Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 27 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 12s period, N swell with 617 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s 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 Tuesday (Jul 28) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Beach in the next 16 days are 1.5m 12s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 28th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 12s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, checking in on Thurso Beach for the next couple weeks. Gotta be honest, the start is a total loss, but if you can hold out, there’s a bit of a window later on.
The first few days are garbage. Monday the 27th sees some chest-high swell at 6ft from the west, with energy reading 1087, so there’s some grunt, but a stiff 30 km/h WSW cross-off wind has it all chopped up. Tuesday and Wednesday stay poor with rain and lumpy conditions. Thursday the 30th is small and weak, barely knee-to-waist high, and Friday the 31st and Saturday the 1st of August are the same story – sloppy, blown out, and not worth the paddle. Swell energy drops in the low 100–200 range.
Sunday the 2nd pumps back up to chest-high at 6ft from the NNW, energy climbing to 656, but it’s cross-onshore and messy. Monday the 3rd is similar, with a longer 12-second period meaning some groundswell, but still cross-onshore and choppy.
Now, here’s the one to circle. Tuesday the 4th of August morning is the best of the whole outlook. Swell drops slightly to 4ft from the north, a solid 10-second period, and combined energy at 284. The wind goes light and offshore from the ESE at 10 km/h, giving clean, smooth conditions. That’s when Thurso Beach will actually look like a surf spot – clean, fun, and with some push. Wednesday the 5th is still clean but with a weak, short-period windswell at 4ft and a 6-second period. Rideable, but nothing special. After that, it’s a slide into flatness and poor surf through the second week, with energy dropping into double digits.
Water temp is 55°F, right on average for this time of year.
Bottom line: if you’re keen, set your alarm for Tuesday the 4th morning. Clean, chest-high waves and a light offshore breeze. The rest of it you can sleep through.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Mon morning, calm by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Thu afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the E on Thu morning, fresh winds from the WNW by Sat morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | N 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 9 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 663 | 586 | 326 | 243 | 246 | 429 | 332 | 270 | 119 | 101 | 88 | 229 | 93 | 117 | 86 | 90 | 210 | 380 | 474 | 426 | 240 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | glassy | cross | on | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 8:32PM4.50m | 9:05AM4.29m | 9:09PM4.66m | 9:40AM4.43m | 9:42PM4.80m | 10:12AM4.53m | 10:14PM4.89m | 10:43AM4.59m | 10:44PM4.94m | 11:14AM4.61m | 11:15PM4.95m | 11:46AM4.59m | 11:48PM4.91m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:18PM2.06m | 2:49AM1.76m | 2:55PM1.92m | 3:24AM1.58m | 3:30PM1.78m | 3:58AM1.44m | 4:04PM1.69m | 4:30AM1.35m | 4:37PM1.63m | 5:03AM1.31m | 5:10PM1.63m | 5:36AM1.32m | 5:43PM1.68m | ||||||||
 | |  |  |  |  | | |  |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | |
 | 4:50 | — | — | 4:52 | — | — | 4:56 | — | — | 4:58 | — | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:46 | — | — | 9:45 | — | — | 9:43 | — | — | 9:40 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:36 | — | — | 9:34 |
mm | — | — | — | 5 | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 7 | 8 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 9 | W 9 | N 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | NNW 7 | NNW 7 | N 8 | N 8 | N 9 | NNW 9 | W 11 | NNW 8 |
| kJ | 424 | 307 | 289 | 243 | 246 | 130 | 332 | 56 | 119 | 101 | 88 | 41 | 74 | 117 | 86 | 90 | 210 | 380 | 474 | 3 | 240 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | W 10 | W 9 | — | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 9 | SE 5 | W 8 | N 8 | — | NNW 8 | N 8 | NW 6 | W 11 | W 10 | W 6 | W 9 | — | W 10 |
| kJ | — | — | 326 | 207 | — | 15 | 76 | 6 | 1 | 40 | 57 | — | 39 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 15 | 6 | — | 2 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | SSE 4 | SE 6 | SE 5 | — | NW 10 | W 8 | — | NNW 10 | — | E 6 | — | — | W 10 | — | — | N 14 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 28 | 18 | — | 9 | — | 1 | — | — | 2 | — | — | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | — | SSE 2 | W 9 | W 9 | — | W 8 | W 8 | — | W 3 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | W 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | — | NW 9 | NNW 9 | WNW 7 |
| kJ | 663 | 586 | — | 1 | 202 | 429 | — | 270 | 98 | — | 1 | 229 | 93 | 64 | 72 | 56 | 45 | — | 176 | 426 | 77 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 26 | 141 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 291 | 0 | 1 | 94 | 428 | 426 | 132 | 439 | 820 | 834 | 16 | 191 | 314 | 28 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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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