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Surf Forecasts:

Birsay Bay surfForecast / Scot – Orkney / UK

information circle12 Day Weather and Surf, issued 11 pm Wednesday 14 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 surf forecast for Birsay Bay over the next 12 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 15) at 3PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 1.7m and 12s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Birsay Bay in the next 12 days are 3.5m 17s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jan 15) at 6PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Monday (Jan 19) at 3AM.

Wave TypeTime (GMT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 3PM (Thu 15th Jan)10ft (3.0m) 18s
Best Surf 3PM (Thu 15th Jan)10ft (3.0m) 18s
Most Powerful 6PM (Thu 15th Jan)11ft (3.5m) 17s

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 Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Sat morning, min 6°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the S on Wed night, light winds from the WSW by Thu night).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Moderate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Mon afternoon. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Sat night, min 6°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the ESE on Sat night, strong winds from the SSE by Sun night).

Thursday
15
Friday
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wed
21
NightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPM
Rating
(10 max)
0
1
!
!
!
!
3
3
2
2
1
0
0
0
2
!
3
2
2
2
1
Swell
Height Map
See all maps
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
1.1
WSW
1.2
WNW
3
WNW
3.5
W
3
W
3
W
2.4
W
1.9
W
1.5
W
1.2
W
1
W
0.9
W
0.7
W
0.4
WNW
2
WNW
3
WNW
2.5
WNW
2.3
WNW
1.9
WNW
1.9
W
1.9
W
Period(s) (?)82118171615141312121111102018161615141313
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)1591207492775745091333923141233678400233178941542330500733542127151212471191
Wind
(km/h)
35
S
30
SW
25
SW
10
SW
20
W
15
SW
35
SSE
30
SSE
30
SE
20
SE
30
SSE
40
SSE
45
SSE
45
SSE
35
SSE
40
SE
35
SSE
40
SSE
45
SSE
40
SSE
45
SSE
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
cross-
off		crosscross-
off		crosscross-
on		crossoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffoffcross-
off		offoffoffcross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
6:25AM
2.47
6:50PM
2.46
7:11AM
2.63
7:34PM
2.58
7:50AM
2.79
8:12PM
2.68
8:25AM
2.93
8:47PM
2.74
8:58AM
3.05
9:21PM
2.77
9:29AM
3.13
9:54PM
2.77
10:00AM
3.16
Low Tide
/ height (m)
12:14AM
1.00
12:44PM
0.93
12:59AM
0.87
1:26PM
0.76
1:38AM
0.73
2:04PM
0.59
2:12AM
0.59
2:40PM
0.43
2:46AM
0.48
3:15PM
0.30
3:18AM
0.40
3:49PM
0.21
3:51AM
0.37
4:23PM
0.16
Thursday
15
Friday
16
Saturday
17
Sunday
18
Monday
19
Tuesday
20
Wed
21
Sunrise-8:55--8:52--8:52--8:49--8:48--8:47--8:45-
Sunset--3:49--3:52--3:53--3:56--3:59--4:00--4:02
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
light rain
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
Rain (mm)
2----------13242-----
Temp. °C777777788887776777765
Feels °C (?)-20122302230-2-2-3-2-2-1-2-2-3-5
  • 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

Latest Updates

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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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