Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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.

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