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ (?) | 10866 | 7866 | 6371 | 6241 | 6890 | 5934 | 5054 | 3706 | 2751 | 3018 | 2948 | 1922 | 865 | 873 | 772 | 539 | 236 | 637 | 659 | 237 | 300 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wind State (?) onshore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore offshore glassy | cross | cross | cross- on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross- on | off | cross- off | cross | cross- on | on | cross- on | cross- on | on | on | |
High Tide / height (m) | 6:27AM 3.74 | 6:56PM 3.75 | 7:17AM 3.95 | 7:49PM 3.84 | 8:05AM 4.11 | 8:38PM 3.84 | 8:51AM 4.19 | 9:26PM 3.77 | 9:35AM 4.16 | 10:12PM 3.62 | 10:19AM 4.04 | 10:57PM 3.44 | 11:03AM 3.83 | |||||||||
Low Tide / height (m) | 12:23AM 0.44 | 12:52PM 0.29 | 1:14AM 0.31 | 1:43PM 0.06 | 2:01AM 0.24 | 2:31PM -0.09 | 2:45AM 0.23 | 3:17PM -0.12 | 3:28AM 0.30 | 4:02PM -0.03 | 4:10AM 0.45 | 4:46PM 0.15 | 4:52AM 0.65 | 5:30PM 0.40 | ||||||||
Friday 02 | Saturday 03 | Sunday 04 | Monday 05 | Tuesday 06 | Wednesday 07 | Thu 08 | ||||||||||||||||
| Sunrise | - | 9:07 | - | - | 9:07 | - | - | 9:07 | - | - | 9:07 | - | - | 9:06 | - | - | 9:04 | - | - | 9:03 | - | |
| Sunset | - | - | 3:37 | - | - | 3:37 | - | - | 3:40 | - | - | 3:41 | - | - | 3:42 | - | - | 3:45 | - | - | 3:45 | |
 |  | | | | | | | |  |  | |  | |  |  | | |  |  |  | ||
Rain (mm) | 6 | 3 | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | - | - | - | |
| Temp. °C | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |
| Feels °C (?) | -12 | -9 | -10 | -10 | -10 | -12 | -10 | -8 | -8 | -7 | -5 | -4 | -3 | -4 | -3 | -2 | -4 | -3 | -4 | -2 | -2 | |
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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 Balnakiel Bay 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.
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Information about the Balnakiel Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Balnakiel Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Balnakiel Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Balnakiel Bay 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 (Balnakiel Bay) 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 Balnakiel Bay 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 Scotland - North Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Balnakiel Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - North Coast, consider staying in Scrabster which is 72 km (45 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Wick which is 99 km (61 miles) away
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