
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso East surf forecast from 6 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period, WNW swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 13ft (4.0m), 15s period, W swell with 6,783 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period with WNW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thurso East this week:
The surf forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 06) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso East in the next 16 days are 4.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 4AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 13ft (4.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for the next couple of weeks here at Thurso East. This is a proper cold-water, expert-only point break, and it’s not gonna be messing around. The water’s sittin’ at about 57°F, which is pretty much normal for this time of year, so don’t be expecting a tropical dip.
The first week is a write-off, to be honest. There’s a bit of energy around, combined swell energy values are high (1243), but the wind is just a total mess. That Saturday afternoon, the 5th, is a no-go with a 8ft swell from the WNW and a stiff cross-onshore wind. It’s not worth paddling out for. We’re looking at a solid gap of near enough seven days of dodgy to poor conditions. Sunday the 6th has a brief moment of offshore wind and a clean 3ft wave, but it’s so small and the energy is weak (210) that it’s barely a blip. The rest of that week is just a story of strong winds, in the wrong direction, and lumpy, messy surf.
The real story, the one you’ve been waiting for, starts on Thursday the 17th. That’s where it gets proper. The swell direction is lining up with the optimum from the NNW, and we are looking at some serious groundswell.
Thursday morning the 17th is the first standout. The wind is a light cross-off from the SSW, and the swell is a solid 10ft from the West. The combined energy is a hefty 1486, and it’s clean. That’s serious, heavy wave energy on a point break. This is for experts only, full stop. The best of the lot, though, is Thursday afternoon. The wind goes glassy, absolute perfection, and the swell bumps up to 15ft from the WNW, with a period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is a massive 5008. That’s the kind of power that will make the wave stand up and hold its shape. It’s going to be big, powerful, and absolutely perfect for the experienced crew. This is the one to circle on the calendar.
Friday the 18th is still pumping. The morning is glassy again with a 13ft swell (4631 energy), so if you miss Thursday, this is the backup. The afternoon gets a bit of a cross-on breeze, but it’s still a big 12ft wave.
The weekend of the 19th and 20th keeps the quality high. The wind stays light, mostly cross-off from the South, and the swell hangs around the 8ft to 12ft mark. Plenty of energy (1300 to 2676) and clean conditions. This is a run of surf that doesn’t come around very often. It’s a long-range forecast, so keep an eye on it, but if it holds, you’ll be getting some of the most powerful, lined-up waves of the season. This is an expert-only spot, and it’s gonna be firing. Crowds are possible, as it’s a known spot, but with this size, it’ll thin the herd.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sun morning. Very mild (max 18°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Sat night, strong winds from the SW by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 14°C on Thu morning, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the NW on Tue afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Wed night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | Friday 11 | ||||||||||||||
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) | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 10 | W 8 | W 13 | W 14 | W 12 | WNW 11 | NW 10 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 9 | W 8 | W 6 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
1243 | 516 | 117 | 68 | 294 | 207 | 1558 | 5450 | 2151 | 1949 | 2248 | 875 | 418 | 84 | 55 | 40 | 159 | 234 | 164 | 496 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 4:29AM4.01m | 5:06PM4.09m | 6:11AM4.14m | 6:28PM4.33m | 7:23AM4.42m | 7:29PM4.65m | 8:16AM4.69m | 8:17PM4.95m | 9:00AM4.89m | 9:00PM5.19m | 9:38AM5.00m | 9:38PM5.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 10:04PM2.29m | 10:53AM2.41m | 11:44PM2.10m | 12:19PM2.25m | 00:56AM1.73m | 1:20PM1.99m | 1:50AM1.36m | 2:08PM1.71m | 2:35AM1.05m | 2:50PM1.49m | 3:16AM0.87m | 3:29PM1.34m | 3:55AM0.82m | |||||||
— | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
8:04 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:46 | — | |
mm | — | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — |
Temp °C | 13 | 13 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 6 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SE 7 | W 8 | W 13 | W 14 | W 12 | WNW 11 | SE 8 | W 10 | ENE 5 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 9 | W 11 | N 6 | SE 6 |
— | 516 | 117 | 68 | 17 | 207 | 1558 | 5450 | 2151 | 1949 | 3 | 70 | 3 | 84 | 55 | 40 | 159 | 20 | 1 | 1 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 10 | NW 8 | NW 8 | N 8 | W 11 | SE 7 | — | — | SE 7 | — | — | — | N 6 | N 6 | N 6 | N 5 | SE 5 | — | — |
— | 7 | 78 | 28 | 6 | 63 | 2 | — | — | 12 | — | — | — | 52 | 18 | 10 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | WNW 7 | SE 7 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NW 7 | E 6 | W 12 | ESE 4 | N 6 | — | — |
— | 5 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | — | SE 4 | SSE 3 | WSW 10 | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 5 | S 5 | — | NW 10 | NNW 8 | NW 8 | — | — | SE 3 | S 3 | W 8 | W 6 | W 8 |
1243 | — | 14 | 7 | 294 | 9 | 18 | 100 | 52 | — | 2248 | 875 | 418 | — | — | 5 | 3 | 234 | 164 | 496 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 389 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 596 | 364 | 673 | 754 | 616 | 730 | 522 | 816 | 72 | 17 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 20 | 754 | 522 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Thurso East Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Thurso East provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thurso East can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thurso East 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 East) 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 East 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 East, 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 and Kirkwall, 52 km (32 miles) away.










