
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 10s period, W swell with 876 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 9s period with NNW 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 10PM. 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 glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Beach in the next 16 days are 2.2m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 7ft (2.2m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what the next couple of weeks are serving up for us. To be straight with you, it's a bit of a slow burn. There's a solid stretch of pretty ordinary conditions to get through before anything really gets going, so patience is the name of the game.
The first week is mostly a write-off. We've got a few pulses of swell, but the quality just isn't there. There's a bit of a bump around Friday the 7th with some 7ft swell showing up in the afternoon, but the wind is swinging around and it's just not clean enough to get excited about. Saturday the 8th is the best of a bad bunch early on, with a 7ft W swell, a period of 10 seconds, and moderate cross-offshore breezes. The combined energy is sitting at 905, which is moderate, but the conditions are only deemed marginal. You could paddle out, but you'd be working for it.
Then we hit a real flat spell. From Sunday the 9th right through to Tuesday the 19th, it's a long, drawn-out gap of small, weak, and often choppy surf. A few mornings offer a glimmer with clean conditions, like the 12th with a tiny 1ft swell and gentle offshore wind, but there's just no power behind it. It's a long stretch of poor surf, so don't hold your breath.
Now, here's where it gets interesting, and it's a proper late call. Wednesday the 19th afternoon shows some promise. A 7ft W swell with a 7-second period rolls in, and with a light cross-offshore breeze, it's looking clean. The combined energy is a moderate 397. The file flags it as "expect good surf conditions." This is a standout for the period.
But the real headline, the one you need to circle on your calendar, is Thursday the 20th of August. This is a big one, but it's also a tricky one. We're looking at a massive 13ft WNW groundswell with a very long period of 13 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 5839, which is strong. The water temp is about 56°F, which is bang on average for this time of year. However, this is a beast of a swell. The wind is a moderate cross-shore, and the forecast is clear that this swell is predicted to be too big for this break. For the vast majority of surfers, this will be a straight-up no-go. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's going to be a washing machine. The long period will mean the waves will jack up fast and be heavy.
Thurso Beach (Thurso-Beach) is a fairly consistent, beginner-friendly beach break that's exposed to NW swells. For a spot that's usually a good learner wave, a 13ft swell with a 13-second period is just not the one. The setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on that day. So, while it's the biggest swell on offer, the best surf will actually be the cleaner, more manageable 7ft swell on the afternoon of the 19th.
So, to wrap it up: you've got a lot of flat and average days ahead. The 19th of August afternoon is your best bet for a decent, clean session. The 20th is a monster, but unless you're a pro on a step-up board, give it a wide berth.
Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, and I'll catch you in the water.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 21mm), heaviest during Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Fri night, light winds from the W by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 22°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun afternoon, calm by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | ||||||||||||||
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) | N 6 | W 10 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | N 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 10 | W 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
37 | 17 | 47 | 516 | 599 | 734 | 876 | 367 | 320 | 533 | 494 | 392 | 176 | 227 | 86 | 61 | 28 | 18 | 55 | 18 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:01AM4.28m | 3:55PM4.11m | 4:23AM4.15m | 5:15PM4.16m | 5:55AM4.19m | 6:32PM4.36m | 7:16AM4.39m | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:50PM2.27m | 9:36AM2.09m | 10:15PM2.33m | 11:01AM2.17m | 11:47PM2.18m | 12:22PM2.08m | 1:01AM1.85m | 1:26PM1.88m | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | |||||||
— | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | |
— | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | |
mm | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 13 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 17 | 16 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 14 | 18 | 21 | 15 | 16 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 6 | WNW 4 | W 6 | N 7 | N 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | NNW 8 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 10 | W 6 |
37 | 12 | 47 | 1 | 2 | 734 | 876 | 367 | 320 | 24 | 39 | 81 | 176 | 227 | 86 | 61 | 28 | 18 | 55 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | N 6 | WNW 9 | N 10 | N 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NW 12 | SE 6 | NW 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | ESE 6 | N 8 | W 10 |
17 | 12 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 7 | 24 | 1 | 95 | 40 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 17 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 8 | W 10 | N 7 | — | — | N 9 | — | SE 7 | SE 6 | — | SE 6 | — | W 8 | SE 5 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | ESE 6 | N 10 |
3 | 17 | 3 | — | — | 2 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | — | 100 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 17 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | — | S 4 | W 8 | W 9 | SSE 5 | — | — | — | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 4 | ESE 5 | S 3 | — | — |
27 | — | 12 | 516 | 599 | 3 | — | — | — | 533 | 494 | 392 | — | — | 3 | 4 | 18 | 1 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 71 | 8 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 346 | 0 | 5 | 413 | 291 | 26 | 27 | 94 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 79 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | ||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
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.











