Thurso Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, let's get into it. We're looking at Thurso Beach for the next sixteen days, and I'll be straight with you—it's a tough stretch.

The first couple of days are a no-go. The water is sitting at a pretty cold 56°, which is just about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

We finally get a tiny window Thursday morning, the 30th of July. The swell drops right down to a knee-high 3 ft from the NNW, with a short period of 8 seconds. What makes this interesting is the wind. Thursday morning we have a light cross-offshore breeze, and then by Thursday afternoon it goes totally glassy. That's clean, smooth water, but the wave energy is weak (130 and 104). It's the quiet before the storm, really. Not a standout, just the only real chance to get wet for a few days.

Then the wind fires up. Friday the 31st through Sunday the 2nd of August sees strong westerly winds gusting up to 30 km/h. The swell bumps up to 6 ft on Sunday morning from the NW, with moderate wave energy in the 400s, but the wind is howling cross or cross-off, so it's going to be a mess—lumpy, choppy, and not worth your time.

Now, if you're an experienced surfer, mark your calendar for Monday the 3rd of August. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the north with an 11-second period, giving us a solid 971 units of energy. That's a real groundswell. The wind is light and blowing onshore from the NNW, and the conditions are described as "marginal," but that kind of energy hitting a beach can be powerful. For a spot like this, a long-period north swell can make it a bit shifty, but the power is there. This is the standout of the whole outlook, but be warned—at 7 ft, it's solid and more suited to those who know what they're doing.

After that burst, it all fades fast. From the 4th of August all the way through to the 10th, it's pretty much flat or tiny, with weak directions and messy winds. There's a little hiccup on the 10th with a glassy afternoon and a 3 ft NW swell, but it's short-period and weak energy (49). A real nothing-burger.

Then the calendar flips. Tuesday the 11th of August tries to kick back to life with 6 ft from the WNW, period around 7 seconds, and energy in the 330s. But that onshore cross-chop and gusty winds just kill it. Wednesday the 12th brings the biggest energy of the later period—624 units from a 6 ft WNW swell at 9 seconds—but again, it's a choppy, cross-onshore mess. Not for a clean ride.

The final days, the 13th and beyond, are all dropping swell and strong cross-onshore winds. It's a write-off.

Honestly, the only day that really gets the heart pumping is Monday the 3rd of August. If you're keen, that's your shot. Everything else is a whole lot of wind and not much wave.

Rusty.

Read more