Bay of Skaill surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Friday 27 Mar 2026 GMT
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
7.5° 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 Saturday (Mar 28) at 6AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 8.0m and 17s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Bay of Skaill in the next 16 days are 8.0m 17s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Mar 30) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Apr 02) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (GMT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 6AM (Sat 28th Mar)26ft (8.0m) 17s
Best Surf 6AM (Sat 28th Mar)26ft (8.0m) 17s
Most Powerful10AM (Mon 30th Mar)26ft (8.0m) 17s

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 Moderate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Mild temperatures (max 7°C on Fri night, min 5°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (gales from the SW on Fri night, fresh winds from the WNW by Sat night).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 10°C on Tue afternoon, min 4°C on Thu afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Wed afternoon, severe gales from the SSE by Thu afternoon).

Saturday
28
Sunday
29
Monday
30
Tuesday
31
Wednesday
01
Thursday
02
Fri
03
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
!
!
!
0
0
0
!
!
!
0
!
!
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
2
!
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
8
WNW
8
WNW
7.5
WNW
4.5
WNW
3.5
W
6
W
7
WNW
8
WNW
7.5
WNW
5
WNW
3.5
WNW
3
W
3.5
W
2.5
W
2.4
WNW
2.1
NW
1.5
WNW
0.9
WNW
2.5
WNW
2.1
W
3.5
W
Period(s) (?)171615131112161716161413131211131215141314
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)37340307392354265282701979825590369783015013098531334583863194613651413595372272415854847
Wind
(km/h)
65
SW
60
W
55
NW
30
WNW
55
SW
60
W
55
W
60
WNW
65
WNW
35
WNW
35
WSW
40
WSW
30
NW
25
NW
15
N
25
SE
55
SSE
75
SSE
40
W
30
SW
20
SSW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
off
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
off
crosscross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
cross-
on
crosscross-
off
ononcross-
on
cross-
off
offoffcrosscross-
off
cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
4:47AM
2.52
5:49PM
2.45
5:53AM
2.73
6:42PM
2.64
6:43AM
2.94
7:24PM
2.80
7:24AM
3.10
7:59PM
2.93
8:01AM
3.20
8:30PM
3.02
8:34AM
3.23
8:59PM
3.06
9:07AM
3.19
Low Tide
/ height (m)
10:33PM
1.12
11:25AM
0.68
11:46PM
0.92
12:24PM
0.42
12:37AM
0.69
1:08PM
0.20
1:19AM
0.49
1:46PM
0.05
1:56AM
0.33
2:20PM
-0.02
2:30AM
0.24
2:52PM
-0.00
3:02AM
0.21
3:22PM
0.09
Saturday
28
Sunday
29
Monday
30
Tuesday
31
Wednesday
01
Thursday
02
Fri
03
Sunrise-5:52--5:50--5:47--5:43--5:41--5:37--5:35-
Sunset--6:45--6:46--6:49--6:52--6:53--6:55--6:59
thunderstorm
clear
rain showers
cloud
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
light rain
cloud
clear
clear
cloud
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
Rain (mm)
1-1-524--1--4----2---
Temp. °C7566666677910967656566
Feels °C (?)-6-9-7-5-6-7-6-9-7-4210-120-8-3-5-10
  • 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