Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, N swell with 539 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 29 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 5s 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 Saturday (Aug 29) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 7s. 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 1.7m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 27) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Sat 29th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Hey folks, Rusty here with the Thurso Beach outlook in feet and miles per hour. It’s a long, dry wait before anything worth getting wet for.
Right from the start, Tuesday August 25th offers a weak 4ft W swell at 10 seconds, but with a 15 mph SSE cross-off wind making it clean but tiny. The combined energy is weak (308). Wednesday through the end of August is basically flat – waves stay under 3ft with short, crappy periods and messy cross-shore or cross-on winds. Saturday morning the 29th throws up a 3ft W swell with a pathetic 4-second period — that’s just wind slop, skip it.
Into September, Monday the 1st shows a 5ft N swell with clean light cross-off winds, energy reading 359 (moderate), but it’s only marginal — small and unreliable. Wednesday the 2nd jumps to a 7ft N swell, but with a short 7-second period and strong WNW cross-onshore winds blowing it out, it’s lumpy and better left for kite surfers.
The one standout — and the only one worth waiting for — is Sunday morning, September 6th. We’ve got a clean 7ft NNW swell with an 11-second period, combined energy hitting 999 (moderate-to-strong), and a light SW cross-off wind at 9 mph. That’s glassy, that’s proper. At 7ft it’s pushing expert territory, but the longer period gives real shape and good gaps between sets. The swell direction lines up beautifully with the optimum NW. Crowds are “sometimes” at Thurso Beach, so you might share it but it won’t be a zoo.
Beyond that, Monday the 7th and onward falls back into messy cross-shore chop or big, howling onshore junk. The big 12ft WNW swell on Saturday the 5th is completely trashed by 28 mph winds.
Long story short: from now until the morning of the 6th of September, don’t bother. That Sunday morning is your golden window. Everything else is a bust.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
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 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 6 | W 4 | WNW 5 | W 5 | W 5 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | N 9 | N 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 308 | 149 | 50 | 19 | 11 | 22 | 68 | 57 | 35 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 30 | 35 | 78 | 16 | 26 | 71 | 58 | 194 | 489 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:08AM4.17m | 8:10PM4.48m | 8:43AM4.38m | 8:45PM4.70m | 9:14AM4.57m | 9:16PM4.89m | 9:44AM4.72m | 9:46PM5.03m | 10:13AM4.81m | 10:16PM5.11m | 10:42AM4.84m | 10:47PM5.13m | 11:13AM4.82m | 11:19PM5.06m | |||||||
Low Tide | 1:59PM2.11m | 2:26AM1.71m | 2:35PM1.88m | 2:59AM1.48m | 3:08PM1.68m | 3:31AM1.30m | 3:40PM1.52m | 4:03AM1.17m | 4:11PM1.43m | 4:35AM1.10m | 4:44PM1.40m | 5:08AM1.12m | 5:17PM1.45m | ||||||||
 | |  |  | | |  | | |  | |  | | |  | |  | | | | | |
 | 5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — |
 | — | 8:35 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:17 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 9 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | W 5 | NW 7 | W 10 | W 9 | N 9 | N 10 |
| kJ | 308 | 149 | 50 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 68 | 57 | 35 | 20 | 43 | 74 | 33 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 18 | 71 | 58 | 194 | 489 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 8 | WNW 11 | N 8 | N 7 | N 6 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | NW 5 | W 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 9 | W 10 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 6 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 26 | 31 | 32 | 40 | 30 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | N 6 | N 8 | NW 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 10 | NW 7 | W 4 | E 4 | N 7 | NNW 8 | SE 6 |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 3 | SE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | SE 7 | E 3 | NNE 3 | NNW 6 | W 4 | WNW 5 | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | 7 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 34 | 46 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 30 | 35 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 41 | 41 | 41 | 177 | 177 | 177 | 1 | 41 | 419 | 349 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 0 | 446 | 165 | 1 | 28 | 617 | 141 |
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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