
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso East surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 10s period, NNW swell with 858 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 10 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period with N 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 8s. 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 2.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Mon 10th Aug) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Right then, let’s have a look at what’s comin’ our way here in the far north. Thurso East (Scotland) is a world-class point break that needs a very specific combination to light up, and this forecast is a proper mix of frustration and a couple of windows of hope. We’re talking a big, exposed point that needs a clean NW to NNW groundswell and those light offshore winds from the southeast to really get its spit curl on. The water temp is about average for the time of year, so nothing unusual there.
The first few days are a write-off. Friday the 7th and Saturday the 8th have messy cross-off and cross winds, with a weak, short-period westerly swell that’s just not got the grunt for this spot. It’s a bit of a tease, but the energy is just too weak (67 to 671 in the combined energy range) and the direction is all wrong. We’ll be watching from the cliff, not paddling out.
The real standout, the only time you should be thinking about waxing up, is on Tuesday the 11th. That morning we’ve got some magic lining up. The wind is a clean, gentle offshore from the southeast, which is absolutely perfect for Thurso. The swell is a small but tidy 4 ft from the north, with a period of 9 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell that will wrap around the point and hold its shape. The combined energy is a modest 202, but for this spot, with that wind, it’s quality over quantity. The afternoon will be a bit weaker at 3 ft, but still offshore and clean. This is your window. It’s a fairly consistent break, and with that light offshore, you’ll be getting some beautiful, clean lines. It’s small, so it’s not one for the big-wave chargers, but for a grovelly session on a world-class point, it’s the pick of the bunch.
After that, the outlook goes quiet again. The rest of the week and into the next has a mix of onshore wind, weak swell, and poor conditions. There’s a glimmer on Wednesday the 19th, with a glassy morning and a 3 ft westerly swell, but the energy is low (106) and the period is short. It’s surfable, but ordinary. You’d be fighting for a few close-outs.
Then, way out in the second week, on Friday the 21st, we’ve got a promising but less certain set-up. A strong offshore wind from the southeast (25 mph) will be blowing straight down the wave face, but it’s a strong breeze, so paddling in will be a proper battle. The swell is 6 ft from the west with a 10-second period, which is a decent amount of energy (638). The wind will make the surface clean, but it’s a beat-up to get out there. It’s a solid option for the experts who can handle the paddle, but for the average surfer, Tuesday the 11th is the one to lock in.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Thu night, strong winds from the W by Sun afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 11 | W 7 | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
35 | 639 | 664 | 649 | 600 | 522 | 840 | 691 | 422 | 858 | 671 | 397 | 185 | 111 | 63 | 29 | 57 | 31 | 42 | 187 | 261 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | on | on | on | off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 3:55PM4.11m | 4:23AM4.15m | 5:15PM4.16m | 5:55AM4.19m | 6:32PM4.36m | 7:16AM4.39m | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | 9:57AM4.97m | 9:59PM5.31m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:36AM2.09m | 10:15PM2.33m | 11:01AM2.17m | 11:47PM2.18m | 12:22PM2.08m | 1:01AM1.85m | 1:26PM1.88m | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | 3:48PM1.37m | ||||||||
5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | |
mm | — | 2 | 2 | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 24 | 23 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 16 |
Feels °C | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 14 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | N 7 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | WNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 11 | W 7 | N 11 | W 11 | N 10 |
35 | 1 | 664 | 649 | 600 | 522 | 26 | 24 | 422 | 858 | 671 | 397 | 185 | 111 | 63 | 29 | 57 | 31 | 37 | 116 | 29 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 9 | N 10 | N 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 12 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | SE 5 | W 12 | N 7 | W 9 | ESE 7 | N 10 | SE 6 |
29 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 29 | 28 | 6 | 7 | 230 | 136 | 82 | 28 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 23 | 5 | 52 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | — | N 11 | N 9 | — | ESE 6 | — | — | SE 7 | SE 6 | SE 5 | E 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 6 | W 7 | SE 6 | SE 7 | W 9 | ESE 7 | — |
3 | — | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 7 | 5 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 3 | W 8 | SSE 5 | — | S 4 | — | W 9 | W 9 | — | — | — | — | SE 3 | SE 3 | — | S 3 | — | — | W 5 | W 6 | W 6 |
8 | 639 | 3 | — | 17 | — | 840 | 691 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 42 | 187 | 261 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 25 | 141 | 1 | 5 | 34 | 2 | 165 | 423 | 206 | 54 | 90 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 20 | 0 |
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.











