Surf Forecasts:
The Bowl surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 11s period, WNW swell with 2,301 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 11s 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.5m and 11s period. 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 3.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Best Surf | 1PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 11s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 10ft (3.0m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s headin’ our way for The Bowl. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, but there’s a bit of light at the end of the tunnel if you’re patient.
The forecast starts off a bit flat and messy. We’ve got small swell around 3ft to 4ft for the first few days, but the wind is just awful – cross-shore, cross-on, and a lot of chop. The wave energy is weak to moderate (147), and the water is sitting at 56°, which is about normal for this time of year. Honestly, it’s not worth paddling out for. Sunday the 19th through to Wednesday the 23rd, it’s just a write-off.
We hit a bit of a lull in quality, but things start to get interesting from Friday the 24th. The swell bumps up to 10ft from the WNW with a 9-second period, and the wind goes clean cross-off. The energy jumps to a very strong 1325. Now, this is big – over 8ft – so this is strictly for the experts. It’s a clean, powerful reef break, but it’s gonna be a handful. The Bowl is fairly consistent, and crowds are possible, but with conditions like that, you’ll probably have it to yourself if you’re brave enough.
The standout, and I mean the real standout, is Saturday the 25th. The morning is still 10ft, but the period stretches to 11 seconds, making for a proper groundswell. The real gem is the afternoon: the swell drops a touch to 8ft, the wind goes light offshore from the south at 6 mph, and the energy is still massive (1429). The Bowl is a reef, so this long-period swell will wrap in beautifully. The water is still around 56°. This is excellent for experienced surfers. The conditions are clean, and the wave quality is top-notch. The Bowl is advanced-only, so you better have your wits about you.
After that, Sunday the 26th through to the end of the month, the swell drops back to 4ft to 7ft, and the wind gets messy again – cross-on, onshore, and choppy. Not much to write home about until Saturday the 1st of August. The morning session shows a glassy 5ft from the WNW, with a light NNE breeze. The energy is moderate (281). It’s not the size of the 25th, but it’ll be clean and fun for a morning paddle. The rest of the first week of August is a mix of cross-on winds and small swell, so there’s nothing else that really stands out.
So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The one to circle on your calendar is Saturday the 25th of July, especially the afternoon. That’s the best bet for a quality, clean, powerful session. Be ready for the size.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 18°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Wed afternoon, strong winds from the WSW by Fri morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
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 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 6 | W 7 | WNW 9 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 84 | 102 | 68 | 183 | 188 | 178 | 187 | 316 | 455 | 300 | 274 | 179 | 207 | 200 | 427 | 1325 | 1955 | 2301 | 1978 | 1429 | 579 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:16PM4.50m | 1:14AM4.84m | 2:04PM4.29m | 2:03AM4.58m | 2:54PM4.11m | 2:57AM4.31m | 3:51PM3.98m | 4:00AM4.08m | 4:54PM3.95m | 5:13AM3.94m | 6:01PM4.00m | 6:29AM3.92m | 7:01PM4.14m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:58PM1.91m | 7:38AM1.51m | 7:46PM2.13m | 8:29AM1.81m | 8:40PM2.34m | 9:27AM2.09m | 9:49PM2.49m | 10:35AM2.28m | 11:12PM2.51m | 11:45AM2.35m | 00:26AM2.39m | 12:46PM2.31m | 1:24AM2.19m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  | | | |  | | | | | |  | | |  |  | | | |
 | 4:35 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | 4:39 | — | — | 4:41 | — | — | 4:43 | — | — | 4:46 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:04 | — | — | 10:01 | — | — | 10:00 | — | — | 9:58 | — | — | 9:55 | — | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | N 6 | WNW 11 | W 11 | WNW 8 | W 10 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 9 | NW 8 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | N 7 | — | — | — | — | WNW 10 | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 25 | 11 | 43 | 57 | 188 | 74 | 12 | 12 | 5 | 25 | 274 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1429 | 579 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 12 | WNW 12 | W 9 | N 6 | W 10 | N 9 | — | — | — | N 8 | N 7 | — | — | — | W 13 | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 |
| kJ | 31 | 27 | 13 | 2 | 33 | 23 | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | NE 9 | N 6 | N 7 | N 6 | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 7 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | NW 8 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 6 | W 7 | WNW 9 | W 10 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | — | — |
| kJ | 84 | 102 | 68 | 183 | — | 178 | 187 | 316 | 455 | 300 | — | 179 | 207 | 200 | 427 | 1325 | 1955 | 2301 | 1978 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 63 | 63 | 186 | 186 | 1085 | 354 | 778 | 1106 | 453 | 63 | 63 | 364 | 422 | 424 | 34 | 418 | 1106 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
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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