
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 10 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 11 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 11 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, NNW swell with 315 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 11 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m 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 1.5m 9s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 11) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Monday (Aug 17) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Tue 11th Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, the view out my window and the forecast charts are a bit of a mixed bag for Thurso Beach. The next week or so is looking pretty quiet and not worth paddling out for, but there’s a real standout day towards the end that might be worth marking on your calendar if you’re an experienced surfer.
The water temp is sitting at about 56°, which is just about bang on normal for this time of year, so no surprises there.
We’re basically looking at a long flat spell right now. For the first nine days, it's a whole lot of nothing to get excited about. There’s a tiny window on Wednesday afternoon (the 12th) where we see a glassy 2ft wave from the west with a 10-second period, but it's just surfable and ordinary. You might get a clean little knee-high wave on Thursday morning too, but again, nothing to write home about. The energy is very weak, with values like 88 (Wednesday) and 111 (Thursday).
Then we hit a stretch of strong winds and messy conditions. From the 14th through to the 18th, it’s mostly fresh cross-onshore winds and lumpy, choppy waves. Some of those days, like the 15th and 16th, have a bit of swell height (3ft to 3ft), but the period is short, around 5 to 8 seconds, and the wind just tears it apart. The combined energy is in the low hundreds, so it’s nothing powerful.
Now, here’s where it gets interesting. After a big gap with no good surf, we see a pulse of swell building towards the end of the third week. On the 20th of August, the Thursday morning session starts showing some promise with a 6ft west swell (period 10 seconds) and clean conditions under a cross-offshore breeze. The wave energy is solid at 668, which is a moderate level. That one is marginal but a definite step up.
The real standout, though, is Tuesday afternoon, the 25th of August. This is the only time in the entire 16 days that I’d get properly excited. We’re looking at a solid 8ft swell from the west, with a period of 11 seconds. The wind is glassy – dead calm – so it will be clean as a whistle. The combined swell energy is pumping at 1485, a strong reading. This is an excellent, powerful wave, but at that size, it’s strictly for experienced surfers. Beginners should stay well clear. The period is long enough to bring some proper groundswell energy, which usually means better-shaped waves and longer lulls between sets. Given it’s a beach break, that longer period can make it a bit straighter, but with these conditions, the banks could be fun.
Crowds at Thurso Beach can pop up sometimes, but on a weekday with this kind of forecast, you might get a decent share of waves if you’re out there.
So, to sum it up: the first week and a half is a write-off. Hang your wetsuit to dry. But keep an eye on that Tuesday the 25th. It’s the one winner on the board.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 10°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the NW on Mon afternoon, calm by Wed night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Thu night, fresh winds from the WNW by Fri afternoon). | |||||||||||||||||||
Mon 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 12 | W 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | N 9 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | W 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
767 | 315 | 130 | 60 | 27 | 24 | 80 | 32 | 89 | 78 | 72 | 92 | 106 | 28 | 43 | 56 | 136 | 131 | 133 | 80 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | 9:57AM4.97m | 9:59PM5.31m | 10:39AM4.99m | 10:40PM5.35m | 11:18AM4.92m | 11:19PM5.28m | 11:55AM4.77m | 11:57PM5.10m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | 3:48PM1.37m | 4:17AM0.79m | 4:28PM1.34m | 4:58AM0.82m | 5:07PM1.40m | 5:37AM0.98m | 5:45PM1.53m | ||||||||
— | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | |
— | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:01 | — | 8:59 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 11 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 5 | 8 | 8 | 13 | 15 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 6 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 10 | W 6 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | N 9 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | W 8 | W 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 |
1 | 315 | 130 | 60 | 27 | 15 | 80 | 17 | 89 | 78 | 72 | 41 | 45 | 27 | 25 | 50 | 136 | 131 | 133 | 80 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 12 | N 7 | WSW 10 | N 8 | N 11 | N 10 | SE 6 | E 6 | SE 6 | W 9 | N 9 | NNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 |
— | 41 | 16 | 15 | 8 | 24 | 8 | 32 | 12 | 35 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 25 | 45 | 77 | 55 | 26 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | ESE 5 | N 7 | N 11 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | N 9 | SE 5 | — | E 6 | SE 6 | E 6 | E 5 | E 5 | W 11 |
— | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 9 | — | SSE 2 | SE 3 | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 10 | W 9 | W 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | NNW 6 | — | — | — |
767 | — | 2 | 2 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 92 | 106 | 28 | 43 | 56 | 48 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 177 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 783 | 71 | 758 | 783 | 375 | 71 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
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.











