Balnakiel Bay surfForecast / Scot – North Coast / UK

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 am Wednesday 31 Dec 2025 GMT
Forecast 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
9.9° 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 9AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.5m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 14s. 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 7.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 01) at 9AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (GMT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 9AM (Sun 4th Jan)11ft (3.5m) 11s
Best Surf 9AM (Sun 4th Jan)11ft (3.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 9AM (Thu 1st Jan)23ft (7.0m) 13s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast Heavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Thu night. Later becoming colder with a dusting of snow on Fri afternoon. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Wed morning, min 2°C on Fri morning). Mainly gales.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Heavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Mon night. Mild temperatures (max 7°C on Mon afternoon, min 2°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the N on Sat morning, light winds from the SW by Mon night).

Wednesday
31
Thursday
01
Friday
02
Saturday
03
Sunday
04
Monday
05
Tuesday
06
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
!
1
!
0
0
0
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.9
NNE
4
WNW
6.5
NW
7
NNW
6.5
N
5.5
N
5
N
5
N
5
N
5
N
4.5
N
4
N
3.5
N
3
N
3.5
N
2.5
N
1.9
NNE
1.3
NNE
2.4
WSW
1.8
W
1.5
W
Period(s) (?)13911131212111111111111111011111110777
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)1139209710333162271386384246651582660695810567039372875218026701553769335540343251
Wind
(km/h)
45
W
50
W
65
NW
55
NNW
55
NNW
45
NNW
50
N
50
NNW
50
N
50
N
40
N
40
N
35
N
30
NNW
20
WNW
45
W
45
W
20
WSW
10
WNW
25
ENE
10
N
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
ononcross-
on
cross-
on
crosscrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscrosscross-
on
ononononcross-
off
cross
High Tide
/ height (m)
4:55PM
3.44
5:33AM
3.51
5:58PM
3.61
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
Low Tide
/ height (m)
10:55AM
0.90
11:26PM
0.60
11:57AM
0.59
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
Wednesday
31
Thursday
01
Friday
02
Saturday
03
Sunday
04
Monday
05
Tuesday
06
Sunrise9:08--9:08--9:07--9:07--9:07--9:07--9:06--
Sunset-3:33--3:34--3:37--3:37--3:40--3:41--3:42-
cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
mod rain
light rain
light snow
light snow
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
cloud
light rain
mod rain
mod rain
rain showers
part cloud
Rain (mm)
-24227215224223-3871-
Temp. °C875433323323346677766
Feels °C (?)-2-4-8-9-11-10-9-11-9-8-9-7-6-4-4-5-30402
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder

Latest Updates

submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Balnakiel Bay:

join our community of surf reporters

FREE! Surf-Forecast.com widget for your website

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.


false

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

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest