Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 18 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s period, W swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 11s period, W swell with 651 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Aug 19) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s. 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 1.7m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 10AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Wed 19th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, grab a coffee and settle in. Rusty here, and I've got the lowdown on what we're looking at for the Thurso Beach area over the next couple of weeks. Let's be straight—it's a bit of a mixed bag, but there is some light at the end of this tunnel.
We're starting off with a pretty dismal run. For the first six days, from Tuesday the 18th through Sunday the 23rd of August, the surf is mostly poor. We've got a mix of small, weak swell and onshore or cross-onshore winds that just won't let up. The combined wave energy is low, often under 100, just a sign of a very tired ocean. Not worth wetting a suit for.
We finally get a sniff of something better on Monday the 24th of August. A 3ft swell from the WNW rolls in with a decent 11-second period. The morning is clean with light cross-offshore breezes, but the wave energy is still only moderate (261). It's just surfable, not epic.
The real standout doesn't show up until Sunday the 30th of August. This is a beast of a forecast. We're looking at a massive 15ft swell from the WNW around 5am, with the combined energy reading a whopping 4362. It's coming in with a 10-second period and, crucially, there's a light offshore wind from the SSE. The swell is just too big for this beginner-friendly beach break, though. It’s an expert-only day, and even then, the power will be immense. It's a shame because the conditions are otherwise perfect.
After that, it settles down. Monday the 31st of August offers the best chance for most of us. The swell drops to 6ft from the WNW, still with that light offshore wind, making for clean, lined-up waves. The energy is still strong but manageable at 621. This is the pick of the bunch for the general crowd—a solid, clean, fun session.
Beyond that, we've got a heavy rain and near-gale warning for Tuesday the 1st of September, so that's a write-off. The outlook for Wednesday the 2nd of September shows a return to clean conditions with a moderate offshore wind and a 4ft W swell, which is another solid option to keep in mind.
So, to sum it up: a long, flat and windy start, one monster day for experts only on the 30th, and then a few cleaner, more manageable days to round it out.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Mon night, calm by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | |||||||||||||||
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) | N 7 | N 7 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 12 | WNW 11 | W 11 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 14 | 17 | 85 | 448 | 257 | 123 | 204 | 137 | 151 | 134 | 71 | 65 | 59 | 57 | 88 | 26 | 55 | 44 | 57 | 254 | 651 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:10PM4.35m | 1:17AM4.51m | 1:52PM4.13m | 2:06AM4.17m | 2:44PM3.95m | 3:10AM3.88m | 3:54PM3.84m | 4:38AM3.72m | 5:18PM3.86m | 6:14AM3.76m | 6:34PM4.01m | 7:22AM3.94m | 7:29PM4.24m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 6:55AM1.57m | 7:03PM1.99m | 7:36AM1.93m | 7:49PM2.25m | 8:23AM2.27m | 8:51PM2.49m | 9:29AM2.54m | 10:25PM2.60m | 11:03AM2.65m | 00:01AM2.49m | 12:23PM2.55m | 1:05AM2.25m | 1:18PM2.35m | 1:49AM1.97m | |||||||
 |  |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | | |  | |  | | | | |
 | 5:39 | — | — | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — |
 | — | 8:53 | — | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:40 | — | — | 8:37 | — |
mm | 6 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 14 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 13 |
Feels °C | 13 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | E 5 | W 9 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | NNE 9 | W 10 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 11 | W 11 |
| kJ | 14 | 14 | 85 | 448 | 257 | 123 | 72 | 47 | 25 | 12 | 28 | 26 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 25 | 55 | 44 | 31 | 254 | 651 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | N 7 | W 12 | — | SE 4 | NE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 8 | NE 8 | NE 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | N 8 | WNW 9 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | WNW 12 | NE 7 | NNE 7 |
| kJ | 12 | 17 | 73 | — | 1 | 2 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 57 | 7 | 4 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | W 8 | NNE 7 | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | NE 9 | — | W 7 | W 11 | W 8 | N 8 | NE 8 | N 5 | NNE 7 | — | — |
| kJ | — | 5 | 16 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 5 | — | — | NE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NNW 6 | NNW 5 | NW 5 | NW 6 | N 6 | NNW 6 | — | — | SE 2 | SE 3 |
| kJ | 54 | — | — | 45 | 53 | 89 | 204 | 137 | 151 | 134 | 71 | 65 | 59 | 57 | 88 | 18 | 10 | — | — | 1 | 2 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 16 | 28 | 1 | 31 | 31 | 94 | 357 | 752 | 235 | 94 | 235 | 218 | 218 | 218 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
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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