
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Beach surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 3 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, N swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 3 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, N swell with 440 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 2 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period with N 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 Sunday (Aug 02) at 7PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.1m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.9m 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 1.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 03) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 06) at 10PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7PM (Sun 2nd Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 3rd Aug) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right, folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Thurso Beach over the next couple of weeks.
Honestly, straight off the bat, it’s a pretty bleak picture. The forecast is a long, dry spell of nothing worthwhile. The first solid week-and-a-half is just a write-off for any decent surf. We’re looking at a big gap from now until about the 10th of August with pretty much nothing to get excited about.
For the first few days, it’s all cross-shore and cross-onshore winds with small, weak swell. The combined wave energy is in the low to mid hundreds (135 to 376), which is moderate, but the wind just chops it all to bits. The water is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much bang on average for the time of year, so no surprises there.
A few mornings around the 3rd of August show a little bump in size, with a 5ft swell from the north, and a 10-second period giving it a bit of grunt. The energy jumps up to 485 (moderate), and the wind is light, but it’s a cross-on breeze, so you’ll be battling a little bump. The report calls it “marginal,” and I’d agree – it’s a maybe for a desperate paddle, but nothing to write home about.
After that, it just drops off a cliff. From the 4th right through to the 9th, we’re looking at tiny, gutless waves with energy dropping into the double digits (77 down to 10). The wind is mostly cross-off, which is clean, but there’s simply no swell to push it. It’s a flat spell.
Then, finally, around the 10th of August, there’s a tiny flicker of hope. Monday morning the 10th sees a 3ft swell from the WNW, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is 123 (weak). The big news here is the wind: it’s glassy. Absolutely glassy. For a beach break, that’s a massive positive, meaning the surface will be like a mirror. The report says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is fair. It’s not going to be epic, but if you’re desperate for a squeak, this is the standout of the whole outlook. The swell direction (WNW) is also a decent match for the optimum (NW), so the shape should be okay.
That little window of clean conditions and a waist-high wave hangs around for a few days. The 11th and 12th of August also show 3ft swells from the WNW, with clean cross-off winds. The energy stays in the low 100s (110 to 136), so it’s weak, but at least it’s clean. The period is only 8 or 9 seconds, so it’s a short-period wind swell, not a long-range groundswell. It’ll be a bit fat and crumbly, but perfectly rideable on a longboard or a foamie.
The rest of the outlook from the 12th afternoon onwards just fades back into tiny, windy, choppy nothingness.
So, the bottom line: if you really need a surf, point your board at Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th of August. The glassy conditions on the 10th morning are the highlight. The surf will be small (3ft), clean, and beginner-friendly. It’s not a classic, but it’s the best we’ve got.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Thu afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Fri afternoon, min 10°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | ||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 8 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 56 | 205 | 121 | 95 | 118 | 154 | 306 | 221 | 202 | 210 | 440 | 369 | 194 | 112 | 66 | 63 | 41 | 27 | 17 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 10:14PM4.89m | 10:43AM4.59m | 10:44PM4.94m | 11:14AM4.61m | 11:15PM4.95m | 11:46AM4.59m | 11:48PM4.91m | 12:20PM4.52m | 00:23AM4.81m | 12:59PM4.42m | 1:04AM4.67m | 1:46PM4.29m | 1:55AM4.48m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:04PM1.69m | 4:30AM1.35m | 4:37PM1.63m | 5:03AM1.31m | 5:10PM1.63m | 5:36AM1.32m | 5:43PM1.68m | 6:12AM1.38m | 6:19PM1.78m | 6:50AM1.50m | 6:59PM1.93m | 7:34AM1.68m | 7:47PM2.10m | |||||||
— | — | 5:00 | — | — | 5:01 | — | — | 5:03 | — | — | 5:05 | — | — | 5:07 | — | — | 5:11 | — | — | |
— | 9:40 | — | — | 9:38 | — | — | 9:36 | — | — | 9:34 | — | — | 9:31 | — | — | 9:29 | — | — | 9:27 | |
mm | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 |
Feels °C | 9 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 9 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 6 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 |
75 | 28 | 18 | 16 | 23 | 60 | 154 | 306 | 221 | 202 | 210 | 440 | 369 | 194 | 112 | 66 | 63 | 41 | 27 | 17 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 7 | N 7 | — | — | N 11 | NNW 8 | — | W 10 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | W 10 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | W 10 |
10 | 4 | — | — | 2 | 118 | — | 2 | — | 123 | 57 | 7 | 25 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | — | — | — | — | — | N 11 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | NW 6 |
1 | — | — | — | — | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 5 | W 6 | WNW 8 | — | — | WNW 7 | — | — | ENE 2 | NE 3 | E 3 | E 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 2 |
50 | 56 | 205 | 121 | 95 | — | 91 | 54 | 155 | — | — | 36 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1181 | 413 | 449 | 755 | 1 | 28 | 834 | 71 | 26 | 21 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 41 | 73 | 73 |
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.











