Surf Forecasts:
The Bowl surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 10s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.5m), 8s period, W swell with 856 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 26 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s 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 Sunday (Jul 26) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. 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 2.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 4PM. 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+) | 4AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Sun 26th Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Fri 24th Jul) | 8ft (2.5m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for The Bowl over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, looking at the forecast for The Bowl. Let's get into it.
The week ahead is a bit of a mixed bag. We've got some solid swell pushing through, but for the most part, the wind is going to be a real pain in the arse. It's not until the end of the week, and into the following week, that we start to see the conditions line up for something truly special.
The first real shot of decent surf shows up on Friday, July 24th. The Bowl is a heavy reef break, so it's advanced only. The swell is a solid 7ft to 8ft coming from the West, with the combined energy of all swells hitting a hefty 816. The wind is a cross-offshore breeze from the WSW, which is cleaning things up nicely. The sets are around 8-9 seconds, so it's a bit of a wind swell, but with that size and clean conditions, it’s going to be a serious session for the crew who know what they're doing. The water temperature is 55°, which is about average for the time of year.
Now, the standout. The real magic happens on Sunday, July 26th. Get this: a 3 mph breeze from the Northeast, turning to glassy conditions. The swell drops to a more manageable 4ft, still from the WNW, but the period stretches to 10 seconds. The combined energy is 408. We're talking smooth, glassy waves. The Bowl will be clean and lined up. This is the best on offer, no question. The crowds are sometimes an issue here, but for a session like this, it's worth sharing the takeoff zone.
The following morning, Monday July 27th, keeps the clean theme going with a 7ft WNW swell, 10-second period, and a cross-offshore wind. The combined energy climbs to 881. It's a fat, powerful swell, but the wind is still good.
Looking further out, the pattern shifts. Tuesday, July 28th, gives us a proper offshore wind from the SSW, with a 5ft, 10-second West swell. The combined energy is 598. This is a really good combination, offering a long, manageable swell with clean, offshore conditions. It’s a great surf day.
The end of the run is a bit of a fade. The swell drops off significantly, and by the first week of August, the surf will be small and weak. Thursday, July 30th, sees a late window of clean, 5ft surf with a glassy afternoon, but after that, the energy dies right out. The last few days of the forecast, from August 1st through to August 5th, are looking flat with poor conditions. It’s a long quiet spell to end the 16-day window.
So, to wrap it up: the best waves of the period are on Sunday, July 26th, for that glassy, perfect 4ft swell. The Tuesday July 28th session with the true offshore wind is a close second for a different kind of fun. The big Friday July 24th swell is for the experts only.
Stay safe out there.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu morning, min 11°C on Tue morning). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Fri afternoon, calm by Sat night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | |||||||||||||||
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 6 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | N 10 | W 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 266 | 606 | 664 | 360 | 270 | 264 | 205 | 400 | 521 | 812 | 856 | 809 | 611 | 706 | 480 | 322 | 251 | 484 | 698 | 754 | 523 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | glassy | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | 7:34AM4.01m | 7:51PM4.32m | 8:24AM4.15m | 8:32PM4.50m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 1:36PM2.21m | 2:10AM1.96m | 2:18PM2.06m | 2:49AM1.76m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | | | | |  | | | | | | |  | | | |
 | 4:39 | — | — | 4:41 | — | — | 4:43 | — | — | 4:46 | — | — | 4:48 | — | — | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:00 | — | — | 9:58 | — | — | 9:55 | — | — | 9:53 | — | — | 9:52 | — | — | 9:50 | — | — | 9:47 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 4 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | N 7 | — | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 9 | N 10 | N 10 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 12 | 12 | 4 | 18 | 15 | 22 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | — | 611 | 706 | 480 | 322 | 251 | 240 | 183 | 754 | 523 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNW 8 | NNW 9 | N 10 | — | — | N 9 | N 9 |
| kJ | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 86 | 235 | — | — | 136 | 78 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | NW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | W 7 | WNW 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | — | W 9 | WNW 10 | — | — |
| kJ | 266 | 606 | 664 | 360 | 270 | 264 | 205 | 400 | 521 | 812 | 856 | 809 | — | — | — | — | — | 484 | 698 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 830 | 843 | 453 | 332 | 601 | 63 | 364 | 496 | 7 | 531 | 29 | 29 | 35 | 35 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 167 | 412 |
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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