Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Thurso East. This is a proper Scottish set-up, a point break that needs a specific window to fire, and looking at the next 16 days, it’s a real mixed bag. We’re starting off with a brief, clean window, but then it turns into a long stretch of onshore junk before a late-period tease.

The first real chance to get wet kicks off on Tuesday the 14th of July. The morning is your best bet. We’ve got a clean 2-foot swell rolling in from the west, with a decent 12-second period that gives it some shape. The wind is cross-off from the ESE at 9 mph, which will keep the surface clean. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is about average for this time of year, so don’t expect a warm one. The combined energy is moderate at 209. It’s not huge, but on a point like this, it’ll offer some fun, lined-up waves. The crowds are possible here, so keep that in mind.

That Tuesday afternoon bumps up to 3 feet from the WNW with clean offshore wind, but the energy is still only moderate. It’s surfable, but it’s not the standout.

From Wednesday the 15th of July onwards, things fall apart. The swell drops, the wind turns onshore, and we go through a long, grim stretch. For over a week, from the 15th right through to the 26th, the conditions are poor. We’re looking at strong onshore winds from the NW and WNW, with gusts hitting 15 to 22 mph, and the swell direction is mostly onshore mush. The wave energy fluctuates but it’s all wind-affected junk. This is not a time for paddle surfing; with that much wind and lumpy, cross-onshore slop, a kite surfer might find it more interesting than we will.

Now, the end of the run throws a bit of a curveball. On Sunday the 26th of July, the morning looks glassy. Winds go light and variable from the ESE, almost dead calm. The swell is a small 2 feet from the west with a short 9-second period. The energy is weak at 77. It’s a tiny window of clean, small surf after a long drought. It’s not a standout, but if you’re desperate for a glide, it’s the only clean option in the second week.

The final few days of the outlook from the 27th to the 29th are back to small, choppy, and cross-onshore winds. Nothing to get excited about.

So, the long and short of it: Your best bet by a long shot is Tuesday the 14th of July, morning session at Thurso East. It’s the only time the stars align for a clean, lined-up wave. The rest of the 16-day window is a write-off. Don't force it.

Rusty.

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