Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a honest look at the Thurso Reef forecast. Straight up, it’s a tough watch for the first week and a half. We’ve got a real lull through the end of August and into the first days of September, with nothing but tiny, messy, or wind-affected surf. The sea just isn’t cooperating. It’s not until the 3rd of September that things get interesting, but then it’s a whole different beast – a massive, dangerous swell that’s too big for most of us.

Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th are write-offs. The swell is weak, with combined energy values of just 308 and 146, dropping to a pathetic 19 and 24. The cross-off and cross winds from the southeast at 15 mph are not doing us any favours. Water temp is sitting at 56°, which is about normal for the time of year.

Thursday the 27th and Friday the 28th are more of the same – small, poor conditions. The swell energy is barely registering (74 and 58). Friday brings a shift to light rain and a cross-on wind, which is just messy.

We finally see a pulse of energy on Sunday the 30th of August. The swell bumps up to 4 ft from the NNW with a period of 7 seconds, and combined energy hits 228. It’s a marginal call, with a light cross wind. Monday the 31st is a step back into poor territory, with a 4 ft onshore wind swell.

Now, here’s where it gets wild. The 3rd of September, Thursday morning, is a standout in terms of sheer power, but it’s not for the faint of heart. We’re looking at a 13 ft swell from the west, with a period of 9 seconds, and a combined energy reading of 2942. The wind is light and cross-off, so the conditions would be clean. But at this size, this is strictly for experts only. It’s too big for beginners by a long shot. The afternoon is even bigger, hitting 16 ft from the WNW with a period of 11 seconds, and energy spiking to 6138. Again, the wind is clean, but that’s a serious, heavy ocean. The same goes for Friday the 4th of September – a 12 ft swell in the morning and 7 ft in the afternoon, with strong cross-off winds. The energy is still massive (2600 and 1555), but the wind is up, making it a raw, challenging session.

After the big stuff passes, the 5th of September Saturday morning is the best of the rest. The swell drops to a more manageable 5 ft from the NNW with a 10-second period and combined energy of 406. The wind is light and cross-off, so the face will be glassy and clean. This is a solid window for an intermediate surfer. By Sunday the 6th, we get a clean 3 ft NNE swell with a nice offshore wind, and energy of 201. It’s a fun, clean day.

After that, the 7th of September is a write-off again with strong winds. The 8th and 9th of September see another massive pulse of energy (1277 and 2347), but again with strong winds, making it a real challenge.

If you’re a hardcore expert, the 3rd and 4th of September are your window for a big, powerful, clean reef break. For everyone else, keep your eyes on Saturday the 5th of September morning for the cleanest, most manageable waves. The early part of the forecast is a write-off, so don’t stress about it.

Rusty.

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