Thurso East Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into the outlook for the next couple of weeks. We’ve only got one spot on the radar, so this is the whole story.

Overall, it’s a real mixed bag. We’re starting with a frustrating gap because there’s nothing worth paddling out for on the first few days. The real action, when it finally shows up, is all about a couple of mornings that stand out from the rest. The water temp is sitting at 55°, which is bang on average for this time of year – no wetsuit drama there.

The first proper chance to get in the water is on Tuesday, July 14th. The morning is the pick of the early days. We’ve got a clean 2-ft groundswell from the west, with a very long 12-second period (209 combined energy). The wind is offshore from the ESE, blowing at 15 mph, and it’s clean. That’s a solid combo for a point break like Thurso East. The afternoon holds similar energy, with a 3-ft swell and 11-second period (242 combined energy), but the wind is a bit stronger at 20 mph. Still offshore, but the morning session is the one to aim for.

Wednesday, July 15th sees the swell drop back to 2-ft with a shorter 9-second period (70 combined energy). The wind is offshore, but it’s just ordinary surf. Not a standout.

Then we hit a real dry spell. From Thursday, July 16th through to Sunday, July 19th, the conditions are poor. We’ve got everything from glassy but tiny waves, to onshore winds and choppy, lumpy junk. Onshore winds from the NW and W blow through this period, with stronger gusts up to 30 mph. Not worth a look.

The second week kicks off with a bit of size, but it’s messy. Monday, July 20th brings a 5-ft to 6-ft swell from the west (277 to 348 combined energy), but it’s accompanied by a fresh 35 mph cross-onshore wind. That’s a messy, lumpy setup. By Tuesday, July 21st, the swell gets bigger – 8-ft to 8-ft (835 to 977 combined energy) – but the wind is a strong 40 mph cross-onshore on the morning and onshore in the afternoon. That’s expert-only territory, and with the wind howling like that, it’s going to be a washing machine. Honestly, for those days, with the significant swell and poor wind, the beach-and-reef setup here looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Wednesday, July 22nd calms down a bit, but it’s still cross-onshore with a 7-ft to 6-ft swell (605 to 441 combined energy). Not clean.

Finally, we get another window. Thursday, July 23rd has a 3-ft swell with a 8-second period (166 to 178 combined energy) and a cross-offshore wind from the east. It’s surfable, but ordinary.

The real sleeper hit comes on Friday, July 24th. The morning brings a 3-ft swell from the north, with a 9-second period (184 combined energy) and a fresh 30 mph offshore wind from the SSE. That’s clean and groomed. The afternoon is similar, with a 2-ft swell (132 combined energy). It’s not huge, but the clean offshore wind is the key.

Saturday, July 25th starts glassy with a 4-ft swell (197 combined energy), but it’s short-lived. The afternoon gets messy again.

Then, the one to circle. Sunday, July 26th is the best on offer in the whole outlook. The morning has a 4-ft swell from the northwest with an 8-second period, but the energy is solid at 283 combined. The wind is a gentle cross-offshore from the east. It’s clean. The afternoon is similar, with a 4-ft swell from the NNW (275 combined energy). For this spot, that’s a decent window. Crowds are possible at Thurso East, so get there early.

After that, it fades out again. Monday, July 27th and Tuesday, July 28th are back to ordinary, with 3-ft to 3-ft swell and moderate to fresh offshore winds, but nothing special.

So, the standout is Sunday, July 26th for the clean, consistent waves. The backup is Tuesday, July 14th morning. The rest is mostly a waiting game.

Rusty.

Read more