
Surf Forecasts:
Strandhill surf forecast from 11 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 18 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 13s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 13s period, WNW swell with 2,071 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 11 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 9s period with WNW 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 Friday (Sep 11) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Strandhill in the next 16 days are 2.5m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 10PM. 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 Saturday (Sep 12) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (IST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4PM (Fri 11th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Fri 18th Sep) | 7ft (2.2m) 13s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 8ft (2.5m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Strandhill over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a proper look at what’s comin’ our way at Strandhill. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The water’s runnin’ at 60°F and feelin’ a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, which is nice if you’re paddlin’ out in a spring suit.
We’ve got a bit of a slow start. The first surf we can really talk about is on Friday morning the 11th, but it’s messy. A 4ft W swell with a short 8-second period, and a cross-onshore wind. The energy is weak at (205). Honestly, it’s not worth paddlin’ out for that. The afternoon cleans up a bit with a cross-offshore breeze and a slightly better 4ft WNW swell, and the energy picks up (276), but it’s still pretty ordinary.
Saturday the 12th brings a bigger pulse – 7ft from the west with a 12-second period. That’s a solid groundswell, and the energy jumps right up (1048). But the wind is cross-shore all day, makin’ it choppy. This size is already pushin’ into intermediate territory, and with the chop, it’s not a great look. The swell is too big for beginners, and the wind is messin’ with it.
Now, Sunday morning the 13th is where we get our first real standout. The wind drops out completely – glassy conditions. There’s a clean 4ft WNW swell, period’s at 11 seconds, and the energy is moderate (286). That’s a proper long-period groundswell, which at a beach/sandbar setup like Strandhill can break a bit straight, but when it’s that clean and small, it’s a gem. For a few hours, that’s the best on offer in the first week. The crowds are listed as ‘sometimes’, so you might have a few mates out, but it won’t be packed. The morning window on Sunday the 13th is your call.
The middle of the week gets blown out. Monday the 14th is tiny and weak, Tuesday the 15th is a mess with strong onshore wind and rain, and Wednesday the 16th through Thursday the 17th are all cross-onshore and lumpy. Thursday the 17th has some serious size – 8ft with a 12-second period and energy at (1366) – but the wind is strong and cross-onshore, makin’ it a washing machine. That’s only for the brave or the fools.
Friday the 18th looks promising for the experienced crew. We’ve got a 7ft WNW swell, 12-second period, and a cross-offshore wind in the morning. The energy is strong (1216). That’s a powerful wave. But at that size, with a long period, it’s gonna be a heavy, fast wave that’s hard to get into. That’s expert territory, and with a beach break, it could be a closeout. The afternoon turns cross-shore and messy again.
The following weekend and into the second week gets a bit more stable. Saturday the 19th is small and clean but nothing special. Sunday the 20th has a clean offshore wind in the morning with a 4ft W swell – nice and tidy, but not a standout.
The real call for the second week is Monday the 21st. Morning has an offshore wind with a 5ft WNW swell and an 11-second period. The energy is moderate (486). The afternoon goes glassy with the same swell. That’s a long window of clean, user-friendly waves. Not the biggest, but the quality will be there. That’s the one to circle if you’re plannin’ ahead, but it’s a week and a half away, so keep an eye on the forecasts.
Tuesday the 22nd gets blown out again with onshore winds. Wednesday the 23rd has a strong offshore wind (25 mph) which will clean it right up, but that’s a nightmare to paddle into – 5ft, 12-second period, but the wind is howlin’. That’s a battle.
Finally, Friday the 25th looks very good. A 5ft WNW swell with an 11-second period, cross-offshore wind, and energy at (603). That’s a clean, solid day. The morning window on Friday the 25th is another standout in the longer range.
So, the best on offer? Sunday morning the 13th for the glassy, small, clean fun. And Monday the 21st for the same vibe, but further out. Friday the 18th is the one for the experienced crew lookin’ for a challenge.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Fri night. Very mild (max 18°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Fri night, calm by Sun morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed night. Very mild (max 18°C on Mon morning, min 12°C on Tue night). Mainly fresh winds. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 11 | Saturday 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 13 | W 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 11 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | W 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | WNW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
205 | 276 | 823 | 1048 | 913 | 488 | 286 | 109 | 84 | 28 | 275 | 282 | 426 | 627 | 1365 | 763 | 342 | 503 | 1230 | 1366 | 1945 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 6:48PM3.89m | 7:12AM3.41m | 7:25PM3.86m | 7:47AM3.42m | 8:00PM3.70m | 8:20AM3.36m | 8:35PM3.47m | 8:53AM3.24m | 9:09PM3.18m | 9:26AM3.07m | 9:44PM2.87m | 10:03AM2.85m | 10:24PM2.56m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:26PM0.07m | 1:01AM-0.13m | 1:03PM0.02m | 1:34AM-0.08m | 1:39PM0.06m | 2:06AM0.06m | 2:15PM0.19m | 2:37AM0.27m | 2:50PM0.40m | 3:08AM0.53m | 3:27PM0.66m | 3:40AM0.81m | 4:07PM0.95m | ||||||||
6:58 | — | — | 7:00 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:05 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | |
— | 8:01 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:57 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:46 | — | |
mm | — | — | 15 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 4 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 17 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 |
Feels °C | 12 | 13 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 13 | — | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | NW 13 | W 9 | NW 12 | — | — | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | — | — | — | WNW 13 |
205 | 276 | 823 | — | 913 | 488 | 286 | 109 | 84 | 28 | 7 | 282 | 5 | — | — | 763 | 342 | — | — | — | 1945 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | NW 13 | W 9 | — | NW 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 47 | 7 | 23 | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 13 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | S 4 | W 12 | — | — | — | — | SSW 3 | S 3 | W 11 | — | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 11 | — | W 3 | W 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 12 | — |
— | — | 16 | 1048 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 275 | — | 426 | 627 | 1365 | — | 6 | 503 | 1230 | 1366 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 8 | 0 | 243 | 41 | 8 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 162 | 1185 | 1232 | 431 | 243 | 465 | 469 | 515 | 712 | 243 |
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.










