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Birsay Bay Surf Forecast
/ Scot – Orkney (6 surf breaks) /
Surf Forecasts:
Birsay Bay surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK
16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 12 pm Tuesday 12 May 2026 BSTForecast 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
8.7° C
(Which is normal for this time of year)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 (May 12) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 11s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be cross-onshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Birsay Bay in the next 16 days are 3.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (May 13) 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 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (May 19) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Tue 12th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 12th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Wed 13th May) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Birsay Bay over the next 16 days.
Updates in hr min s Forecast update imminent
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Tue morning, min 7°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Tue night, near gales from the NNW by Thu night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Mild temperatures (max 9°C on Sun night, min 6°C on Fri morning). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the NNW on Fri morning, calm by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 12 | Wednesday 13 | Thursday 14 | Friday 15 | Saturday 16 | Sunday 17 | Monday 18 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
WNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 9 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | W 14 | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 | |
952 | 2664 | 2147 | 2767 | 2010 | 1198 | 452 | 623 | 1788 | 2350 | 1664 | 1039 | 610 | 431 | 262 | 831 | 1060 | 900 | 534 | 596 | 517 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | off | off | off | off | cross | cross-off | off | |
High Tide | 6:20PM2.41m | 6:14AM2.66m | 7:03PM2.64m | 7:02AM2.86m | 7:43PM2.85m | 7:48AM3.04m | 8:23PM3.04m | 8:35AM3.18m | 9:04PM3.17m | 9:22AM3.25m | 9:46PM3.24m | 10:12AM3.22m | 10:31PM3.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 11:59AM0.66m | 00:14AM0.95m | 12:47PM0.43m | 1:04AM0.73m | 1:31PM0.23m | 1:50AM0.49m | 2:15PM0.09m | 2:35AM0.27m | 2:59PM0.02m | 3:20AM0.11m | 3:43PM0.04m | 4:06AM0.02m | 4:28PM0.13m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | | |  | |  | | |  | | |  | | |  | | | | |
 | 4:48 | — | — | 4:47 | — | — | 4:45 | — | — | 4:43 | — | — | 4:39 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | 4:35 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:30 | — | — | 9:32 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:39 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:44 |
1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | |
Temp °C | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 |
-2 | -2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | -1 | -2 | -4 | -2 | -2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | W 8 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | W 14 | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 11 |
 kJ | 89 | 46 | 2147 | 2767 | 2010 | 1198 | 363 | 240 | — | — | — | 46 | 610 | 431 | 262 | 831 | 1060 | 900 | 534 | 596 | 517 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 19 | N 8 | — | N 7 | — | W 16 | W 16 | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 12 | N 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 7 |
| kJ | — | 7 | 18 | — | 9 | — | 5 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 44 | 28 | 187 | 162 | 99 | 70 | 50 | 47 | 18 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 16 | W 9 | W 8 | WNW 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | 24 | 46 | 213 | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 9 | N 10 | N 10 | N 10 | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 3 | — | — | E 3 |
| kJ | 952 | 2664 | — | — | — | 5 | 452 | 623 | 1788 | 2350 | 1664 | 1039 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 8 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 538 | 509 | 19 | 61 | 593 | 1087 | 948 | 509 | 510 | 509 | 367 | 126 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 59 | 53 | 8 | 0 | 58 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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