Surf Forecasts:
Balnakiel Bay surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, WNW swell with onshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 15ft (4.5m), 12s period, W swell with 5,512 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 13 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s 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 (Sep 13) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Balnakiel Bay in the next 16 days are 4.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 7PM. 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 Saturday (Sep 12) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sun 13th Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 15ft (4.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Balnakiel Bay over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Sat morning, light winds from the SSW by Sun afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 34mm), heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, strong winds from the WSW by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 9 | W 11 | W 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 9 | WSW 9 | W 9 | WSW 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 11 | W 12 | WNW 12 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 904 | 1188 | 4993 | 3228 | 1809 | 979 | 603 | 293 | 287 | 413 | 416 | 902 | 544 | 533 | 663 | 318 | 1243 | 3278 | 5147 | 5503 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 8:51PM4.27m | 9:20AM3.98m | 9:27PM4.26m | 9:53AM3.95m | 10:02PM4.13m | 10:25AM3.84m | 10:37PM3.91m | 10:57AM3.66m | 11:12PM3.62m | 11:30AM3.42m | 11:49PM3.29m | 12:06PM3.15m | 00:33AM2.95m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:14AM-0.23m | 3:25PM0.11m | 3:49AM-0.16m | 4:00PM0.14m | 4:23AM0.02m | 4:35PM0.27m | 4:56AM0.29m | 5:10PM0.47m | 5:29AM0.61m | 5:45PM0.73m | 6:03AM0.94m | 6:24PM1.03m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | |  |  |  |  | | |  | | | | | | | |
 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — |
 | 7:52 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:43 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:34 | — |
mm | — | 12 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 7 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 11 | N 9 | — | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 9 | NNW 12 | W 9 | N 11 | N 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | N 8 | NNE 9 | N 8 | — |
| kJ | — | 1188 | 2 | — | 1809 | 979 | 603 | 293 | 232 | 413 | 121 | 80 | 544 | 533 | 663 | 318 | 32 | 15 | 10 | — |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 14 | — | — | NNW 13 | NNW 14 | NNW 13 | NNW 10 | NNW 12 | NNW 12 | N 11 | — | N 10 | — | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | — | N 8 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 580 | — | — | 17 | 81 | 235 | 158 | 254 | 186 | 154 | — | 71 | — | 352 | 134 | — | 5 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 12 | — | W 11 | — | — | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 123 | — | 114 | — | — | — | — | 37 | 50 | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | — | W 13 | WNW 12 | — | — | — | SSE 3 | WSW 9 | — | WSW 10 | W 10 | — | NNW 6 | — | WSW 5 | W 9 | W 11 | W 12 | WNW 12 |
| kJ | 904 | — | 4993 | 3228 | — | — | — | 1 | 287 | — | 416 | 902 | — | 115 | — | 76 | 1243 | 3278 | 5147 | 5503 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 99 | 40 | 393 | 217 | 40 | 99 | 2 | 31 | 31 | 2 | 22 | 22 | 99 | 934 | 118 | 2 | 31 | 809 | 719 | 750 |
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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