Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here, letting you know what’s cookin’ for the Thurso East (Scotland) lineup over the next couple weeks. It’s a bit of a mixed bag, so let’s wade through it.

Right off the bat, the water is sitting at about 54°, and the anomaly of -0.1° means it’s pretty much where it should be for July – no winter suits needed, but you won’t be surfing in boardies either.

The first few days are a bit of a letdown. Monday the 6th kicks off with glassy 3 ft W swell in the morning, combined energy is weak at 141, and the period is a short 8 seconds. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. That afternoon, a strong 22 mph cross-on wind from the West trashes it completely. Tuesday the 7th is your first real, solid window. We get a clean 4 ft W swell with a 9-second period and glassy conditions all day. The combined energy is a solid moderate 260 in the morning – it's not big, but it will be clean and fun. Tuesday afternoon stays glassy with 3 ft waves.

Wednesday the 8th and Thursday the 9th see a drop in quality as winds turn cross or cross-on, making the surf lumpy and choppy. The swell hangs around 4 ft to 4 ft with moderate energy, but the wind just messes it up. Friday morning the 10th is also marginal with a longer 11-second period, but still cross-on winds.

Then comes a dry spell. From Saturday the 11th right through to Sunday the 19th, conditions are poor to flat. The swell drops to nothing, and even when a little pulse shows up, the onshore winds ruin it. It’s a long, lean week with barely anything to get excited about.

But hold on, because the standout is shaping up for Tuesday the 14th. That’s the one. We get a clean 3 ft to 4 ft groundswell from the WNW, with a very nice 12-second period. The combined energy jumps up to 307 to 308, which is solid moderate energy, but the real magic is that offshore wind from the SE, blowing at a gentle 9 mph. That will groom the point to perfection. Expect clean, peeling lines. Keep in mind, though, that crowds here are noted as *sometimes*, so you might have a few locals out to share the takeoff. Wednesday the 15th still has a gentle offshore, but the swell drops to 2 ft and the energy fades fast.

After that, from the 16th to the 19th, it goes completely flat again. A little pulse on the 20th and 21st brings some serious size – 8 ft to 8 ft from the West with very strong energy (1099 to 1599), but the onshore winds are howling at 19 to 25 mph. That’s messy, blown-out, and treacherous – honestly, at that size and those winds, this setup looks way more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. This is expert-level territory in heavy, messy conditions.

So, to sum it up: the best on offer is Tuesday the 14th. It’s got that clean, grounded swell and perfect offshore wind. Make sure you’re free that day.

Rusty.

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