Surf Forecasts:
Sandwood Bay surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 18 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 14s period, WNW swell with 6,440 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 18 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 12s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Sandwood Bay this week:
The surf forecast for Sandwood Bay over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Sandwood Bay in the next 16 days are 4.0m 14s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 18) at 4AM. 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 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Fri 18th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Sandwood Bay over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and listen up. Rusty here, and I've been staring at the charts for Sandwood Bay. It's a bit of a tricky one for the next couple of weeks, with the wind and the size trying to keep us out of the water for long stretches. But trust me, there are a couple of windows that'll make it all worth it.
Let's break it down. The first week is a bit of a write-off for quality surfing, to be honest. The waves are there, but so is a lot of wind. We kick off on Monday the 14th with a chest-high 5 ft swell from the WSW, but a stiff SSW breeze makes it messy. The wave energy is moderate at 497, but the conditions are just poor. That theme sticks around for days. We see a bit of a spike in size on Thursday the 17th, with a 8 ft swell, but that comes with a 28 mph cross-wind – total chop. By Friday the 18th, it gets proper chunky, with a 13 ft swell from the WNW, but again, strong cross-winds make it a mess. The combined energy is strong at 4637, but it's not for paddling. For the most part, unless you're a kiter, you're watching from the beach.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Hold on for Thursday the 24th of September. The morning looks a bit average, but the afternoon is a hidden gem. We’ve got a light offshore wind from the SSE, glassy conditions, and a clean 4 ft swell rolling in from the west with a long period of 12 seconds. The water temperature is about normal for the time of year at 56°, so not too bad for a late-season session. This is your window for a clean, fun wave on a quiet break. The energy is moderate at 760, but the quality will be top-notch.
If you’ve got a bit more experience and can wait, the real standout looks to be Friday the 25th of September. This is the pick of the forecast. We’re looking at a clean, glassy morning with light winds from the south. The swell is a solid 6 ft from the WNW, with a very long period of 14 seconds. That’s proper groundswell energy. The combined energy is strong at 1517. This is a big, powerful wave best suited for reef or point setups, and with that long period, the sets will be clean and lined up. The water temp is still that same 56°. This is excellent for experienced surfers. After that, the surf starts to taper off and the winds pick up again heading into the end of the month.
So, in short: the middle of the month is a write-off with onshore winds and some big, unruly swells. Your best bets are the afternoon of Thursday the 24th for a clean, manageable session, and the morning of Friday the 25th for the real deal – a powerful, clean groundswell that will have the experienced crew grinning.
Stay stoked, and keep an eye on the horizon.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 67mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the N on Mon night, strong winds from the SW by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Thu morning. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Thu night, near gales from the WSW by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WSW 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 11 | W 10 | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 12 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | WNW 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 13 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 301 | 205 | 239 | 284 | 190 | 220 | 467 | 392 | 505 | 952 | 3934 | 6115 | 4624 | 2402 | 1525 | 1548 | 1608 | 1792 | 3478 | 3280 | 3412 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 10:05PM4.68m | 10:27AM4.50m | 10:40PM4.39m | 11:02AM4.27m | 11:17PM4.07m | 11:41AM4.02m | 00:01AM3.75m | 12:35PM3.77m | 1:13AM3.46m | 1:59PM3.58m | 3:04AM3.32m | 3:35PM3.56m | |||||||||
Low Tide | 4:07PM0.82m | 4:31AM0.81m | 4:41PM1.10m | 5:04AM1.19m | 5:16PM1.44m | 5:37AM1.59m | 5:55PM1.80m | 6:15AM1.98m | 6:44PM2.14m | 7:07AM2.33m | 8:00PM2.38m | 8:49AM2.53m | 10:15PM2.34m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  | |  |  | | | | | |  | |  | | |  | |
 | 6:45 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:50 | — | — | 6:52 | — | — | 6:54 | — | — | 6:56 | — | — | 6:58 | — | — |
 | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:27 | — |
mm | 5 | 11 | 32 | 8 | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 10 |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 14 |
Feels °C | 9 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 12 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | N 8 | W 10 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | WNW 12 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | — | — | — | WNW 13 |
| kJ | 196 | 205 | 239 | 284 | 190 | 220 | 316 | 392 | 92 | 32 | 20 | 23 | 13 | 2402 | 16 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | 3412 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | NNW 12 | N 11 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | W 11 | N 9 | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | N 9 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 145 | 86 | 51 | 49 | 26 | 467 | 258 | 7 | — | — | — | — | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 5 | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 8 | — | — | — | — | 84 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WSW 9 | SW 6 | — | — | WNW 5 | NNW 5 | — | — | WSW 9 | W 10 | W 12 | WNW 14 | WNW 13 | SSW 5 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 12 | WNW 12 | — |
| kJ | 301 | 50 | — | — | 41 | 66 | — | — | 505 | 952 | 3934 | 6115 | 4624 | 49 | 1525 | 1548 | 1608 | 1792 | 3478 | 3280 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 47 | 18 | 8 | 18 | 765 | 930 | 95 | 18 | 47 | 434 | 688 | 765 | 377 | 73 | 384 | 726 | 637 | 378 | 377 | 116 | 73 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Sandwood Bay Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Sandwood Bay provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Sandwood Bay can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Sandwood 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 (Sandwood 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 Sandwood 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 Scotland - North Coast? If you are looking for accommodation near Sandwood Bay, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - North Coast, consider staying in Stornoway which is 86 km (53 miles) away. Alternatively, find information about places to stay and car hire in Scrabster which is 89 km (55 miles) away
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