Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for Thurso East. We’ve got a run of small, underwhelming conditions to start with, and honestly, it’s a bit of a mixed bag for the next couple of weeks. The water is sitting at 56°—pretty much bang on average for this time of year, nothing unusual there.

Thursday morning (13 August) kicks off with glassy, calm conditions, barely a ripple. Swell is a tiny 1 ft from the west-southwest, but with an 11-second period, there’s a bit of groundswell energy lurking. Wave energy is weak (61). It’s surfable, but only just—more of a paddle than a proper session. The afternoon picks up a fraction, swell to 2 ft from the west, still glassy, and the energy bumps up to moderate (115). Still, it’s not going to set the world on fire.

Friday through to Sunday morning (14–16 August) is a write-off, to be honest. Friday has a cross-onshore wind that ruins it, and the swell is mostly short-period junk. Saturday is similar, though the combined energy climbs to 224 in the afternoon—but with a strong cross-onshore wind, it’s a mess. Sunday morning (16 August) brings a welcome change: offshore SE wind at 10 km/h, clean conditions, and a 3 ft west-northwest swell with an 8-second period. It’s still just “surfable”, but the combined energy is moderate (189), and it’s the best we’ve seen.

Monday (17 August) offers clean surf again—offshore SE wind, 2 ft swell from the north, 8-second period. The morning is gentle, the afternoon is moderate, but both are clean. It’s small but tidy. The energy is weak in the morning (94) and moderate in the afternoon (111). A good option for a longboard or a fish.

From Tuesday (18 August) through Wednesday (19 August), the surf drops right off. Tiny 1.0 ft to 2 ft waves, weak energy (19 to 41), and cross-offshore winds that keep it clean but powerless. Not worth suiting up for.

Then things take a turn. Thursday (20 August) sees a lump of swell arrive: 5 ft in the morning, 7 ft in the afternoon, both from the west with a 9-second period. Combined energy jumps to 419 and then 609—strong wave energy. But it’s cross-onshore wind, and the conditions are fairly choppy. At 7 ft, this is for experienced surfers only; beginners should sit this one out. The wind is the letdown here.

Friday (21 August) settles back to 3 ft from the west-northwest, with an onshore wind from the NNW. The energy is moderate (174 to 155). Not great, not terrible—just ordinary.

The weekend (22–23 August) is small again. Saturday has cross-on wind and only 2 ft waves, energy in the 55–70 range. Sunday morning (23 August) offers a clean window with offshore ESE wind, 2 ft from the west, but it’s weak (71). Afternoon is clean but tiny.

The following week (24–28 August) is mostly flat or poor. There’s a 3 ft to 4 ft pulse from the north-northeast on Monday (24 August) with moderate energy (130), but the wind is cross-offshore and the period is a short 4 to 7 seconds—not inspiring. After that, the swell fades to 1.0 ft to 2 ft with weak energy, though a couple of glassy mornings on 27 and 28 August might tempt you for a micro-session.

The standout: If I had to pick one session that’s worth the effort, it’s Sunday morning (16 August). Clean offshore wind, a clean little 3 ft west-northwest groundswell—enough to get a few fun ones at this point break, where longer-period swells really shine. The crowd factor: you might have company, so expect company. That morning’s your best bet. Thursday afternoon (20 August) has the size (7 ft) and the power (609), but the onshore wind chops it up—only for experts who want a battle. For the rest of us, keep an eye on Monday (17 August) for small clean waves.

No kite surfing here—this setup is for surfers, not kites. Frustratingly quiet for much of the run, but forecasts can shift. Hang tight, brother.

- Rusty

Read more