
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso East surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 12s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 10PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 15s period, W swell with 3,911 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 6 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 9s period with WNW 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 Sunday (Sep 06) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.8m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso East in the next 16 days are 3.0m 15s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sun 6th Sep) | 6ft (1.8m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Tue 8th Sep) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s comin’ down the line for Thurso East.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a bit of a rough start. The first few days are a write-off – Friday the 4th and Saturday the 5th are a total mess with howling onshore winds and big, blown-out swell. You’d be mad to paddle out. Give it a miss.
The first real sign of life comes on Sunday morning, the 6th of September. We finally see the wind swing offshore, a light to moderate breeze from the SSE, cleaning things right up. The swell is small, dropping to 3 ft from the west, with a short period of 9 seconds. The combined energy is weak (211), so it’s not gonna be anything to write home about, but it’ll be clean. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about what you’d expect for this time of year.
The real standout, and the one to circle on your calendar, is Monday the 14th of September. That morning, we’ve got a solid 7 ft groundswell from the WNW with a very long period of 14 seconds. That’s proper energy – you can feel that in the water (combined energy of 2287). The wind is a light breeze from the SSW, which is a clean cross-offshore. This is proper Thurso East, lining up long and clean. This is the one for experienced surfers. The swell direction is bang on from the NNW optimum, so it’ll be wrapping in perfectly. Expect some serious power.
Leading up to that, we’ve got a few other sessions worth a look. Sunday the 13th sees a clean 6 ft swell from the WNW with a light offshore breeze. That’s a solid day for the crew. And as we get into the second week, Wednesday the 16th of September morning looks promising with a 5 ft swell from the WNW and a light offshore wind. It’s a bit less certain that far out, but it’s on the radar.
Don’t bother with the middle of the week starting the 10th – it’s flat and small. The big swells around the 15th and 17th are there, but the wind is onshore or cross-shore, making it a scrap. The 17th in particular has 10 ft of WNW swell, but it’s blown out by cross-on winds. That’s a big, messy beast only for the hardcore.
So, the pick of the bunch: Monday the 14th of September morning. Be there.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 14mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 16°C on Sun afternoon, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the W on Fri afternoon, light winds from the SSW by Sat night). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Tue night. Very mild (max 15°C on Mon afternoon, min 10°C on Wed night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the SSW on Mon night, light winds from the S by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | Thursday 10 | ||||||||||||||
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 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | WSW 9 | W 7 | W 12 | W 14 | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NW 6 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
2431 | 1713 | 1595 | 1463 | 516 | 117 | 68 | 149 | 177 | 772 | 3294 | 2243 | 1827 | 610 | 197 | 254 | 76 | 70 | 43 | 29 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off |
High Tide | 2:47AM4.12m | 3:31PM4.04m | 4:29AM4.01m | 5:06PM4.09m | 6:11AM4.14m | 6:28PM4.33m | 7:23AM4.42m | 7:29PM4.65m | 8:16AM4.69m | 8:17PM4.95m | 9:00AM4.89m | 9:00PM5.19m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:29PM2.21m | 9:12AM2.31m | 10:04PM2.29m | 10:53AM2.41m | 11:44PM2.10m | 12:19PM2.25m | 00:56AM1.73m | 1:20PM1.99m | 1:50AM1.36m | 2:08PM1.71m | 2:35AM1.05m | 2:50PM1.49m | 3:16AM0.87m | |||||||
— | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
8:07 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:54 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | |
mm | 1 | 2 | — | — | 4 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 14 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 3 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | WNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | SE 6 | W 7 | W 12 | W 14 | W 13 | W 12 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 8 |
11 | 5 | — | — | 516 | 117 | 68 | 17 | 177 | 772 | 3294 | 2243 | 1827 | 610 | 125 | 88 | 76 | 70 | 43 | 29 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 10 | NW 8 | NW 8 | NW 7 | WSW 11 | N 8 | — | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | N 8 | N 5 | N 5 | W 11 |
— | — | — | — | 7 | 78 | 48 | 8 | 38 | 1 | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 9 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 8 | NNE 9 | NNE 8 | N 8 | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | E 5 | N 6 |
— | — | — | — | 5 | 16 | 14 | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 10 | — | SE 4 | SSE 3 | WSW 9 | — | SSE 3 | SE 7 | S 4 | SSE 4 | NNE 4 | NNW 6 | NNW 7 | NW 6 | — | — | S 3 |
2431 | 1713 | 1595 | 1463 | — | 10 | 7 | 149 | — | 2 | 7 | 33 | 15 | 13 | 197 | 254 | 72 | — | — | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 616 | 616 | 595 | 414 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 1 | 616 | 616 | 754 | 673 | 524 | 522 | 95 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 9 |
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.










