Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Thurso East.

Well, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks look pretty grim for this spot. We’ve got a real flat spell coming, so don’t get your hopes up. The first signs of anything surfable are on Monday the 3rd of August. Even then, it’s a slow start.

Monday the 3rd sees a small NNW swell pushing in around 4ft with a 9-second period. It’s not great, but the wind swings offshore from the ESE, cleaning it up. The combined energy is moderate at best (263), so it’ll be weak and pretty average. By the afternoon, the swell drops to 4ft, but the offshore wind holds from the SE, making for cleaner, rideable waves. This is the best we’ll see for a while, but don't expect any barrels.

The rest of the week is a write-off. From Tuesday the 4th right through to Monday the 10th, the swell never gets above 3ft, with periods dropping under 8 seconds. That’s short-period, weak windswell with combined energy falling into the double digits (down to 42 at one point). Winds are messy – cross-off or cross-on – and we’ve got “poor surf conditions” stamped all over it. The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.

After that, another pulse tries to show up on Tuesday the 11th – a 4ft NNW swell, but with a pathetic 6-second period. The wind is a cross-shore from the SW, then a strong cross-onshore from the West at 25 mph on Tuesday afternoon. It’s a messy, choppy mess with moderate wave energy (119-121). Not worth paddling out.

From Wednesday the 12th through to the end of the forecast period on the 17th, we’re back to tiny, weak waves or onshore slop. The biggest day is Thursday the 13th with 5ft from the WNW, but with a 7-second period and onshore NW winds at 22 mph. Combined energy hits 227–236, so there's some push, but the quality is poor. That one’s for experts only if they’re desperate – the wind will make it a lumpy, closed-out mess.

The only real standout, if you can call it that, is Monday the 3rd. It’s small, but you’ll get a clean 4ft offshore wave in the morning at Thurso East. After that, it’s a long, flat trudge. No other spot is on offer here, so we’re stuck with it. This is a pretty typical blank run for the area when the Atlantic goes quiet.

Rusty.

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