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Surf Forecasts:
Thurso East surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, WNW swell with 1,162 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 8s. 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 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 7PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 24th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here, and I’m looking at the long-range picture for the North Coast. Let’s get straight into it.
First up, we’ve got Thurso East. The water temp is sitting at 57°F, which is about average for this time of year, so nothing out of the ordinary there. The next few days are a write-off, honestly. We’re looking at a solid run of poor conditions with onshore winds and choppy, lumpy surf from Wednesday the 19th through to Sunday the 23rd. Swell is small and weak, with energy levels barely scraping into the moderate range (264 to 98), and the period is short, so the waves are going to be gutless and messy. It’s a bit of a bleak stretch.
Now, hold on. Monday the 24th is where it lights up. Monday morning we’ve got a nice 7 ft swell from the WNW with a solid 11-second period, and the wind is light offshore from the SSE. That’s clean, glassy conditions for the experts. The combined energy jumps to 1028, which is strong, so there’s real power in the water. This is the standout of the whole forecast. The swell direction is a touch west of the optimum NNW, but it’s still going to wrap in nicely at this point break. However, at 7 ft, this is strictly for experienced surfers – it’s too big for beginners. Monday afternoon is still good, with 7 ft and offshore winds, but the energy drops a bit to 837. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, so if you can get out Monday morning, that’s the call.
After that, it fades fast. Tuesday the 25th has smaller 4 ft swell and clean offshore winds, but the energy is only moderate (252). It’s rideable, but nothing special. From Wednesday the 26th right through to the end of the period on September 3rd, it’s mostly small, weak, or onshore. There are a few days with clean conditions, like Thursday the 27th, but the swell is tiny (2 ft to 3 ft) and the energy is weak (61 to 123). Not worth paddling out for. There’s a decent gap of poor surf from the 26th onward, with only a brief flicker of a 4 ft swell on September 2nd, but it’s straight onshore, so it’s a no-go.
So, bottom line: you’ve got one solid window – Monday the 24th. That’s your best bet. Get on it early. Everything else is a flat, windy, or messy bust.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed morning. Very mild (max 13°C on Fri night, min 10°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 16°C on Mon morning, min 13°C on Sat morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sat morning, light winds from the SE by Mon morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 11 | W 10 | N 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | N 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 387 | 257 | 203 | 206 | 264 | 240 | 188 | 148 | 136 | 72 | 124 | 127 | 110 | 220 | 572 | 1019 | 769 | 520 | 374 | 175 | 61 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | off | off | off | off | off | off |
High Tide | 1:52PM4.13m | 2:06AM4.17m | 2:44PM3.95m | 3:10AM3.88m | 3:54PM3.84m | 4:38AM3.72m | 5:18PM3.86m | 6:14AM3.76m | 6:34PM4.01m | 7:22AM3.94m | 7:29PM4.24m | 8:08AM4.17m | 8:10PM4.48m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:49PM2.25m | 8:23AM2.27m | 8:51PM2.49m | 9:29AM2.54m | 10:25PM2.60m | 11:03AM2.65m | 00:01AM2.49m | 12:23PM2.55m | 1:05AM2.25m | 1:18PM2.35m | 1:49AM1.97m | 1:59PM2.11m | 2:26AM1.71m | ||||||||
 |  |  |  | |  |  | |  | | | | | | |  | | | | | | |
 | 5:41 | — | — | 5:43 | — | — | 5:46 | — | — | 5:48 | — | — | 5:50 | — | — | 5:52 | — | — | 5:54 | — | — |
 | — | 8:51 | — | — | 8:49 | — | — | 8:45 | — | — | 8:43 | — | — | 8:39 | — | — | 8:37 | — | — | 8:35 | — |
mm | 1 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
Feels °C | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | N 10 | N 8 | N 8 | NNE 8 | WNW 8 | NW 11 | WNW 9 | WNW 10 | WNW 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 |
| kJ | 387 | 257 | 123 | 71 | 46 | 25 | 12 | 12 | 47 | 72 | 41 | 19 | 24 | 19 | 572 | 1019 | 769 | 520 | 374 | 175 | 61 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SE 4 | — | — | NE 8 | NE 7 | ENE 6 | — | W 9 | W 8 | W 11 | W 10 | NNE 8 | NNE 8 | N 8 | — | NNW 12 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | N 10 |
| kJ | — | 1 | — | — | 15 | 8 | 3 | — | 1 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 4 | — | 15 | 40 | 62 | 60 | 50 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | N 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | WNW 11 | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 45 | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 7 | NNE 7 | N 7 | N 6 | N 7 | N 7 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | NNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | — | — | — | SE 4 | SE 3 | SE 4 | SE 4 |
| kJ | 55 | 66 | 203 | 206 | 264 | 240 | 188 | 148 | 136 | 52 | 124 | 127 | 110 | 220 | — | — | — | 5 | 4 | 26 | 32 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 74 | 315 | 366 | 770 | 757 | 235 | 419 | 225 | 218 | 218 | 218 | 29 | 44 | 72 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 0 |
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.
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