Birsay Bay Surf Break

Lat Long: 59.13° N 3.33° W

Birsay Bay Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 14 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Birsay Bay sea temperature is
13.1° C
0.8° 

Birsay Bay surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Birsay Bay surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period, W swell with 330 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 14 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 12s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Birsay Bay this week:

The surf forecast for Birsay Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 19s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Birsay Bay in the next 16 days are 1.1m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 6s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1PM (Tue 14th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 12s
Best Surf 1PM (Tue 14th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 12s
Most Powerful 1PM (Tue 14th Jul)3.5ft (1.1m) 12s

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


Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed night, min 11°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 13°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Sat afternoon, light winds from the N by Sun night).

Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
Saturday
18
Sunday
19
Monday
20
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.8
WNW
10
1.1
W
11
0.9
W
10
0.8
W
10
0.7
W
9
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.5
W
8
0.9
WNW
11
0.8
W
10
0.8
W
9
1
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
8
1.1
WNW
7
1
WNW
8
0.8
N
7
0.7
N
7
0.5
W
10
0.6
W
11
0.9
WNW
7
0.5
W
10
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
123
297
164
118
83
57
41
35
209
120
103
158
85
121
111
61
44
56
82
73
49
Wind (km/h)
15
ESE
15
ESE
15
SE
15
SE
20
SE
15
SE
5
SE
10
NNE
20
N
20
NNW
25
NNW
25
WNW
40
N
45
NNW
35
NNW
25
WNW
35
W
15
N
20
NNW
15
NNW
15
NNW
Wind State
cross-off
off
off
off
off
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
High Tide
9:25PM3.27m
10:02AM3.06m
10:13PM3.39m
10:51AM3.03m
10:59PM3.43m
11:38AM2.95m
11:44PM3.37m
12:24PM2.82m
00:30AM3.21m
1:11PM2.67m
1:17AM2.99m
1:59PM2.52m
2:07AM2.74m
Low Tide
3:18PM0.27m
3:51AM-0.06m
4:04PM0.21m
4:39AM-0.16m
4:48PM0.20m
5:25AM-0.16m
5:31PM0.27m
6:10AM-0.05m
6:15PM0.39m
6:55AM0.14m
6:59PM0.56m
7:40AM0.38m
7:46PM0.76m
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:20
4:22
4:24
4:26
4:28
4:31
4:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
10:15
10:13
10:10
10:09
10:07
10:06
10:04
 mm
2
Temp °C
12
13
17
19
19
20
17
16
15
11
11
12
10
11
11
11
13
13
12
11
12
Feels °C
9
10
13
15
15
16
16
14
11
7
6
8
2
2
3
5
9
10
9
7
9
  • 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
How to use the Wavefinder 
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Birsay Bay:

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 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.


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 16 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.

Nearest locationNearest