Surf Forecasts:
Birsay Bay surf forecast from 17 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, W swell with 720 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 9s 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Birsay Bay in the next 16 days are 1.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Birsay Bay over the next 16 days.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 13°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the ESE on Mon night, calm by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 13°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the WNW on Fri night, strong winds from the WSW by Sat afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | W 9 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | N 8 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | NNW 6 | N 8 | N 7 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 51 | 81 | 52 | 41 | 29 | 144 | 595 | 457 | 329 | 240 | 225 | 226 | 178 | 177 | 110 | 131 | 67 | 81 | 120 | 152 | 246 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | off | off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 12:27PM2.79m | 00:37AM2.96m | 1:05PM2.62m | 1:21AM2.68m | 1:49PM2.44m | 2:12AM2.42m | 2:45PM2.28m | 3:22AM2.21m | 4:02PM2.18m | 4:54AM2.13m | 5:32PM2.21m | 6:20AM2.19m | 6:44PM2.35m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:17AM0.16m | 6:24PM0.46m | 6:54AM0.45m | 7:04PM0.68m | 7:33AM0.75m | 7:49PM0.92m | 8:19AM1.03m | 8:48PM1.14m | 9:25AM1.25m | 10:21PM1.27m | 11:09AM1.32m | 00:07AM1.21m | 12:34PM1.21m | 1:12AM1.02m | |||||||
 | |  |  |  | |  | |  | | | | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | 5:33 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — |
 | — | 8:58 | — | — | 8:54 | — | — | 8:52 | — | — | 8:50 | — | — | 8:46 | — | — | 8:44 | — | — | 8:42 | — |
mm | — | — | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 5 | — | — | 5 |
Temp °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | W 12 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 |
| kJ | 51 | 51 | 44 | 41 | 29 | 144 | 595 | 457 | 218 | 123 | 87 | 41 | 37 | 21 | 13 | 131 | 67 | 40 | 20 | 19 | 19 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 8 | WSW 9 | W 18 | W 18 | W 17 | W 17 | W 16 | W 16 | W 15 | W 15 | W 8 | WSW 8 | W 8 | NNW 7 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 16 |
| kJ | 20 | 81 | 52 | 22 | 21 | 79 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 5 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | WNW 6 | NW 6 | W 18 | W 19 | NNE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 18 | W 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 8 | N 6 | — |
| kJ | 31 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 6 | 4 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 3 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 2 | ESE 4 | SE 4 | SE 3 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | N 8 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | NNW 6 | — | W 6 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | 40 | 16 | 2 | 78 | 136 | 329 | 240 | 225 | 226 | 178 | 177 | 110 | — | 16 | 81 | 120 | 152 | 246 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 29 | 56 | 84 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 275 | 364 | 421 | 421 | 992 | 279 | 126 | 317 | 92 | 350 | 183 | 183 | 466 | 102 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney Islands | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.
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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