Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 25 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 1 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, N swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 31 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 10s period, N swell with 539 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Tuesday 1 Sep, 7AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period with N 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 (Sep 01) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.1m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Reef in the next 16 days are 1.7m 10s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 31) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Aug 30) at 1AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Tue 1st Sep) | 5ft (1.5m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Mon 31st Aug) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let me tell you what the surf is lookin' like here.
We got a bit of a quiet start, but it's not all bad. The first week is gonna be a real struggle with very little energy. After that, things start to build, and the real highlight is shaping up for the second weekend, but we'll get to that.
Lookin' at Thurso Reef, Tuesday the 25th through to Saturday the 30th of August is pretty much a write-off. You're looking at tiny waves, mostly under 2 feet, with poor conditions. The swell energy is real weak, with values from as low as 2 up to just over 100. Not worth paddling out for. There's a window on the 30th with a light offshore wind in the morning, which is clean, but the waves are still too small at 2 feet to get excited about.
Then Monday the 1st of September, things start to change. We get a pulse of swell from the north, around 4 to 4.5 feet, with some decent energy coming through (290 to 359). It's still a bit messy, but Tuesday afternoon looks the best of that little push with a clean offshore wind from the southwest. The waves might be a little inconsistent but it's the first proper sign of life.
Wednesday the 2nd sees a bigger jump, with a 6.5 foot north swell rollin' in for the morning. But the period is short at 7 seconds, and the wind is cross-off, so it won't be as clean as you'd hope. The following days into the first week of September are a mixed bag of cross and onshore winds, keepin' things choppy and lumpy.
Now, here's the standout. Hold onto your board. Saturday the 5th of September gets a massive blast of energy, with a 11.5 foot west-northwest swell. The wave energy is huge at 2273, but the wind is a strong, messy cross-shore. That makes for pretty grim conditions. It's more of a kitesurfing setup than a paddle surfer's dream.
But then, Sunday the 6th of September is where it's at. We get a solid 6.5 foot swell from the north-northwest and the wind swings offshore from the southwest. The period is a very nice 11 seconds, giving the waves some real punch. The energy is still big at 999, and it's a gentle offshore wind. This is the session to wait for, though it's over a week away so keep an eye on it. That north-northwest swell direction is just about perfect for this spot. Keep in mind, with that long period, the sets might be a bit more spaced out, but the clean faces will be worth it. It's going to be a proper groundswell. The afternoon gets blown out by a strong cross-offshore wind from the southeast, so you want to be in the water for the morning.
The week after that, into the second week of September, looks more average with moderate swells but messy winds, except for the potential of another big one on Tuesday the 8th with a 6.2 foot west-northwest swell, but again, strong winds ruin it.
So to sum it up: the first week is a bust. Sunday the 6th of September morning is the one to circle. That's your best chance for some clean, powerful waves.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Thu morning. Very mild (max 17°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sun morning, min 13°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | NNW 6 | N 7 | N 8 | W 10 | W 5 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | N 9 | N 10 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
308 | 149 | 50 | 19 | 11 | 22 | 68 | 57 | 35 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 26 | 71 | 58 | 194 | 489 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | off | on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:08AM4.17m | 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 | 1:59PM2.11m | 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 | ||||||||
5:54 | — | — | 5:56 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | |
— | 8:35 | — | — | 8:31 | — | — | 8:29 | — | — | 8:27 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:17 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
Temp °C | 16 | 15 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 |
Feels °C | 11 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 6 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 8 | W 8 | WNW 7 | W 7 | W 10 | W 9 | W 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | E 9 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | W 5 | NW 7 | W 10 | W 9 | N 9 | N 10 |
308 | 149 | 50 | 19 | 11 | 10 | 68 | 57 | 35 | 20 | 43 | 74 | 33 | 16 | 9 | 16 | 18 | 71 | 58 | 194 | 489 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | W 8 | WNW 11 | N 8 | N 7 | N 6 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | NW 5 | W 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 9 | W 10 |
— | — | — | — | 6 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 26 | 31 | 32 | 40 | 30 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | N 6 | N 8 | NW 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 10 | NW 7 | W 4 | E 4 | N 7 | NNW 8 | SE 6 |
— | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 3 | SE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | SE 7 | E 3 | NNE 3 | NNW 6 | W 4 | WNW 5 | W 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
7 | 12 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 34 | 46 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 30 | 35 | 78 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 41 | 41 | 41 | 177 | 177 | 177 | 1 | 41 | 419 | 349 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 26 | 0 | 446 | 165 | 1 | 28 | 617 | 141 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
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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.











