Surf Forecasts:
Balnakiel Bay surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 11s period, WSW swell with 1,412 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 16 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 7s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Balnakiel Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Balnakiel Bay in the next 16 days are 2.4m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-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 (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sun 16th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sat morning. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat morning, calm by Sun night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Tue morning, light winds from the ESE by Wed morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | ||||||||||||||
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) | N 10 | W 5 | W 6 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | N 8 | NNE 9 | WSW 8 | W 11 | W 11 | N 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 66 | 71 | 148 | 373 | 257 | 142 | 89 | 40 | 90 | 57 | 60 | 106 | 394 | 1365 | 658 | 443 | 137 | 188 | 505 | 493 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross | cross | cross | cross |
High Tide | 9:53PM4.34m | 10:25AM3.87m | 10:33PM4.24m | 11:03AM3.75m | 11:11PM4.02m | 11:40AM3.57m | 11:50PM3.72m | 12:18PM3.35m | 00:32AM3.37m | 1:00PM3.10m | 1:21AM3.04m | 1:52PM2.86m | 2:27AM2.76m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:18AM-0.24m | 4:27PM0.19m | 4:56AM-0.08m | 5:05PM0.33m | 5:33AM0.19m | 5:43PM0.54m | 6:10AM0.52m | 6:22PM0.80m | 6:48AM0.87m | 7:05PM1.08m | 7:32AM1.20m | 7:59PM1.35m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | | | | | |  | |
 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:45 | — | — | 5:47 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — |
 | — | 9:08 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:04 | — | — | 9:01 | — | 8:59 | — | — | 8:55 | — | — | 8:53 | — |
mm | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Feels °C | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | N 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | NNE 7 | NNE 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
| kJ | 59 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 142 | 89 | 33 | 90 | 57 | 60 | 106 | 78 | 1365 | 658 | 239 | 137 | 188 | 71 | 47 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | — | — | — | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | W 8 | E 4 | — | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | W 18 | W 9 | W 9 | W 16 | — |
| kJ | 66 | — | — | — | 8 | 25 | 43 | 40 | 39 | 40 | 34 | 1 | — | 58 | 89 | 6 | 85 | 56 | 5 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | N 8 | NNW 8 | W 11 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | N 8 | W 16 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 32 | 11 | 5 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 4 | W 5 | W 6 | W 8 | W 8 | — | — | — | ENE 3 | E 4 | ESE 4 | WSW 5 | WSW 8 | — | — | N 8 | NW 5 | NW 7 | NNW 9 | N 8 |
| kJ | 20 | 71 | 148 | 373 | 257 | — | — | — | 3 | 13 | 19 | 97 | 394 | — | — | 443 | 27 | 169 | 505 | 493 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2 | 788 | 552 | 842 | 248 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 45 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 729 | 934 | 782 | 119 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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 16 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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