Surf Forecasts:
The Bowl surf forecast from 9 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, N swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NW swell with 1,311 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period with N 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 Tuesday (Aug 11) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at The Bowl in the next 16 days are 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, ol' Rusty here. Let's chew the fat on what The Bowl's got brewin' over this 16-day stretch.
First up, the early going is a write-off. Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th blowin' messy with 2.4m to 2.5m waves but hammered by strong cross-shore chop. Water temp is about 56°F, nothing strange for this time of year. Tuesday the 11th drops off small and weak, energy only 117 to 181.
Then we hit a flat spell from Wednesday the 12th right through to the 18th. Tiny 1ft to 2ft slop, energy barely crackin' triple digits. There's a few glassy mornings – Thursday the 13th afternoon and Friday the 14th morning – but we're talkin' ankle-biters. That's a solid week of not much.
Now, Tuesday the 18th morning kicks back in with an 8ft west swell, energy 1128, but it's still cross-shore and lumpy. The real standout is Wednesday the 19th morning. The Bowl points west-northwest, pushin' 7ft of swell with a 9-second period, light southwest cross-off wind, and clean. Energy sits at 647. This is advanced-only territory, sometimes crowded, but that northwest direction is bang on what this reef wants. That morning is your golden window.
Saturday the 22nd morning throws up 8ft from the west, light cross-shore wind and big energy of 1179 – worth a look if the tide lines up. Sunday the 23rd morning goes 10ft from the northwest, but it's cross-on and really only for the brave. Then Monday the 24th afternoon shapes up nicely: 6ft from the west-northwest, a solid 12 mph SSE offshore wind, clean and workable.
So, plain speak: the first week plus is trash, but Wednesday the 19th morning is the one to circle. That clean 7ft west-northwest swell at The Bowl is where it's at. Monday the 24th afternoon's also a good backup if you got patience.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue night, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun morning, calm by Mon night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Fri morning. Warm (max 23°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | |||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 11 | W 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 979 | 792 | 671 | 1153 | 873 | 402 | 195 | 102 | 39 | 65 | 102 | 33 | 82 | 112 | 92 | 65 | 57 | 39 | 12 | 56 | 47 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-on | off | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 6:32PM4.36m | 7:16AM4.39m | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | 9:57AM4.97m | 9:59PM5.31m | 10:39AM4.99m | 10:40PM5.35m | 11:18AM4.92m | 11:19PM5.28m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 12:22PM2.08m | 1:01AM1.85m | 1:26PM1.88m | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | 3:48PM1.37m | 4:17AM0.79m | 4:28PM1.34m | 4:58AM0.82m | 5:07PM1.40m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  | | | | | |  | |  | |  | | | | | | |
 | 5:20 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:17 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:13 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:02 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 22 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NW 12 | — | — | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 11 | W 10 | W 6 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 |
| kJ | 26 | 14 | 161 | — | — | 402 | 195 | 102 | 39 | 65 | 102 | 29 | 82 | 112 | 92 | 65 | 57 | 39 | 12 | 56 | 47 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | WSW 10 | N 9 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 41 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 16 | 15 | 33 | 6 | 18 | 28 | 25 | 24 | 13 | 12 | 19 | 42 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | — | W 9 | SE 5 | SE 5 | N 7 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | E 6 | E 5 | — | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | 5 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | — | — | SE 3 | ESE 4 | SSE 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | NNE 4 |
| kJ | 979 | 792 | 671 | 1153 | 873 | — | — | 3 | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 176 | 759 | 421 | 207 | 286 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 63 | 63 | 924 | 63 | 63 |
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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