
Surf Forecasts:
Magheraroarty Strand surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 10s period, WNW swell with 1,662 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 23 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s period with NW 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 Thursday (Jul 23) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s. 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 3.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) 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 1.4m 6s period and expected on Saturday (Jul 25) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Thu 23rd Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 7ft (2.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 10s |
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 Magheraroarty Strand over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, I’ve got to be honest with you – it’s a bit of a slow start. The first several days are looking pretty grim. We’re looking at a gap of nearly four days with nothing worth paddling out for. The water is sitting at 61°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s one small mercy.
Things start to get a little interesting on Thursday morning, the 23rd of July. We’ve got a small, clean wave with a WSW cross-offshore breeze. The swell is a tiny 2ft from the NW, with a period of 6 seconds – so short-period windswell, but it’s clean. The energy is weak, at only 43. It’s surfable, but you’ll be working for every little ride. It’s definitely not a standout.
Friday the 24th is where my ears perk up a bit. The morning brings a 6ft swell from the WNW, pushing up to 7ft in the afternoon. The period stretches to 9 seconds, which is a better shaped wave. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SW, and the combined energy jumps into the moderate range at 585. This is marginal and the tide might be a factor, but if you get it right, it could be the best of the early run. Still, it’s not a true standout for me.
The weekend gets messy. Saturday the 25th has a big 10ft WNW swell, but the wind is a cross-onshore from the NW, making it choppy and tough. That’s expert-only territory, and the conditions are poor. Sunday the 26th sees it drop to 5ft, but the wind is still cross-onshore, so it’s not clean.
Now, the real standout in this whole 16-day window is shaping up for Monday the 27th of July. The morning has a clean 5ft swell from the west, with a 9-second period, and a cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. The energy is a solid 567. It’s not huge, but it’s a clean, well-shaped wave with good wind. The break is a point, so that longer period will wrap in nicely. It’s inconsistent here, so don’t expect a set every minute, but when they come, they’ll be worth it.
After that, the rest of the window is a real mixed bag of onshore winds, lumpy conditions, and poor surf. The 3rd of August (Monday) has a clean 7ft WNW swell, but it’s predicted to be too big for this break. Tuesday the 4th has a 5ft west swell, but the wind is cross-shore, making it messy.
So, to wrap it up: if you’re itching for a paddle, Friday the 24th is a marginal call, but Monday the 27th of July is the one to circle. That’s your best shot for clean, decent waves. Keep your eyes on the sky, and don’t be afraid to sit it out until then.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Thu morning, strong winds from the WSW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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) | W 11 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | N 11 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
57 | 83 | 105 | 104 | 87 | 87 | 96 | 64 | 45 | 31 | 29 | 307 | 585 | 623 | 1148 | 1662 | 1217 | 906 | 393 | 294 | 269 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 11:07AM2.74m | 11:30PM2.96m | 11:57AM2.57m | 00:22AM2.68m | 12:57PM2.45m | 1:26AM2.47m | 2:10PM2.39m | 2:43AM2.37m | 3:27PM2.44m | 3:58AM2.40m | 4:32PM2.58m | 4:56AM2.52m | 5:21PM2.76m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:03PM0.63m | 5:45AM0.76m | 5:57PM0.88m | 6:39AM0.97m | 7:02PM1.09m | 7:44AM1.12m | 8:22PM1.20m | 8:57AM1.16m | 9:40PM1.18m | 10:03AM1.10m | 10:42PM1.06m | 10:56AM0.96m | 11:30PM0.90m | ||||||||
5:18 | — | — | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:57 | — | — | 9:54 | — | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 | — | — | 9:51 | — | — | 9:49 | — | — | 9:46 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NW 6 | NW 6 | — | — | — | WNW 11 | — | — | — | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | N 11 |
57 | 57 | 51 | 47 | 44 | 27 | 26 | 64 | 45 | 31 | 29 | — | — | — | 1148 | — | — | — | 393 | 294 | 269 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 19 | W 18 | W 18 | W 18 | — | W 16 | W 16 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 12 | N 11 | N 11 |
7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | — | 5 | 5 | 25 | 14 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 123 | 269 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 6 | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 33 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | — | — | — | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | NW 10 | N 6 | — | W 9 |
47 | 83 | 105 | 104 | 87 | 87 | 96 | — | — | — | 66 | 307 | 585 | 623 | — | 1662 | 1217 | 906 | 64 | — | 263 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 341 | 1335 | 341 | 363 | 592 | 312 | 312 | 36 | 163 | 0 | 1295 | 96 | 96 | 1741 | 66 | 492 | 1216 | 259 | 66 | 36 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Donegal | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.










