Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, let’s have a look at what’s shaping up for Thurso Reef over the next couple of weeks.

First up, the water temp is sitting at 56.7°F, which is just about normal for this time of year. Nothing weird there.

Honestly, the start of this outlook is a bit of a bust. Saturday the 5th kicks off with a massive 11.5ft WNW swell, but it’s being hammered by a strong cross-shore wind and the whole thing is messy. The combined energy is strong at 1505, but it’s not really one for a paddle. Saturday afternoon cleans up a bit wind-wise, but the surf is still just marginal. Sunday the 6th is tiny, Monday the 7th has a bit of size but the quality is ordinary, and then Tuesday the 8th is just a write-off with a near gale and a 19.7ft wall of chaos – that’s a 9366 energy reading, proper angry ocean. Wednesday the 9th is still ugly. So, we’re looking at a few days of nothing much worth getting excited about through the start of the week.

Now, things start to look a bit better on Thursday the 10th. It’s small, only 2.3ft, with a light offshore breeze and clean conditions. Not a standout, but at least you could get a few soft ones.

But the real standout in this whole 16-day window is Saturday the 12th of September. That morning you’ve got a solid 4.9ft swell from the W with a 10-second period, combined energy of 796 – moderate but enough to have some push – and it’s clean with a light breeze. Then by the afternoon, it goes glassy, completely flat wind, the swell bumps up to 5.9ft and the period stretches to 11 seconds. This is going to be the cleanest, most lined-up surf of the whole run. Just be aware, crowds are possible here so get in early.

Another one to keep an eye on is Thursday the 17th of September. The morning swell is predicted to be 9.8ft from the WNW with a good period, but the file notes it might be a bit too big for this break. However, Thursday afternoon is where it’s at for experienced surfers: 6.9ft from the W, a 10-second period, clean offshore wind, and an energy reading of 1415. This is serious, powerful reef surf. If you’re not comfortable in heavy water, give it a miss, but for the experts, that’s the session of the run.

The rest of the second week is a bit of a mixed bag. Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th have some size and clean conditions, but the winds are not ideal, either cross-off or strong. Friday the 18th drops off, and Saturday the 19th has some 8.2ft swell but with a fresh breeze making it messy. Sunday the 20th looks like a write-off again with rain and strong wind.

So, if you’re paddling out, your best bet is Saturday the 12th for the clean, user-friendly waves. For the big dogs, Thursday the 17th afternoon is the one to circle on the calendar. A bit of a slow start, but it finishes with a bang.

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