
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 11 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 11 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 11 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period, WNW swell with 349 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 11 Jul, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 10s period with WNW 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 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m 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 1.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 11) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 12) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 4AM (Sat 11th Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming for Thurso Beach over the next couple of weeks.
Straight up, it’s a slow start. The first surf worth a mention is a tiny window on Friday afternoon, July 10th. You’ll see a clean little 4ft swell from the west with a nice 11-second period, light north winds, and the water temp is sitting at 55°F, which is about average for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 332. But it’s really marginal, so don’t expect much. The rest of that weekend and into the next week is a total washout – poor surf, messy winds, and tiny waves. We’re looking at a gap of several days with no real recommendation.
The only flicker of something better comes on Sunday morning, the 12th, when the wind goes a bit cross-offshore from the ESE and the wave is 2ft and clean. It’s small but at least it’s tidy. That pattern hangs around for Monday morning too, but nothing to get excited about.
Next week is a mixed bag. The swell picks up a little on the 18th and 19th (Saturday and Sunday) with a 4ft to 5ft north-northwest swell, but the wind is strong and cross-onshore, making it lumpy and messy. The combined energy is moderate to strong (278 to 258), but with the wind howling, it’s not worth paddling out for. That stretch is more for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Then we hit a long dry spell with poor conditions right through until July 23rd. The wind is relentless, mostly from the west, and the waves are small and choppy. No standout here.
The best of the whole forecast, if you can call it that, shows up on the morning of Friday, July 24th. A light SE wind, cross-offshore, a 2ft west swell with an 8-second period, and clean conditions. The combined energy is weak at 99, but it’s the cleanest of the lot. Still, it’s very ordinary. Then on Saturday the 25th, the swell bumps up to 4ft from the NNW, wind is cross-off from the SE, and the energy is moderate at 299. The wind is fresh though, so it’ll be a bit of a battle.
Honestly, there’s no single standout session in this 16-day window. The water’s average for the time of year, the crowds are sometimes a thing at Thurso, and the consistency is only fair. It’s a poor run, but it won’t stay like this forever – forecasts can change.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon morning, min 10°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Thu morning, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Fri 10 | Saturday 11 | Sunday 12 | Monday 13 | Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | |||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 12 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
326 | 400 | 267 | 203 | 129 | 70 | 43 | 31 | 50 | 33 | 27 | 106 | 259 | 127 | 65 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 24 | 24 | 22 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross |
High Tide | 5:39PM4.30m | 5:57AM4.37m | 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 | |||||||
Low Tide | 00:02AM2.14m | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 4:22 | — | — | 4:24 | — | — | 4:24 | — | — | 4:26 | — | — | 4:28 | — | — | 4:30 | — | — | 4:31 | |
— | 10:15 | — | — | 10:15 | — | — | 10:14 | — | — | 10:12 | — | — | 10:10 | — | — | 10:08 | — | — | 10:07 | 10:06 | |
mm | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 15 | 11 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 8 |
326 | 400 | 267 | 203 | 129 | 70 | 43 | 31 | 50 | 33 | 27 | 96 | 259 | 127 | 65 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 24 | 24 | 22 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | E 7 | NNW 6 | E 7 | NE 7 | NE 7 | WNW 9 | W 12 | — | W 18 | W 18 | — | ENE 5 | N 10 | E 4 | ESE 6 | N 8 |
6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 106 | — | 6 | 6 | — | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | W 21 | — | W 14 | E 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 10 | N 9 | ESE 6 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 9 | — | 15 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | — | E 5 | E 5 | — | ENE 3 | E 3 | E 4 | — | — | WNW 3 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 6 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 126 | 0 | 183 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 205 | 183 | 180 | 165 | 45 | 839 |
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.











