Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s coming down the line for us.

The pattern for the next 16 days starts with a bit of a tease on Friday morning, but then things get real messy for a long stretch. The standout, and really the only true window we’ve got, is that Friday morning (September 4th). After that, it’s a whole lot of waiting for the wind to sort itself out.

Let’s start with that Friday morning. The water at Thurso Beach is sitting at 57°, which is just about average for this time of year. We’ve got a 6ft swell from the west with a 10-second period. The energy is moderate (656). What makes this the one to go for is the wind – it’s a light southerly offshore, keeping things clean. The break is fairly exposed to the northwest, which isn’t a perfect match for the west swell direction, but with that offshore breeze, it’ll be rideable and lined up. It’s a beginner-friendly spot, so don’t expect anything too heavy, and it’s *fairly consistent*, so you won’t be waiting around forever. Crowds are possible though, so get down early.

Now, if you can’t make Friday morning, the rest of the first week is a write-off. Friday afternoon gets hammered by a 37 mph westerly near gale, and Saturday through Sunday is all cross-shore wind and lumpy, messy conditions. There’s a little window on Monday afternoon (September 7th) with a 6ft swell from the west and a long 11-second period – the energy is strong (1366). The wind is cross-offshore, so it’s clean, but it’s a marginal call. It might be worth a paddle if you’re desperate, but it’s not the best.

Tuesday morning (September 8th) is a big one, but it’s for experts only. We’re looking at a 13ft west swell with a 12-second period, giving off massive energy (4353). The wind is offshore, so it’ll be clean, but that’s a lot of water moving. This is a beach break, so with that long period, it might be closing out or breaking too straight. It’s a powerful, heavy day.

After that, from Wednesday (September 9th) all the way through to the end of the second week, it’s a long, grim run of cross-shore and onshore winds, lumpy chop, and generally poor conditions. There are a few days in the second week, like the 18th and 19th of September, where we get a north swell with a long 13-second period and cross-offshore winds, but the energy is moderate and the conditions are still described as marginal. You’d be hunting for a diamond in the rough.

Honestly, after that Friday morning, things go flat and windy for a long stretch. The next real potential is that Tuesday morning for the big-wave hunters, but for anyone else, it’s a waiting game. The forecast can change, but as it stands, that Friday morning is your best bet.

Rusty.

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