Fanad Head Reef surf break

Fanad Head Reef surfForecast / Donegal / Ireland

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 6 pm Friday 08 May 2026 IST
Forecast update in hr  min  s Forecast update imminent
Fanad Head Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Today's Fanad Head Reef sea temperature is
11.1° C
(Which is slightly warmer than usual)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fanad Head Reef this week:

The most powerful waves expected at Fanad Head Reef in the next 16 days are 3.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (May 13) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Friday (May 15) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful 7AM (Wed 13th May)11ft (3.5m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Fanad Head Reef over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Short Range Forecast

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sun night. Very mild (max 10°C on Sun night, min 7°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Sat morning, light winds from the NNE by Mon morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Very mild (max 10°C on Mon afternoon, min 8°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WNW on Mon afternoon, near gales from the WNW by Tue night).

Fri
8
Saturday
9
Sunday
10
Monday
11
Tuesday
12
Wednesday
13
Thursday
14
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.2
NW
12
2.1
NNW
11
2
NNW
11
1.9
NNW
11
1.5
N
11
1
N
10
1.1
NNW
9
1.7
NNW
8
1.5
NW
8
1.3
NW
8
1.4
NW
8
1.9
WNW
7
2.2
WNW
9
3.5
WNW
10
3.5
NW
12
3
NW
12
3.5
NNW
11
2.4
NNW
10
1.4
NW
10
0.9
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1321
1064
925
843
555
212
211
365
297
250
288
372
784
2232
3769
2798
3174
1080
341
138
94
Wind (km/h)
20
NNW
25
NNE
30
N
30
N
25
N
20
NNW
25
WNW
25
NW
10
NNE
20
WNW
25
W
35
W
40
W
45
WNW
45
NNW
45
N
45
N
35
N
25
NW
25
WSW
30
WSW
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
cross
cross
High Tide
11:33PM2.45m
11:59AM2.14m
00:47AM2.40m
1:24PM2.12m
2:01AM2.47m
2:41PM2.24m
3:03AM2.64m
3:40PM2.45m
3:54AM2.86m
4:28PM2.71m
4:40AM3.09m
5:11PM2.96m
5:26AM3.29m
Low Tide
4:56PM1.06m
5:56AM1.21m
6:04PM1.15m
7:19AM1.19m
7:24PM1.14m
8:32AM1.03m
8:35PM1.02m
9:27AM0.80m
9:33PM0.83m
10:13AM0.54m
10:22PM0.60m
10:56AM0.30m
11:08PM0.37m
11:37AM0.12m
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
light rain
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:33
5:31
5:30
5:28
5:26
5:24
5:22
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:19
9:21
9:22
9:24
9:27
9:28
9:30
9:31
1
5
2
2
Temp °C
9
8
8
7
8
9
9
10
9
10
10
10
10
9
9
9
9
9
9
10
12
4
2
0
-1
3
4
3
4
6
5
5
3
2
-2
-1
-1
-1
1
3
5
5
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.2
NW
12
2.1
NNW
11
0.4
WNW
12
1.9
NNW
11
1.5
N
11
1
N
10
1.1
NNW
9
0.3
WNW
9
1.5
NW
8
1.3
NW
8
0.2
N
8
0.1
N
9
0.1
W
16
1.4
NW
10
0.9
WNW
9
0.9
WNW
8
Energy kJ
1321
1064
54
843
555
212
211
17
297
250
5
2
5
341
138
94
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
NW
13
0.4
WNW
12
0.3
WNW
11
0.3
WNW
11
0.3
WNW
10
0.3
WNW
10
0.2
N
9
0.2
N
8
0.1
W
19
0.1
W
16
0.9
N
8
0.5
N
8
Energy kJ
44
57
24
22
19
18
6
5
7
5
113
33
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.1
W
15
0.1
NW
14
0.1
W
15
0.1
W
15
Energy kJ
4
7
4
4
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2
NNW
11
0.6
NW
7
0.8
WNW
8
1.7
NNW
8
1.4
NW
8
1.9
WNW
7
2.2
WNW
9
3.5
WNW
10
3.5
NW
12
3
NW
12
3.5
NNW
11
2.4
NNW
10
1.3
N
9
0.4
SW
3
Energy kJ
925
31
82
365
288
372
784
2232
3769
2798
3174
1080
275
2
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
5
2
1
1
3
1
1
2
Distance (km)
284
87
462
462
95
95
389
138
138
331
332
366
394
341
1222
861
477
341
397
5
152
Best forecast wave conditions in Donegal
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
2
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland
Rating
(10 max)
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
5
5
4
5
4
9
6
4
4
9
5
9
9
5
8
7
6
5
5
5
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
submit an eyeball surf report

Quick surf report for Fanad Head Reef:

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 Fanad Head Reef 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 Fanad Head Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Fanad Head Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Fanad Head Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Fanad Head Reef 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 (Fanad Head Reef) 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 Fanad Head Reef 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.

Fanad Head Reef is 22 km (14 miles) from the city of Malin Head. If you plan a holiday in Donegal, look for hotels and other accommodation in Malin Head. Malin Head has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.

Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest
Nearest locationNearest