
Surf Forecasts:
Magheraroarty Strand surf forecast from 28 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 4 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 7s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, NW swell with 635 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 29 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 8s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Magheraroarty Strand this week:
The surf forecast for Magheraroarty Strand over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Magheraroarty Strand in the next 16 days are 2.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 8s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Wed 29th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Tue 4th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 7s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Thu 30th Jul) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Magheraroarty Strand over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for Magheroarty Strand over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, it’s a slow start. The first few days are a write-off with strong onshore winds and weak, messy swell. We’ve got a bit of a gap before anything really worth paddling out for shows up.
The first flicker of hope comes on Wednesday, July 29th with a morning session. The swell is a modest 5ft from the W, with a short period of 8 seconds. The wind is a light cross-off at 9 mph, and the water is a touch warmer than normal at 60°. The combined energy is moderate at 296, but the conditions are labelled as "expect good surf". It’s not a standout, but it’s the first clean surf in the window. The break is exposed, so it’ll pick up that west swell, but it’s inconsistent, so don’t expect a set every minute.
The real standout, the one that’s got my heart racing, is Wednesday, August 5th. This is a serious pulse of energy. The swell is predicted to be a solid 12ft from the NNW with a 10-second period. The combined energy is a massive 2503, which is very strong. The wind is a strong cross-off at 25 mph, so it’ll be clean. But here’s the catch – this is a big, powerful swell. At 12ft, this is strictly for the experts. The break is a point, so it should handle the size, but it’s going to be a heavy, powerful wave. The forecast says it could be too big for this break, so only the most experienced crew should even think about it.
The rest of the week after that is a mixed bag. Thursday, August 8th has a morning offering with a 1ft, 12-second groundswell from the WNW. The combined energy is weak at 56, and the wind is a light cross-off. It’s a long-period swell, which means better shape but longer waits between sets. It’s a small, clean day for the longboard or a fun log, but nothing to get too excited about.
Overall, the best two windows are the Wednesday morning (July 29th) for a small, clean beginner-friendly session, and the epic, expert-only swell on August 5th. The rest of the time, the wind is howling, the swell is junky, or it’s just too small. Stay patient.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SW on Tue morning, light winds from the WSW by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 19°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Fri morning, calm by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | N 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
81 | 60 | 338 | 257 | 172 | 189 | 333 | 230 | 84 | 255 | 225 | 297 | 331 | 488 | 238 | 121 | 91 | 51 | 90 | 164 | 122 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 6:38PM3.11m | 6:52AM2.91m | 7:12PM3.26m | 7:25AM2.99m | 7:44PM3.35m | 7:57AM3.03m | 8:15PM3.40m | 8:28AM3.03m | 8:47PM3.39m | 9:01AM3.00m | 9:19PM3.32m | 9:35AM2.94m | 9:53PM3.21m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:16PM0.60m | 00:46AM0.58m | 12:50PM0.45m | 1:20AM0.46m | 1:22PM0.33m | 1:52AM0.37m | 1:53PM0.26m | 2:23AM0.32m | 2:24PM0.25m | 2:55AM0.32m | 2:57PM0.30m | 3:28AM0.36m | 3:31PM0.40m | ||||||||
5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:44 | — | — | 9:42 | — | — | 9:39 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:37 | — | — | 9:35 | — | — | 9:32 | |
mm | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 17 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 15 |
Feels °C | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 17 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | N 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | NW 8 | NW 7 | NW 7 | NW 7 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 |
81 | 60 | 338 | 257 | 172 | 189 | 333 | 230 | 84 | 64 | 46 | 29 | 30 | 17 | 238 | 121 | 91 | 42 | 90 | 164 | 122 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | N 9 | N 9 | NNW 11 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 8 | WSW 8 | W 10 | N 8 | NW 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 4 |
— | — | 59 | 39 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 18 | 14 | 17 | 51 | 16 | 17 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WSW 8 | N 7 | N 7 | SW 9 | WSW 8 | NW 6 | WSW 10 |
— | — | — | — | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 10 | 4 | 21 | 7 | 6 | 9 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 7 | WSW 8 | — | — | — | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | E 3 | E 4 | SE 3 | — |
371 | 408 | — | — | — | 130 | 214 | 173 | 130 | 255 | 225 | 297 | 331 | 488 | — | — | — | 1 | 27 | 5 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 96 | 47 | 58 | 0 | 58 | 13 | 414 | 832 | 17 | 348 | 456 | 433 | 589 | 593 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Donegal | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Magheraroarty Strand Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Magheraroarty Strand provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Magheraroarty Strand can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Magheraroarty Strand 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 (Magheraroarty Strand) 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 Magheraroarty Strand 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.
Magheroarty Strand is 35 km (22 miles) from the city of Letterkenny. If you plan a holiday in Donegal, look for hotels and other accommodation in Letterkenny. Letterkenny has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










