Thurso Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 12 pm 26 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Reef sea temperature is
13.1° C
0.1° 

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


Thurso Reef surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 10s period, NW swell with 834 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 28 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 10s period with W swell.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Thurso Reef this week:

The surf forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 28) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 1.3m and 9s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Reef in the next 16 days are 2.1m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.9m 6s period and expected on Friday (Jul 31) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Tue 28th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s
Best Surf 1AM (Tue 28th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 10s
Most Powerful 7PM (Sun 26th Jul)7ft (2.1m) 10s

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


The Lowdown

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

It’s a slow start, and we’re going to need to wait for the good stuff. The first few days are a mix of messy wind and average swell, but there’s one clear standout that’s about a week away. Don’t get your hopes up for the early sessions.

For Sunday, July 26th, the morning has a 5ft swell from the WNW with a 10-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore from the WNW at 9 mph, putting a little chop on it. The combined energy is moderate at 764, but it’s not clean. The afternoon gets worse with a stronger 19 mph cross-shore, making it lumpy. Skip it.

Monday, July 27th is a better size, but still not the one. The morning features a 6ft swell from the NNW with a 9-second period. The wind is a cross-offshore from the W at 9 mph, and the water is clean. The energy is solid at 951. But the afternoon wind picks up to 22 mph, which is too strong to make it any good.

Tuesday, July 28th has a smaller 4ft swell from the NNW, but the wind is tricky. The afternoon session has a clean offshore wind from the SW at 16 mph, which is a good sign, but the wave quality is still just marginal.

The swell drops off sharply into the end of the week. Wednesday, July 29th and Thursday, July 30th are small and weak, with the energy dropping below 250. Not worth the paddle.

Friday, July 31st sees a spike in size, with a 7ft swell from the W, but the period is a short 7-seconds and the wind is a fresh 22 mph. That’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The energy is 405, but it’s poor quality.

Now, if you’ve got the patience to wait, Monday, August 3rd is your window. The morning is looking like the best on offer. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NNW with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate at 364. But the real magic is the wind – it’s glassy, with a 0 mph wind from the NE. That’s a total clean face. The water temp is about 56°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is the one to aim for, but it’s a one-session wonder; the afternoon turns onshore and choppy.

After that, it’s a long, flat run. The conditions get poor from Tuesday, August 4th and stay that way through the rest of the week. The swell is tiny, and the wind is consistently wrong. There’s a small window on Friday, August 7th where the morning has a 5ft swell from the NNW with an 8-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze, but it’s still a reach. The energy is only 254.

So here’s the takeaway: don’t rush. The first week is a write-off except for that glassy Monday morning. The second week is looking bleak. There’s a big gap of poor conditions from the 4th of August onwards. If you’re desperate, paddle out on the 3rd of August morning, but otherwise, keep your board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 10°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the S on Mon night, fresh winds from the WSW by Tue afternoon).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 20°C on Wed afternoon, min 11°C on Thu night). Winds increasing (light winds from the NNW on Wed night, fresh winds from the W by Fri morning).

Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
Friday
31
Saturday
1
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
2
0
2
2
1
3
1
2
3
2
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
WNW
10
1.4
WNW
10
1.8
NNW
9
1.8
NNW
9
1.6
W
10
1.4
W
10
1.3
NNW
9
1.3
N
10
1.6
W
8
0.9
N
9
0.8
N
8
0.7
N
8
0.6
N
8
0.6
N
8
0.4
NW
10
2.1
W
7
1.9
WNW
7
1.4
NNW
9
1.6
NNW
10
1.3
NNW
10
1.7
W
7
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
544
394
513
543
520
377
289
319
339
125
89
65
45
42
28
390
316
294
463
322
290
Wind (km/h)
10
WNW
30
NW
20
W
15
W
35
W
10
WSW
25
SE
25
SW
15
SSW
15
SSE
10
SSW
5
SE
20
WNW
20
W
25
WSW
35
W
30
WSW
30
SW
30
WNW
35
W
35
WSW
Wind State
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
7:51PM4.32m
8:24AM4.15m
8:32PM4.50m
9:05AM4.29m
9:09PM4.66m
9:40AM4.43m
9:42PM4.80m
10:12AM4.53m
10:14PM4.89m
10:43AM4.59m
10:44PM4.94m
11:14AM4.61m
11:15PM4.95m
Low Tide
1:36PM2.21m
2:10AM1.96m
2:18PM2.06m
2:49AM1.76m
2:55PM1.92m
3:24AM1.58m
3:30PM1.78m
3:58AM1.44m
4:04PM1.69m
4:30AM1.35m
4:37PM1.63m
5:03AM1.31m
5:10PM1.63m
part cloud
clear
clear
cloud
part cloud
light rain
light rain
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
light rain
rain showers
rain showers
rain showers
clear
part cloud
cloud
part cloud
light rain
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:48
4:50
4:52
4:56
4:58
5:00
5:01
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:49
9:46
9:45
9:43
9:40
9:38
9:36
 mm
1
3
1
1
1
2
1
Temp °C
13
13
11
14
14
12
14
17
16
17
20
15
14
15
12
14
14
12
14
14
12
Feels °C
8
7
6
10
7
8
11
11
14
15
19
15
10
11
8
8
7
7
9
7
5
  • Map Icons:
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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 Reef Surf forecast

The above surf forecast table for Thurso Reef provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Thurso Reef can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Thurso Reef 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 Reef) 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 Reef 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 Reef, 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, Kirkwall and Lossiemouth.

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