Bay of Skaill surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 am Monday 25 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
9.2° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Bay of Skaill this week:

The surf forecast for Bay of Skaill over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (May 27) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 20s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Bay of Skaill in the next 16 days are 2.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (May 26) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (May 28) at 7PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Wed 27th May)5ft (1.5m) 10s
Best Surf 7AM (Wed 27th May)5ft (1.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 7AM (Tue 26th May)8ft (2.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Bay of Skaill over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun night, min 8°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon night, calm by Tue night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu afternoon, min 9°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Fri morning, light winds from the ESE by Sat afternoon).

Monday
25
Tuesday
26
Wednesday
27
Thursday
28
Friday
29
Saturday
30
Sunday
31
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
0
1
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
2
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
W
13
1.6
W
13
2.3
W
12
2.3
W
12
2.2
W
11
1.7
W
11
1.2
W
10
1
W
10
0.8
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.4
NW
11
1
W
9
0.8
WNW
9
1.3
W
5
1.3
W
6
1
W
7
0.6
W
12
0.8
W
12
1.1
W
10
1
W
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
891
839
1469
1463
1191
657
277
188
118
57
39
29
176
90
83
112
89
101
187
239
289
Wind (km/h)
25
WSW
35
WSW
40
W
30
W
25
WNW
10
WNW
5
ESE
20
SE
25
SE
10
ESE
20
ESE
15
ESE
15
WNW
30
W
30
WSW
30
W
10
NW
15
SSE
15
W
0
SSE
20
ESE
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross-on
off
cross-on
glassy
cross-off
High Tide
4:41AM2.65m
5:43PM2.41m
5:43AM2.64m
6:35PM2.52m
6:37AM2.66m
7:18PM2.63m
7:25AM2.70m
7:56PM2.73m
8:07AM2.74m
8:30PM2.82m
8:46AM2.78m
9:04PM2.88m
9:23AM2.80m
9:38PM2.91m
Low Tide
11:21AM0.59m
11:38PM0.98m
12:18PM0.55m
00:37AM0.86m
1:05PM0.53m
1:25AM0.74m
1:45PM0.51m
2:06AM0.64m
2:22PM0.51m
2:43AM0.55m
2:57PM0.52m
3:19AM0.49m
3:31PM0.54m
3:54AM0.47m
rain showers
cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
clear
light rain
cloud
cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:22
4:20
4:18
4:18
4:16
4:15
4:13
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:58
10:00
10:01
10:04
10:05
10:07
10:08
1
1
2
Temp °C
12
12
11
9
9
9
9
10
11
13
14
11
12
11
11
11
12
11
11
12
12
8
5
4
3
4
5
5
5
8
9
10
7
5
5
6
7
10
7
9
12
9
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
W
13
1.6
W
13
2.3
W
12
2.2
W
11
1.7
W
11
1.2
W
10
1
W
10
0.8
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.4
W
8
0.1
N
6
0.8
WNW
9
0.2
W
12
0.3
W
13
1
W
7
0.7
WNW
7
0.8
W
12
1.1
W
10
1
W
12
Energy kJ
891
839
1463
1191
657
277
188
118
57
39
21
1
90
12
32
89
48
187
239
289
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.7
NW
8
0.6
NW
7
0.4
NW
7
0.4
N
7
0.3
NW
6
0.4
NW
11
0.1
SE
6
0.1
W
16
0.1
N
7
0.2
W
8
0.5
W
13
0.6
W
12
0.6
W
6
0.3
NNW
6
0.2
N
6
Energy kJ
63
42
15
15
6
29
1
5
1
5
84
101
30
8
3
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
W
19
0.1
W
19
0.4
N
8
0.4
NW
6
0.3
N
6
0.3
NW
6
0.1
W
16
0.1
N
6
0.1
E
6
0.2
W
11
0.1
N
7
0.2
NNW
8
0.3
NNW
7
0.1
SE
5
0.1
N
10
Energy kJ
7
7
20
10
7
6
5
1
1
9
1
6
9
1
2
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.3
WSW
6
1.4
W
6
2.3
W
12
0.3
SE
2
0.4
SE
3
0.3
SE
5
0.4
SE
3
0.6
SE
4
1
W
9
0.8
W
4
1.3
W
5
1.3
W
6
0.6
SSE
4
0.4
SE
5
Energy kJ
130
151
1469
1
3
3
2
10
176
24
83
112
9
8
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
3
1
1
2
1
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
Distance (km)
45
54
54
54
54
47
0
8
0
0
8
8
23
97
49
66
21
0
47
0
45
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney Islands
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom
Rating
(10 max)
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
1
2
3
3
1
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
4
4
4
9
9
7
6
7
7
7
9
9
6
5
5
5
7
7
5
7
5
  • 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
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Bay of Skaill:

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 Bay of Skaill 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 Bay of Skaill Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Bay of Skaill provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Bay of Skaill can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Bay of Skaill 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 (Bay of Skaill) 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 Bay of Skaill 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 Orkney Islands? If you are looking for accommodation near Bay of Skaill, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Orkney Islands, consider staying in Kirkwall which is 23 km (14 miles) away. Other places in and around Orkney Islands where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Scrabster which is 50 km (31 miles) away and Wick, 71 km (44 miles) away.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest