Surf Forecasts:
Strandhill surf forecast from 30 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 13s period, W swell with 9,027 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 30 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 10s period with W swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Strandhill this week:
The surf forecast for Strandhill over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 30) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Strandhill in the next 16 days are 5.0m 13s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) 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 0.9m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 06) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Sun 30th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 1st Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 16ft (5.0m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strandhill over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right. So, lookin' over the whole 16-day window, I'm gonna be straight with you – it's a tough one at Strandhill. We've got a bit of a slow start, and then a pulse of proper size that gets completely blown out. The real takeaway? Be patient. The first few days are small, then we get a taste of something bigger, but it's not gonna be easy. Let's walk through it.
We kick off Sunday the 30th of August. The morning is a write-off – light rain and a tiny 1ft west swell. The water's at 62°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that's a small silver lining. The afternoon turns glassy, with light rain and a tiny 2ft swell. It's surfable, but barely. We're looking at weak wave energy (64) and very ordinary conditions.
Monday the 31st is a no-go. The wind swings onshore and the swell jumps to 6ft, but it's a messy, choppy cross-onshore mess with moderate energy (361). The wind is howling at 16 mph from the WNW. Not worth paddling out.
Tuesday the 1st of September and Wednesday the 2nd are more of the same – cross-shore winds, lumpy conditions, and small to moderate swell. The energy stays moderate (247 to 124), but it's all pretty ordinary. We get a clean-up on Wednesday afternoon with a light cross-offshore breeze and a 3ft swell, but the energy is weak (73). You could have a go, but it's not gonna be a session to remember.
Now, Thursday the 3rd of September is where it gets interesting. The swell jumps to 7ft from the west with a 11-second period. That's a solid groundswell, and the energy is strong (1131). But here's the kicker: the wind is cross-shore from the SW at 12 mph, and the forecast says "marginal" due to tide. It's a beach break, so that long period (11 seconds) might make it a bit straight and tricky. This is a window for the experienced surfer only. The afternoon gets even bigger, 8ft, but the wind howls to 22 mph, making it a total mess.
Friday the 4th is for the absolute die-hards or the kite surfers. The swell is just too big and raw – 13ft in the morning, 12ft in the afternoon. The wind is a strong 25 mph cross-onshore. The energy is extreme (5056 and 3376). It's a beast, but it's a messy, blown-out beast. For a beach break like Strandhill, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
The weekend of the 5th and 6th of September gives us a chance to breathe. The swell drops back to 5ft on Saturday morning with a light cross-shore breeze, but the energy is moderate (391). It's still marginal. Saturday afternoon cleans up nicely with a cross-offshore breeze and a 3ft swell. Sunday the 6th sees a clean, cross-offshore wind, but the swell is small (3ft to 5ft). The energy is weak to moderate (125 to 400). It's a clean, small wave day.
The second week is a slow slide into small, clean conditions. Monday the 7th of September has a 6ft swell with a long 11-second period, but the wind is onshore and the energy is strong (856). It's marginal. From Tuesday the 8th onwards, it's all small stuff – 1ft to 4ft, with weak energy (14 to 179). The winds are mostly light or off-shore, with some glassy periods on the 11th and 12th. The 12th of September is a standout in the second week: Saturday morning shows a 2ft swell, glassy conditions, and a long 11-second period. The energy is weak (86), but it's clean and glassy. The same goes for the afternoon – glassy with a 2ft swell. It's small, but it'll be a nice, cruisy session.
So, the best bet in the whole outlook? If you're an expert and want to get into some proper swell, Thursday the 3rd of September morning is your window. The swell is 7ft from the west, and the energy is strong (1131). The wind is cross-shore, but it's the biggest, most powerful swell of the period. For the rest of us, focus on the clean, small windows. The afternoon of Sunday the 6th, and the morning of Saturday the 12th of September are the best for a clean, fun, small wave session. The 12th is especially promising – it's a bit of a hidden gem, with glassy conditions and a long period swell that will be a joy to paddle out into.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Tue night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Very mild (max 18°C on Wed morning, min 13°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WSW on Thu night, light winds from the WNW by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | W 9 | WNW 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WSW 7 | W 11 | W 12 | W 12 | W 13 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
33 | 63 | 32 | 361 | 143 | 86 | 247 | 332 | 140 | 124 | 72 | 259 | 1126 | 1721 | 5064 | 5056 | 3376 | 1211 | 391 | 173 | 90 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:00PM3.66m | 8:21AM3.25m | 8:34PM3.56m | 8:56AM3.20m | 9:10PM3.40m | 9:34AM3.10m | 9:51PM3.16m | 10:19AM2.94m | 10:43PM2.88m | 11:18AM2.76m | 11:53PM2.61m | 12:40PM2.64m | 1:30AM2.46m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:40PM0.17m | 2:10AM0.09m | 2:13PM0.21m | 2:42AM0.17m | 2:49PM0.33m | 3:17AM0.33m | 3:29PM0.51m | 3:57AM0.55m | 4:18PM0.74m | 4:48AM0.82m | 5:23PM0.98m | 5:59AM1.06m | 7:02PM1.12m | ||||||||
6:37 | — | — | 6:39 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:41 | — | — | 6:43 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 8:30 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:25 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:16 | — | |
mm | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 |
Feels °C | 15 | 17 | 13 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 9 | W 11 | — | W 10 | W 9 | — | W 9 | W 8 | — | W 8 | NW 11 | NW 11 | — | — | W 13 | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 |
33 | 63 | 10 | — | 47 | 39 | — | 332 | 140 | — | 72 | 5 | 5 | — | — | 5056 | — | — | 391 | 173 | 90 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | NW 6 | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
5 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NW 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 4 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 8 | — | SSE 2 | W 8 | SSW 3 | WSW 7 | W 11 | W 12 | W 12 | — | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | — | — | SSW 4 |
— | — | 32 | 361 | 143 | 86 | 247 | — | 1 | 124 | 4 | 259 | 1126 | 1721 | 5064 | — | 3376 | 1211 | — | — | 10 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 5 | 0 | 254 | 273 | 243 | 41 | 238 | 41 | 8 | 229 | 474 | 273 | 164 | 231 | 534 | 590 | 712 | 293 | 8 | 8 | 50 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Sligo | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in Ireland | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Strandhill Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Strandhill provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Strandhill can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Strandhill 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 (Strandhill) 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 Strandhill 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 Sligo? If you are looking for accommodation near Strandhill, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Sligo, consider staying in Sligo which is 9 km (6 miles) away. Other places in and around Sligo where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Ballina which is 40 km (25 miles) away, Killybegs, Enniskillen and Claremorris.











