Thurso Beach Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 pm 11 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Beach sea temperature is
12.6° C
0.2° 

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 11 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 1PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 12s period, W swell with 270 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 10PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.0m), 9s 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 (Jul 11) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. 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 1.0m 12s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 1PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Jul 16) at 4AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)10PM (Sat 11th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 9s
Best Surf10PM (Sat 11th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 1PM (Tue 14th Jul)3.5ft (1.0m) 12s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming up for Thurso Beach. I gotta be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a mixed bag, and we’ve got a bit of a wait before anything really gets going.

The pattern overall is one of small, weak swell and messy wind for the first week or so. There’s nothing worth paddling out for on Saturday or Sunday. The water temp is sitting at 55°F, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We’ve got a long gap with no real recommendations. The first chance for a surf comes on Tuesday, July 14th, but it’s a tough one. The morning sees a 2ft swell from the west with a long 12-second period, giving a moderate wave energy of 202. The wind is cross-off, so the surface will be clean, but that punchy groundswell on a beach break is gonna be tricky. It’s still a pretty ordinary session.

The real standout, the one that’s got my heart racing a little, is Sunday, July 19th. Now, it’s a full week away, so treat this as a promising but not locked-in call. The swell jumps up to 8ft from the NNW, with a short 8-second period and strong to very strong energy reading 778. That’s a lot of water moving. But, and it’s a big but, the wind is a strong cross-onshore at 25 mph, making it messy. The wave comment says it’s poor surf conditions. For a beach break like Thurso, that combo is just too wild for a paddle board. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The next glimmer of hope is Monday, July 20th. The morning delivers a 4ft swell from the NNW with 8-second period and moderate energy of 254. The wind is glassy – 0 mph – which is a massive positive. The wave comment says it’s “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. It’s not going to be a classic, but that clean, calm surface is a rare treat in this outlook.

Later in the week, on Thursday, July 23rd, we get a 5ft swell from the north with a nice 10-second period and strong energy of 595. The wind is offshore, which is excellent. The wave comment is “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions”, so it’s a maybe. The north swell and offshore wind mean it could be clean, but the tide might mess with the shape.

The final mention is Sunday, July 26th. The morning is glassy again with a 4ft NNW swell at 7 seconds and moderate energy of 168. The wave comment is “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions”. It’s a clean, small wave day for the longboard.

So, to sum it up: the best bet on offer is the morning of July 20th for the glassy conditions, and the long-range potential of July 23rd for the offshore wind and bigger north swell. Keep your eyes on the forecasts, because this one could change.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 11°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Thu afternoon, min 14°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
Wednesday
15
Thursday
16
Friday
17
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.2
W
10
1.1
W
9
0.9
WNW
9
0.7
WNW
8
0.6
W
8
0.5
W
7
0.5
WNW
8
0.5
WNW
8
0.5
W
8
0.6
W
12
1
W
11
0.8
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
9
0.4
W
9
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
9
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
267
203
129
70
44
28
37
34
30
106
242
127
64
39
25
15
12
13
12
12
11
Wind (km/h)
10
ENE
10
ENE
10
ESE
15
ESE
15
E
10
SE
15
ESE
20
ESE
10
SE
15
ESE
20
ESE
15
SE
15
ESE
15
ESE
15
SE
15
SE
20
SE
15
SE
0
ENE
5
NNE
10
NNW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
High Tide
6:43PM4.48m
7:09AM4.50m
7:42PM4.70m
8:15AM4.66m
8:36PM4.92m
9:14AM4.82m
9:27PM5.10m
10:07AM4.91m
10:14PM5.21m
10:57AM4.92m
10:59PM5.25m
11:45AM4.85m
11:44PM5.19m
Low Tide
12:33PM1.81m
1:08AM1.85m
1:33PM1.67m
2:06AM1.53m
2:27PM1.53m
2:58AM1.22m
3:16PM1.44m
3:47AM0.99m
4:03PM1.40m
4:34AM0.87m
4:47PM1.44m
5:20AM0.88m
5:31PM1.54m
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:22
4:24
4:24
4:26
4:28
4:30
4:31
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
10:15
10:14
10:12
10:10
10:08
10:07
10:06
 mm
Temp °C
11
12
11
14
13
12
15
15
12
16
17
16
17
19
19
22
23
21
20
19
14
Feels °C
9
10
9
10
9
9
12
11
10
13
14
13
14
16
16
18
20
18
19
18
13
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • 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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