Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ our way for Thurso Beach over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, it’s a bit of a slow start. Nothing really worth paddling out for on the Monday or Tuesday, with messy cross-off winds and poor surf quality, despite some clean conditions. The swell is there but it’s just not comin’ together.

We finally get a little glimmer late Tuesday morning with a clean 8ft swell from the West, period 11 seconds, and offshore winds from the SSE. The combined energy is solid at 1673 (moderate to strong), and it’s got that nice clean face. The crowd factor is listed as “sometimes” so you might have a few friends out, but nothing too hectic. It’s a fairly consistent spot, so it’s a decent window for a Tuesday morning session if you’re keen.

But the real standout, the one you’ve been waitin’ for, comes on Saturday the 12th of September. The morning brings a powerful 12ft WNW groundswell with a long 13-second period, and the wind is offshore from the south. The combined energy is a hefty 4213 (strong to very strong). Look, this is big. Over 8ft means it’s expert territory only. The water temp is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is a proper, powerful groundswell that’ll be lining up nicely, but because it’s a beach break, that long period might make it a bit straight. Still, the power is undeniable.

Sunday the 13th is a bit more manageable. The morning brings a 10ft WNW swell with a 12-second period, and light offshore winds. Combined energy sits at 2321 (strong). It’s still big, but more approachable for experienced surfers. Then Sunday afternoon turns glassy with a 7ft WNW swell... that’s the kind of session you dream about. Clean, glassy, and smooth. It’s a special moment.

After that, the swell drops off a bit, but Monday the 14th still has a clean 5ft swell with offshore winds for the morning. The energy is moderate at 845. It’s a good, solid option for the intermediate crew.

The following week gets messy again. Big swells hit again on Tuesday the 15th with 15ft and 13ft, but the wind is cross-off and it’s just too big for this beach. Then we get a run of poor surf, mostly from the north with short periods and strong winds, right through to the end of the 16-day window. The last few days are blown out or way too big to be enjoyable.

So in short: the best bet is Saturday the 12th for the experts, and Sunday the 13th for the glassy, clean session. Don’t sleep on Tuesday morning the 8th either if you want a smaller, cleaner one. The rest of the window is a write-off, but that’s how it goes sometimes.

Rusty.

Read more