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Surf Forecasts:

Birsay Bay surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 5 pm Saturday 24 Jan 2026 GMT
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Birsay Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Birsay Bay sea temperature is
8.8° C
 (Which is slightly warmer than usual)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Birsay Bay this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Birsay Bay in the next 12 days are 2.5m 18s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jan 28) at 3AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 2.5m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jan 30) at 12AM.

Wave TypeTime (GMT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 3AM (Wed 28th Jan)8ft (2.5m) 18s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Birsay Bay over the next 12 days.

Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent 
12 DaysHourly
Print Table

Short Range Forecast Some drizzle, heaviest during Sun morning. Mild temperatures (max 6°C on Mon afternoon, min 4°C on Sat night). Mainly near gales.

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Moderate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Wed afternoon, min 4°C on Tue afternoon). Winds increasing (near gales from the SSE on Wed night, severe gales from the ESE by Thu night).

Sat
24
Sunday
25
Monday
26
Tuesday
27
Wednesday
28
Thursday
29
Friday
30
PMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAM
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.6
W
2
W
1.7
W
1.4
W
0.9
W
1.1
W
1
W
0.7
W
1.3
W
2.1
W
1.8
WNW
2.4
W
1.8
W
1.4
W
1.2
W
1
W
0.7
W
0.6
W
1.1
W
2.3
W
2
W
Period(s) (?)151614141614131217151916161514141312181716
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)110420281191725417485330151952200222703010160683558539917110673530741988
Wind
(km/h)
55
ESE
55
ESE
50
ESE
40
ESE
45
ESE
50
SE
55
SE
60
SE
55
ESE
65
ESE
65
ESE
75
ESE
75
SSE
55
SE
65
SE
70
SE
70
SE
80
SE
80
SE
70
SE
70
SE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
offcross-
off		cross-
off		offoffoffoffoffoffcross-
off		cross-
off		offoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoff
High Tide
/ height (m)
12:23AM
2.54
12:30PM
2.80
1:15AM
2.44
1:28PM
2.63
2:21AM
2.37
2:46PM
2.49
3:42AM
2.36
4:17PM
2.46
5:04AM
2.48
5:42PM
2.57
6:13AM
2.69
6:51PM
2.74
7:10AM
2.95
Low Tide
/ height (m)
6:16PM
0.35
6:23AM
0.71
7:04PM
0.53
7:17AM
0.86
8:03PM
0.72
8:28AM
0.99
9:21PM
0.87
10:01AM
0.99
10:49PM
0.88
11:30AM
0.82
12:04AM
0.76
12:38PM
0.55
1:01AM
0.58
Sat
24
Sunday
25
Monday
26
Tuesday
27
Wednesday
28
Thursday
29
Friday
30
Sunrise--8:37--8:36--8:33--8:32--8:30--8:26--8:25
Sunset4:10--4:13--4:15--4:17--4:20--4:22--4:24--
cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
clear
part cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
Rain (mm)
--1------242--1112122
Temp. °C555555666457876665553
Feels °C (?)-8-8-6-5-6-6-7-7-7-10-9-9-8-5-8-9-9-12-12-10-12
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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 Birsay 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.

View detailed surf forecast for Birsay Bay at:
surf-forecast.com

Information about the Birsay Bay Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Birsay Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 12 days. A general guide to surfing at Birsay Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Birsay 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 (Birsay 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 Birsay 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 Orkney Islands? If you are looking for accommodation near Birsay Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Orkney Islands, consider staying in Kirkwall which is 26 km (16 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 58 km (36 miles) away and Wick, 79 km (49 miles) away.

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