Thurso East Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.61° N 3.50° W

Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 25 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso East sea temperature is
13.5°C
0.3° 

Thurso East surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Thurso East surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 9s period, W swell with 840 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 10s period with W 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thurso East in the next 16 days are 2.2m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 7AM (Thu 27th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 10s
Best Surf 7AM (Thu 27th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 10s
Most Powerful 7PM (Mon 31st Aug)7ft (2.2m) 9s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso East over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it for our local stretch.

Right now, we’re looking at a pretty bleak start. The first few days are a write-off for any decent surf. Tuesday afternoon (25th August) through to the end of the month has tiny, weak swell with poor conditions. The water temp is sitting at 56°, which is about normal for this time of year, so nothing unusual there.

We finally get a pulse of energy rolling in on Monday the 31st of August. The afternoon shows a jump to 7ft of swell from the west, with a period of 10 seconds. The wind is offshore from the SSE at 19 mph, and that’s going to make for clean lines. The combined energy is moderate at 836. It’s still a bit of a gamble with the tide, but this is the first real window of the forecast.

The standout for the whole period, though, is going to be Tuesday the 1st of September morning. We’ve got a solid 6ft of west swell, 9-second period, and it’s a cross-shore wind. The combined energy is strong at 629. This is the best-looking day on offer. Expect some punchy, decent waves at Thurso East. The spot is a point break, so it handles that west swell well, and it’s fairly consistent. Just be aware, crowds are possible here, so get in early.

From there, it gets messy again. Strong winds kick in, and the swell gets blown out or becomes too big for normal paddle surfing. Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September see a massive jump in size, but the wind is all wrong. Thursday afternoon hits 15ft with a severe gale cross-onshore – that’s kite territory, not paddle.

The second week is a mixed bag. Friday the 4th of September has a big 12ft swell from the west, but it’s cross-shore and lumpy. The weekend (5th and 6th) is more of the same: big, messy, and onshore. The combined energy is high, but the quality is poor. Monday the 7th has a tiny cleanup, but by Tuesday the 8th, we’re back to gale-force winds and blown-out surf.

Honestly, if you’re looking for a window, target that Tuesday morning (1st September). It’s the only true standout in the whole 16-day stretch.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Fri morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Fri afternoon, min 9°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WNW on Sat night, calm by Sun night).

Tue
25
Wednesday
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.9
W
10
0.6
W
8
0.4
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.3
WNW
11
0.6
W
10
0.6
W
9
0.5
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.3
W
8
0.6
WNW
6
1.3
WNW
7
1.9
WNW
9
1.8
NW
8
1.9
NW
8
1.6
NNW
8
1.2
NNW
8
0.8
N
8
2
W
10
1.7
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
149
50
19
12
22
68
57
35
11
10
25
154
524
479
450
270
159
88
786
502
Wind (km/h)
25
SE
20
SE
30
SE
25
ESE
15
SE
20
SE
25
SE
10
ESE
10
N
20
NW
30
W
25
W
20
WNW
35
WNW
30
NW
25
NW
10
WNW
15
SSE
30
SSE
15
SW
Wind State
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
off
cross-on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-off
off
cross
High Tide
8:10PM4.48m
8:43AM4.38m
8:45PM4.70m
9:14AM4.57m
9:16PM4.89m
9:44AM4.72m
9:46PM5.03m
10:13AM4.81m
10:16PM5.11m
10:42AM4.84m
10:47PM5.13m
11:13AM4.82m
11:19PM5.06m
Low Tide
2:26AM1.71m
2:35PM1.88m
2:59AM1.48m
3:08PM1.68m
3:31AM1.30m
3:40PM1.52m
4:03AM1.17m
4:11PM1.43m
4:35AM1.10m
4:44PM1.40m
5:08AM1.12m
5:17PM1.45m
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
light rain
rain showers
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:56
5:58
6:01
6:03
6:05
6:07
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:35
8:31
8:29
8:27
8:23
8:21
8:17
 mm
3
4
1
1
5
Temp °C
14
13
16
17
14
16
16
14
14
14
14
14
13
12
12
12
9
13
14
14
Feels °C
9
10
12
13
12
12
12
12
13
11
10
10
9
6
6
7
5
7
7
7
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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