Bay of Skaill surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK

information circle48hr Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Wednesday 20 May 2026 BST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Bay of Skaill surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Bay of Skaill sea temperature is
9.0° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

How big are the waves at Bay of Skaill today?

The current surf forecast for Bay of Skaill at 4PM is: 1.2m 14s primary swell from a West direction (forecast issued at 12:00pm May 20). An open ocean swell of 0.3m 8s is not directed at the surf break. The wind direction is predicted to be cross-offshore.

Time (BST) & DateWave HeightWave Period
Morning (20 May)2.5ft (0.8m)16s
Afternoon (20 May)4ft (1.2m)14s
Evening (20 May)3.5ft (1.1m)13s

Table - waves today at Bay of Skaill. (Swell directed towards the surf break)


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 10°C on Wed morning). Mainly fresh winds.

Wed
20
Thursday
21
Friday
22
Sat
23
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
10 AM
1 PM
4 PM
7 PM
10 PM
1 AM
4 AM
7 AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
3
2
0
0
0
0
1
2
2
2
2
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Height MapHeight MapHeight Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
W
16
1.1
W
15
1.2
W
14
1.2
W
14
1.1
W
13
1
W
13
0.9
W
12
1.7
WSW
12
1
W
12
1.1
W
8
1.2
W
11
1
WSW
11
0.7
W
11
1
W
7
0.7
W
11
0.9
WSW
10
0.7
WSW
10
0.7
W
10
0.7
W
10
0.6
W
10
0.6
W
10
0.7
W
10
0.7
WSW
10
1.4
WSW
6
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
382
517
590
526
417
335
239
847
271
166
358
254
114
92
110
184
106
98
98
75
78
104
106
170
Wind (km/h)
15
WNW
5
WSW
20
S
35
WSW
30
SW
30
SSW
25
SSW
25
SSW
20
SSW
15
SSE
20
SSE
15
SW
15
SSW
20
S
20
SE
15
S
10
SSE
10
S
20
WNW
20
W
15
SSW
25
SSW
25
SW
30
WSW
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
off
off
cross-on
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
High Tide
12:00PM2.90m
00:13AM3.07m
1:02PM2.67m
1:13AM2.92m
2:12PM2.47m
2:20AM2.79m
Low Tide
6:03PM0.48m
6:42AM0.24m
6:56PM0.69m
7:45AM0.40m
7:56PM0.88m
cloud
part cloud
light rain
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
rain showers
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:33
4:31
4:28
4:26
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:47
9:50
9:52
9:53
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
Temp °C
10
10
11
11
11
10
10
10
11
12
11
13
15
13
13
14
14
16
13
14
15
13
12
11
7
9
7
4
5
4
4
4
6
9
7
11
12
10
10
12
12
14
9
10
12
9
8
4
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
W
16
1.1
W
15
1.2
W
14
1.2
W
14
1.1
W
13
1
W
13
0.9
W
12
1.7
WSW
12
1.3
WSW
8
1.1
W
8
1.2
W
11
1
WSW
11
0.9
WSW
6
1
W
7
0.8
WSW
7
0.9
WSW
10
0.7
WSW
10
0.7
W
10
0.7
W
10
0.6
W
10
0.8
W
6
0.8
WSW
6
0.7
WSW
10
0.6
W
10
Energy kJ
382
517
590
526
417
335
239
847
235
165
358
254
64
92
58
184
106
98
98
75
44
46
106
77
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
WSW
10
0.2
SSE
8
0.3
SE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.1
SE
7
0.1
SE
7
0.1
N
8
0.1
N
8
1
W
12
0.8
W
11
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.7
W
11
0.6
W
11
0.7
W
11
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
NE
6
0.1
SE
5
0.6
W
6
0.6
W
10
0.7
W
10
0.1
SE
6
0.1
SE
6
Energy kJ
19
6
9
6
2
2
1
1
271
166
1
1
114
85
110
1
1
2
1
28
78
104
1
1
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.2
SSE
8
0.2
W
8
0.2
W
8
0.3
SE
7
0.1
N
8
0.1
N
8
0.1
SE
7
0.1
N
8
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
N
7
0.1
W
15
0.1
SE
5
0.1
N
6
0.1
SE
6
0.1
SE
6
0.1
SE
6
0.1
N
6
0.1
N
6
Energy kJ
6
5
5
9
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
5
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.6
WSW
4
1.1
WSW
5
1.1
WSW
6
1.4
WSW
7
0.3
SSW
3
0.2
S
3
0.4
S
3
0.5
S
3
0.3
SE
5
0.2
ESE
5
0.1
SE
5
1
WSW
6
1.4
WSW
6
Energy kJ
13
74
71
171
2
1
2
5
4
3
1
80
170
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Distance (km)
23
0
23
37
37
45
43
47
45
0
0
0
23
23
0
0
0
0
66
48
0
49
45
47
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney Islands
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
1
1
1
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom
Rating
(10 max)
2
3
2
1
3
3
4
3
2
3
4
3
3
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
3
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
7
7
7
6
5
5
5
5
6
  • 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

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