Thurso Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 01 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Beach sea temperature is
13.8°C
0.8° 

Thurso Beach surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Thurso Beach surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 10AM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 7PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 12s period, W swell with 4,764 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with N 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. 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 4.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 6s period and expected on Friday (Sep 04) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Thu 3rd Sep)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s
Best Surf10AM (Tue 8th Sep)11ft (3.5m) 10s
Most Powerful 7PM (Tue 8th Sep)13ft (4.0m) 12s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Right, you’re looking at Thurso Beach and to be honest, the next couple of weeks are a bit of a mixed bag. We’ve got some proper swell on the horizon, but the wind is going to be a real pain in the backside for a lot of it. There’s a fair bit of chop and cross-shore nonsense to deal with before we get to anything resembling a clean session.

Let’s start with the first few days. Tuesday the 1st is a write-off – 7ft of cross-shore, short-period windswell coming from the west with a weak 325 combined energy. It’s just lumpy and messy. Wednesday the 2nd is a bit bigger, pushing 8ft from the NNW with a better period of 10-11 seconds, and the combined energy jumps right up to 1162-1367. But the wind is cross-onshore, so it’s choppy and not worth paddling out for. Thursday the 3rd drops off a bit, down to 3-4ft, and the wind turns cross-offshore, leaving it clean. But the energy is weak (around 249-262) and the swell is small, so it’s a flat, clean nothing.

Then we get into some real grunt. Friday the 4th kicks off with a 7ft west swell at 11 seconds, and the energy is moderate at 1042, but it’s still cross-offshore and the morning is cloudy. The afternoon gets nasty though – 10ft from the west, 12 seconds, and a massive 2513 combined energy, but a strong cross-shore wind makes it an absolute washing machine. Saturday the 5th is similar, with 10ft and 8ft swells, but cross-shore winds ruin it. Sunday the 6th and Monday the 7th are cleaner but small, with 3-6ft of swell, the energy is weak to moderate, and the conditions are just not worth getting excited about.

Now, here’s where it gets interesting for the experienced surfers. On Tuesday the 8th, the swell is pumping – 12ft to 13ft from the west with a 10-second period, and combined energy is through the roof at 2162-3019. The wind is offshore from the southeast, and the tide is favorable. But I have to tell you, this is too big for this break. That’s a serious, expert-only wave. The same goes for Wednesday the 9th, with 10ft to 12ft and onshore winds from the north. It’s powerful, but it’s not friendly.

We get a bit of a lull from the 10th to the 11th, with 6ft to 10ft of messy, cross-onshore swell. But then, keep your eyes on Saturday the 12th. That morning, we’ve got a 7ft groundswell from the NNW at 11 seconds, combined energy of 1056, and the wind is dead glassy. That’s a standout. The waves will be clean, the sets will have proper shape, and it’s the best looking window in the whole run. The afternoon is a bit smaller with a light cross-onshore, so grab the morning.

Sunday the 13th is okay, with 3-4ft of clean glassy swell in the morning, but the energy is weak (331). After that, it tails off. From Monday the 14th onwards, the surf is tiny. 1ft to 4ft, weak energy, and nothing worth the drive. The water is sitting at 57°F, which is about 1°F warmer than average for this time of year, so it’s not a shock to the system.

Overall, the best on offer is the glassy morning of Saturday the 12th. It’s not huge, but it’s clean and lined up. If you’re an expert, the 8th and 9th have the power, but it’s a serious beast. For the rest of the time, you’re fighting the wind or waiting for scraps.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NE on Wed afternoon, fresh winds from the WSW by Fri morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Moderate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Sat night, near gales from the WSW by Sun night).

Tue
1
Wednesday
2
Thursday
3
Friday
4
Saturday
5
Sunday
6
Monday
7
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
3
2
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
1
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2
W
6
1.8
WNW
7
2.4
NNW
10
2.4
NNW
11
1.8
NNW
10
1.2
N
10
1
N
9
0.7
N
8
2.1
W
11
3
W
12
4.5
WNW
10
3
WNW
9
2.3
W
10
1.8
WNW
9
1.2
WNW
9
1
W
9
1.2
W
12
1.7
W
11
2.1
W
14
2.4
W
11
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
312
330
1080
1322
694
262
160
69
1011
2502
3368
1569
1109
499
227
153
389
711
1699
1320
Wind (km/h)
35
W
30
WNW
20
WNW
10
NE
20
SE
30
W
25
WSW
25
SW
30
SSW
40
W
50
W
35
W
35
W
20
WSW
25
SSE
20
SSE
30
SSW
50
WSW
35
W
15
SE
Wind State
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
High Tide
11:55PM4.92m
12:25PM4.57m
00:38AM4.69m
1:11PM4.38m
1:32AM4.40m
2:10PM4.17m
2:47AM4.12m
3:31PM4.04m
4:29AM4.01m
5:06PM4.09m
6:11AM4.14m
6:28PM4.33m
Low Tide
5:54PM1.57m
6:21AM1.42m
6:34PM1.76m
7:04AM1.70m
7:23PM1.99m
7:57AM2.02m
8:29PM2.21m
9:12AM2.31m
10:04PM2.29m
10:53AM2.41m
11:44PM2.10m
12:19PM2.25m
00:56AM1.73m
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
mod rain
clear
part cloud
rain showers
light rain
rain showers
clear
part cloud
rain showers
light rain
mod rain
light rain
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:18
6:22
6:24
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:15
8:12
8:09
8:07
8:04
8:00
7:58
 mm
6
1
1
1
1
4
8
3
Temp °C
14
12
11
12
13
16
17
14
14
14
13
14
14
13
13
16
17
15
15
13
Feels °C
7
5
7
9
11
10
13
10
7
6
3
7
7
9
9
13
12
6
9
12
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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