Fanad Head Reef surf break

Fanad Head Reef surfForecast / Donegal / Ireland

information circle16 Day Weather and Surf, issued 6 am Thursday 09 Apr 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
8.5° C
(Which is slightly cooler than normal)

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Fanad Head Reef this week:

The surf forecast for Fanad Head Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Apr 10) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 4.0m and 15s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-shore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Fanad Head Reef in the next 16 days are 6.0m 16s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Apr 12) 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 (Apr 14) at 10PM.

Wave TypeTime (IST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Fri 10th Apr)13ft (4.0m) 15s
Best Surf 4AM (Fri 10th Apr)13ft (4.0m) 15s
Most Powerful10AM (Sun 12th Apr)20ft (6.0m) 16s

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 Heavy rain (total 26mm), heaviest during Fri night. Mild temperatures (max 8°C on Sat afternoon, min 3°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the W on Thu afternoon, light winds from the SSE by Thu night).

Days 3-6 Weather Summary Moderate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 11°C on Tue afternoon, min 5°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the W on Sun morning, light winds from the NW by Mon afternoon).

Thursday
09
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
AMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNightAMPMNight
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
0
!
2
2
!
!
3
!
0
2
3
0
2
2
1
0
1
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)
2.2
WNW
4
WNW
4
WNW
3.5
NW
3
NW
2.3
WNW
4.5
WNW
3.5
WNW
3
WNW
6
WNW
4.5
WNW
3
WNW
1.9
NW
1.5
WNW
1.3
WNW
1.3
WNW
1
WNW
0.7
W
1.3
W
1.3
W
2.5
WNW
Period(s) (?)1115151414131715161614121010109912111116
Wave
Graph
(?)Metric surfscale
Energy kJ (?)124273167059449431871915127576232460616229823223217844212842611841363964263594
Wind
(km/h)
30
W
60
W
35
W
25
SSE
45
SSE
30
S
40
S
45
SSE
35
S
45
W
45
W
20
WSW
15
SSE
15
NW
5
S
20
SSE
30
SSE
40
SSE
15
S
20
SSW
40
SSW
Wind State (?)
onshore
cross-onshore
cross-shore
cross-offshore
offshore
glassy
crosscrosscross-
on
offoffcross-
off
offoffoffcross-
on
cross-
on
crossoffoncross-
off
offoffoffcross-
off
cross-
off
cross-
off
High Tide
/ height (m)
11:04AM
2.19
11:52PM
2.28
12:32PM
2.02
1:43AM
2.22
2:33PM
2.04
Low Tide
/ height (m)
5:14PM
1.23
6:23AM
1.38
6:48PM
1.35
8:25AM
1.36
8:37PM
1.26
Thursday
09
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Sunrise6:43--6:39--6:37--6:35--6:33--6:30--6:28--
Sunset-8:22--8:23--8:25--8:28--8:30--8:31--8:34-
rain showers
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
mod rain
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
cloud
cloud
rain showers
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
Rain (mm)
26--27--921211---10131
Temp. °C77676668888788791111131210
Feels °C (?)-1-4-5-3-5-3-4-2-4-2-20544236874
  • 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