Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, it's Rusty here, and we've got a long look at things to come. This is a wild ride, so strap in.

We're starting off with a little bit of a wait. The first proper call isn't until this Sunday morning, the 13th, at Thurso Reef. The water is sitting at 56°, which is pretty much what you'd expect for this time of year, nothing weird going on there.

So, Sunday morning the 13th is your first real chance. We've got a clean 7ft swell rolling in from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds, and a light cross-offshore breeze from the WSW. The energy is moderate (979). It's a reef break that's fairly consistent, but it can get crowded sometimes, so you might have some company. This is a solid, clean start for an intermediate surfer.

Sunday afternoon the 14th sees the swell drop a touch to 6ft, but the wind swings onshore, so it'll get a bit bumpy. Not the best part of the day.

Monday the 14th is a different story. The swell drops right back to 3ft, but we get a proper offshore breeze from the south, and it's clean. The period jumps to 12 seconds, giving those small waves a bit of push. The energy is moderate (382). It'll be small, but for a longboard or a funboard, it could be a really fun, clean session.

Now, things get ugly. Tuesday the 15th through Thursday the 17th is a write-off. Strong winds and messy, lumpy conditions. Not worth paddling out.

Then, here's the real kicker. Starting Friday morning the 18th, the ocean just goes nuts. We're looking at an 18ft swell from the WNW with a very long 14-second period. The energy is insane (12022). This is a massive, powerful groundswell. But for Thurso Reef, it's just too big. This is expert-only territory, and even then, it's a serious call. This huge swell hangs around for days, fluctuating between 12ft and 16ft, all the way through to the 24th of September. The wind is often cross-offshore, which would be great for a smaller swell, but at these sizes, it's a washing machine. Unless you're a top-tier charger, give this week a miss. The setup looks more interesting for a big-wave tow session than paddle surfing.

After that big pulse finally fades, we get a redemption window. On Friday the 25th, the swell drops to 7ft from the WNW, and the wind goes completely glassy. Zero wind. That is a rare gift. The energy is moderate (979) and it will be clean as a whistle.

Saturday the 26th morning keeps it going with a clean 7ft swell and a light offshore breeze from the SSW. The period drops to 9 seconds, so it'll be a bit weaker, but still a very solid, clean session.

The very end of the forecast, Sunday the 27th and Monday the 28th, looks like another round of huge, unruly swell and strong winds. That’s one for the big-wave crew only.

So, if I'm calling the standouts, Sunday morning the 13th is your first good, clean session. But the absolute highlight, the one to circle on your calendar, is Friday the 25th. That glassy morning with a clean 7ft swell is the best on offer. Get in the water.

Rusty.

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