Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 17 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 7AM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, WNW swell with 1,001 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thurso Beach this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Beach in the next 16 days are 2.4m 9s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 10s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s break down the next couple of weeks for you. The first bit is a bit of a bummer, but there’s some real power coming if you’re brave enough.
The spot is Thurso Beach. From Friday the 17th through Sunday the 20th, it’s a total washout. The wind is howling out of the north-west, cross-on or cross-shore, and it’s just tearing up the small, weak swell. The wave energy is in the low hundreds, so it’s a choppy, lumpy mess with nothing worth paddling for. A solid few days of poor surf.
Mid-week, from Monday the 21st, the swell picks up, but the wind stays cranky. By Tuesday the 22nd, we’ve got 1.8m of swell from the NW, but with a strong breeze cross-shore, it’s just a messy, lumpy cross-chop. The energy hits 479, but it’s not clean. Wednesday the 23rd gives us a glimmer of hope with a cross-offshore breeze from the WSW and a 1.9m swell from the W. It’s clean, but the rating is still poor.
Then we get to the big stuff. Friday the 24th of July is for the experienced crew only. The swell is 2.5m from the WNW with a 10-second period, and the energy is a massive 1348. The wind is a fresh cross-shore, so it’s going to be a lumpy, heavy beast. Not a day for beginners.
The real standout, and the best on offer, is Saturday the 25th of July. The swell is 3.0m to 3.5m from the NW, which is absolutely pumping. The combined energy is a whopping 1572. The wind is a light breeze from the WNW, which is cross-on, but it’ll be much cleaner than the day before. This is a proper big-wave day. It’s only for the experts. The crowds are only “sometimes” a problem, but on a day like this, you’ll have the place to yourself.
After that, things calm down but stay clean. From Sunday the 26th through to the end of the month, we get a consistent run of cross-offshore winds from the WSW. The swell drops to a more manageable 1.6m to 2.0m, with a 10-second period, which is a proper groundswell. The energy is moderate, in the 500-800 range. The best of this run looks like Monday the 27th of July afternoon. The wind swings to a light offshore from the SSW, and the swell is 1.9m from the WNW with a 10-second period. This long-period stuff can be a bit straight at a beach break, but it’ll offer up some clean, lined-up waves. The water temp is about average for the time of year.
So, to wrap it up: the first week is a write-off. The big stuff on the 24th and 25th is for the big-wave crew. The cleanest, most user-friendly window is that last week of July, especially the 27th afternoon.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNE on Thu night, fresh winds from the WNW by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Mon afternoon, min 12°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (moderate winds from the WNW on Sun night, strong winds from the WNW by Tue afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | |||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 12 | WNW 6 | W 11 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 125 | 108 | 106 | 151 | 111 | 81 | 61 | 46 | 45 | 90 | 88 | 183 | 149 | 223 | 529 | 437 | 255 | 202 | 326 | 432 | 791 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:45AM4.85m | 11:44PM5.19m | 12:31PM4.70m | 00:29AM5.05m | 1:16PM4.50m | 1:14AM4.84m | 2:04PM4.29m | 2:03AM4.58m | 2:54PM4.11m | 2:57AM4.31m | 3:51PM3.98m | 4:00AM4.08m | 4:54PM3.95m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:20AM0.88m | 5:31PM1.54m | 6:05AM1.00m | 6:14PM1.70m | 6:51AM1.22m | 6:58PM1.91m | 7:38AM1.51m | 7:46PM2.13m | 8:29AM1.81m | 8:40PM2.34m | 9:27AM2.09m | 9:49PM2.49m | 10:35AM2.28m | 11:12PM2.51m | |||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 4:31 | — | — | 4:33 | — | — | 4:35 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | 4:39 | — | — | 4:41 | — | — | 4:43 | — | — |
 | — | — | 10:06 | — | — | 10:05 | — | — | 10:02 | — | — | 10:00 | — | — | 9:59 | — | — | 9:57 | — | — | 9:54 |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | NE 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | N 8 | N 8 | — | W 9 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | WNW 13 |
| kJ | 125 | 108 | 106 | 2 | 111 | 81 | 61 | 27 | 43 | 85 | 75 | 50 | 12 | 12 | — | 42 | 47 | 33 | 12 | 3 | 17 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | — | ENE 8 | NE 10 | N 6 | N 6 | W 8 | N 7 | N 7 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | W 9 | NE 5 | — | W 15 | — |
| kJ | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 23 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 11 | — | — | — | — | 39 | 1 | — | 4 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 6 | — | — | W 14 | ENE 10 | WNW 12 | N 6 | NE 7 | N 8 | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | 1 | — | — | 4 | 18 | 46 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 4 | NW 4 | NW 5 | NW 8 | N 4 | N 6 | — | WNW 4 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | NW 7 | NW 8 | NW 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 |
| kJ | 10 | 9 | 49 | 151 | 15 | 23 | — | 7 | 45 | 90 | 88 | 183 | 149 | 223 | 529 | 437 | 255 | 202 | 326 | 432 | 791 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 94 | 71 | 71 | 191 | 191 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 161 | 285 | 600 | 359 | 780 | 1114 | 479 | 600 | 664 | 294 | 28 | 26 | 26 |
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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