Thurso Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 03 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Beach sea temperature is
13.7°C
0.8° 

Thurso Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Thurso Beach surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 4 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 11s period, W swell with 5,861 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thurso Beach this week:

The surf forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.2m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Beach in the next 16 days are 5.0m 11s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Sep 04) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Monday (Sep 07) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4AM (Fri 4th Sep)4ft (1.2m) 9s
Best Surf 7PM (Tue 8th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 12s
Most Powerful 7PM (Fri 4th Sep)16ft (5.0m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, grab your spring suit and a brew, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Thurso Beach over this stretch.

The overall vibe for the next 16 days is pretty average, to be honest. We kick off today, the 3rd of September, and it’s a frustrating start. There’s a Westerly swell around 6ft, but that 35 km/h cross-wind has it messy with a lumpy cross-chop. Not worth paddling out – the combined wave energy is weak at 446. It’s a similar story through the afternoon, though the wind eases slightly to a 25 km/h cross-offshore, it’s still poor. The water’s at 57°, which is about normal for the time of year, so at least you won’t get a huge shock.

Moving through Friday the 4th, there’s a bit more size, but it comes with problems. The morning sees 6ft of swell from the West with an 11-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 841, but it’s still just a marginal call thanks to a fresh 35 km/h cross-off wind. Friday afternoon is a write-off – 18ft of west swell but 60 km/h winds are making it a near gale crossing sea. That’s only for the brave or the kites, not your paddle surfer.

Saturday the 5th stays messy; 12ft and then 8ft of swell, but fresh cross-winds and a lumpy cross-chop keep it poor. Sunday the 6th finally gives us a proper chance around breakfast. The wind swings Southerly offshore at 20 km/h, cleaning it up nicely. The swell drops to a clean 3ft from the WNW, with a combined energy of just 165 – weak, but it’s rideable. The afternoon holds with a similar 3ft and offshore wind. It’s not gonna blow your mind, but it’s the first clean surf of the outlook. Beginners could have a crack here, as it’s small and fairly consistent.

Monday the 7th gets a bit more size (5ft to 8ft) but the wind picks up again, switching cross-off and it’s back to poor. That trend continues right through to early the following week – Tuesday the 8th has 10ft and then 18ft, but strong cross-winds and messy cross-chop ruin it. Wednesday the 9th is in the same boat with cross-on winds over 12ft. There’s a well-needed window on Thursday the 10th. The swell drops to 3ft and then a tiny 2ft in the afternoon, and the wind goes light offshore from the SSW at 15 km/h. Combined energy is a very weak 104 and 52, so you’ll be scratching for waves, but it’s clean.

The next few days are a mixed bag of lumpy, windy, or poor conditions until we hit a proper standout window. The one to really mark in your calendar is Sunday morning, the 13th of September. It’s the first time the forecast says "expect good surf conditions." You’ve got 5ft of swell from the WNW with a 10-second period, the wind is light from the SSW at just 10 km/h and cross-offshore, meaning clean, lined-up waves. The combined energy is a moderate 586. For Thurso Beach, this is your best bet – a solid, clean, surfer-friendly session. The afternoon stays mellow with 5ft and barely a breath of wind, but it’s cross-on shore so a little bumpy.

After that, it goes a bit flat and windy again until Wednesday morning, the 16th of September which is another standout. The swell is 4ft from the WNW, but now you’ve got a light 10 km/h cross-off breeze from the WSW, keeping the surface clean. The wave comment says "expect good surf conditions." This is your second pick – smaller than the 13th, but still a clean, tidy session for a mellow surf with maybe a few others out.

Thursday the 17th gets bigger again (8ft to 10ft) but the wind freshens and goes cross, making it lumpy and marginal. The last few days into the 18th of September see size jump to 13ft to 18ft with cross-on storms blowing in – that’s expert-only territory, and even then it’s messy.

So to call it: Sunday, the 13th of September is the real standout. Clean 5ft swell from the WNW, light offshore wind, and moderate energy – that’s the morning to get out of bed. Wednesday the 16th morning is your second call for a cleaner but smaller session. Otherwise, you’re staring at a heap of windy, messy days.

Stay salty,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the WSW on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SW by Sat night).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Mainly fresh winds.

Thu
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
Tuesday
8
Wednesday
9
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
0
0
0
1
1
2
!
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.4
W
7
1.1
W
7
1.7
W
11
4.5
W
11
4
W
9
3.5
WNW
8
2.4
W
10
1.7
WNW
9
0.8
W
9
0.8
W
8
0.8
W
9
1.4
W
7
1.6
W
8
1.6
W
9
1.6
WSW
8
3
W
8
4.5
W
12
3
WNW
11
2
WNW
10
1.2
WNW
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
176
123
637
4867
2720
1399
1138
446
99
86
99
176
339
436
333
1112
5359
1861
748
232
Wind (km/h)
25
WSW
20
SSW
30
SSW
55
WSW
45
WNW
35
WNW
25
WNW
10
SSE
20
S
20
SSE
25
SSE
25
SW
30
WSW
20
SSW
25
SSW
25
SSW
15
SW
20
NNW
20
NW
5
NW
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
1:32AM4.40m
2:10PM4.17m
2:47AM4.12m
3:31PM4.04m
4:29AM4.01m
5:06PM4.09m
6:11AM4.14m
6:28PM4.33m
7:23AM4.42m
7:29PM4.65m
8:16AM4.69m
8:17PM4.95m
Low Tide
7:23PM1.99m
7:57AM2.02m
8:29PM2.21m
9:12AM2.31m
10:04PM2.29m
10:53AM2.41m
11:44PM2.10m
12:19PM2.25m
00:56AM1.73m
1:20PM1.99m
1:50AM1.36m
2:08PM1.71m
2:35AM1.05m
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
clear
clear
part cloud
mod rain
light rain
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:16
6:18
6:22
6:24
6:26
6:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:09
8:07
8:04
8:00
7:58
7:54
7:52
 mm
1
1
7
4
1
2
1
Temp °C
17
13
14
14
12
13
14
13
13
16
15
14
15
12
12
12
11
13
13
11
Feels °C
12
9
5
4
2
5
9
11
10
13
12
9
9
8
6
7
5
9
9
8
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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Information about the Thurso Beach Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Thurso Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thurso Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thurso Beach 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 (Thurso Beach) 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 Thurso Beach 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 Thurso Beach, camping, hotels and holiday cottages in Scotland - North Coast, consider staying in Scrabster which is 2 km (1 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 31 km (19 miles) away, Kirkwall and Lossiemouth.

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