Surf Forecasts:
The Bowl surf forecast from 12 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 14 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 12s period, WNW swell with 258 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 13 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 8s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for The Bowl this week:
The surf forecast for The Bowl over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 13) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 21s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Bowl in the next 16 days are 0.9m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Mon 13th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Tue 14th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Bowl over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. I’m looking at the forecast for The Bowl over the next sixteen days, and the honest truth is, we’re going to have to work for any scraps we get. The good news is this reef setup at The Bowl cleans up nicely with the S’ly offshore direction it prefers, but the swell just isn’t cooperating for most of the run.
We kick off the window with a tiny pulse. Sunday the 12th is first up. It’s a small morning session with a 2ft WNW swell pushing in at 8 seconds, making for some weak, short-period chop. The combined wave energy is a measly 70. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the ESE at 9 mph though, which keeps the surface glassy. It’s surfable, but it seriously lacks push. Water temp is a normal 55° for this time of year, nothing special.
Monday the 13th is more of the same: 2ft, weak, and pretty ordinary. Tuesday the 14th is about the best of a bad bunch in this first week. The swell bumps up a touch to 3ft with an improving 10-second period, WNW. The combined energy jumps to 247. The winds stay clean and cross-off, so the wave faces will be smooth. The Bowl is advanced, and you’d need your A-game to find a decent one, but it’s your best chance for a turnable wave all week. Everything else after that drops off the face of the earth – we’re looking at barely rideable 1ft to 2ft drivel through the weekend.
There’s a big pause coming. From late on the 14th right through to the 18th, the surf is basically flat. It’s not a good run.
The long-range outlook does eventually show a pulse of something serious, but it comes with a price. By Tuesday the 22nd, a much larger WNW swell arrives, building to 7ft on Wednesday the 23rd. The period is a solid groundswell 11 seconds, and the combined energy spikes to 995. That is powerful. The problem? That’s all smothered by a nasty cross-onshore wind from the NW at 16-19 mph, making for a choppy, blown-out mess. For an advanced reef like The Bowl, this setup is more likely to be a washing machine for experts only, and even then, the quality will be poor. It looks more like a kite-surfing day than a clean surf session.
If I’m calling out a standalone highlight, it’s got to be Tuesday morning July 14th. The 3ft swell (WNW, 10 sec), combined with the clean, light cross-offshore breeze from the ESE at 9 mph, makes it the only window with both enough size and a clean face. For an advanced spot, you’ll have it to yourself if you’re keen.
Stay hopeful, the long-range can always shift, but for now, temper your expectations.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 19°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Thu afternoon, min 13°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 68 | 43 | 28 | 51 | 45 | 65 | 132 | 242 | 125 | 64 | 39 | 25 | 23 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 41 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:42PM4.70m | 8:15AM4.66m | 8:36PM4.92m | 9:14AM4.82m | 9:27PM5.10m | 10:07AM4.91m | 10:14PM5.21m | 10:57AM4.92m | 10:59PM5.25m | 11:45AM4.85m | 11:44PM5.19m | 12:31PM4.70m | 00:29AM5.05m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 1:33PM1.67m | 2:06AM1.53m | 2:27PM1.53m | 2:58AM1.22m | 3:16PM1.44m | 3:47AM0.99m | 4:03PM1.40m | 4:34AM0.87m | 4:47PM1.44m | 5:20AM0.88m | 5:31PM1.54m | 6:05AM1.00m | 6:14PM1.70m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 4:24 | — | — | 4:24 | — | — | 4:26 | — | — | 4:28 | — | — | 4:31 | — | — | 4:31 | — | — | 4:33 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:14 | — | — | 10:13 | — | — | 10:12 | — | — | 10:09 | — | — | 10:08 | — | — | 10:07 | — | — | 10:05 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 18 | 19 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
| kJ | 68 | 43 | 28 | 51 | 45 | 65 | 132 | 242 | 125 | 64 | 39 | 25 | 23 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 10 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NNW 6 | WNW 9 | W 21 | W 15 | W 14 | W 12 | — | W 18 | W 18 | — | — | — | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | WNW 14 |
| kJ | 2 | 4 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 106 | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 41 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 7 | E 7 | W 21 | — | E 6 | W 19 | — | W 18 | E 6 | — | — | — | — | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | — | W 9 | W 8 | NE 7 |
| kJ | — | 1 | 1 | 9 | — | 1 | 7 | — | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ENE 2 | — | E 7 | E 2 | — | E 6 | ESE 2 | SE 3 | SE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | SE 3 | ESE 2 | ESE 3 | ESE 2 | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 51 | 170 | 0 | 170 | 0 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 59 | 63 | 369 | 369 | 651 | 653 | 948 | 838 | 864 | 369 | 16 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the The Bowl Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for The Bowl provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at The Bowl can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our The Bowl 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 (The Bowl) 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 The Bowl 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 The Bowl, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - North Coast, consider staying in Scrabster which is 7 km (4 miles) away. Other places in and around Scotland - North Coast where you can find information about places to rent, and car hire include Wick which is 39 km (24 miles) away and Kirkwall, 56 km (35 miles) away.
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