Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

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

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with you – it’s a rough start. The first few days are a write-off. We’ve got a fresh cross-onshore breeze and choppy, poor surf through Friday and Saturday. The swell is there, but it’s a messy, short-period windswell and the wind is just killing it. We’re looking at around 5 ft from the NNW on Friday morning, but it’s all cross-on and lumpy, so you’re better off staying home.

That pattern holds through the weekend. Sunday is still cross-shore and bumpy, with weak energy levels (around 125 to 167). You’re not missing a thing.

But hold onto your board, because Monday morning, the 24th of August, is the standout. This is the one to circle on the calendar. The wind finally plays ball, going light and cross-off from the SSE, and a solid 7 ft groundswell from the WNW rolls in. The period is 11 seconds, so there’s proper grunt in the water. The combined energy is a massive 1142, which is strong. This is proper, clean surf for the experienced crew. It’s the kind of morning that makes you forget the flat spell. The water temp is about 57°F, which is pretty normal for the time of year, so a 4/3 will do you fine.

Monday afternoon stays clean but the swell drops a touch to 7 ft. It’s still a good option, but the morning is the real winner.

After that, the week tails off. Tuesday the 25th sees a big drop in size, and while the wind stays clean, there isn’t enough juice in it. By Wednesday and Thursday we’re down to knee-high dribble with combined energy below 100. It’s a proper lull.

The following weekend (the 29th and 30th) is a bit of a mixed bag. The wind is mostly cross-off, but the swell is small and weak. There’s a little pulse of 4 ft on Saturday morning, but the energy is still low (153). Not really worth a special trip.

Looking further ahead into the first week of September, it’s still slim pickings. There’s a day on the 3rd of September with a tiny 2 ft swell but a very long period of 12 seconds, which gives a little bit of life, but the conditions are just ordinary. The best bet in that second week is probably the 5th of September, with a 5 ft swell from the NNW and clean cross-off wind. The energy is moderate (252), so it’s not a world-beater, but it’s the most promising thing in a pretty dry spell.

So, to sum it up: The golden hour is Monday morning, 24th August. Get in the water. After that, it’s a waiting game until the first weekend of September for a chance at some clean, rideable waves.

Rusty.

Read more