Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us.

We’re looking at a mixed bag to start, with the early part of the window being pretty average. There’s a bit of a rough patch to get through before things get interesting. The first proper recommendation doesn’t come until Saturday the 12th, so the first couple of days are a washout.

The surf kicks off properly on Saturday morning, September 12th. It’s a wild one – a solid 12 ft swell rolling in from the west with a hefty 13-second period. The wave energy is immense, clocking in at (4281), but honestly, that’s just too much grunt for Thurso Beach. The wind is offshore and the tide is favorable, but the swell size is going to put this right out of anyone’s comfort zone unless you are a proper expert. It’s a pulse too big for this break. Saturday afternoon sees a messy cross-shore with a 25 mph westerly, so forget that. Sunday morning the 13th is still a bit lumpy with a 7 ft west-north-west swell, but keep an eye on Sunday afternoon. The wind drops to a 3 mph north-north-westerly and goes glassy. With a 6 ft west-north-west swell, the surface will be like a mirror. It’s not huge, but the clean conditions make it the standout for the first week. The period is around 10 seconds so the shape should be decent. The water temp is sitting around 56°, which is about normal for this time of year. There could be a few heads out there though, as it’s an exposed spot.

Monday the 14th cleans up with a 4 ft north-north-west groundswell and a light southerly offshore breeze – good for a beginner-friendly session. That lasts into the afternoon. Things go quiet again on Tuesday and Wednesday with onshore winds and lumpy conditions, nothing worth paddling for.

Looking at the second week, the really interesting stuff shows up. On Friday, September 18th, we get a 8 ft west-north-west swell with a 13-second period and a 19 mph southerly offshore breeze. The energy is strong (2236), and with the fresh offshore wind, it’ll be clean. That’s a good bet for a morning session.

But the real standouts are Monday, September 21st and Friday, September 25th. On Monday the 21st, a massive 13 ft west-north-west swell (4201 energy) hits with a stiff cross-offshore wind. It’s another one that is way too big for this break – an expert-only situation. Friday the 25th is the same story: a 13 ft west swell with glassy, light wind. Again, impressive power but intimidating size. For the normal surfer, Sunday the 20th morning with a 8 ft west-north-west swell and a cross-offshore breeze might be the pick of the later period, as it’s cleaner and a bit more manageable than the 13 ft monsters.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a wait for the glassy Sunday afternoon the 13th. The second week has bigger, cleaner energy but most of it is oversized for the beach.

Stay safe out there.
Rusty.

Read more