Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I’ve got to be straight with you—this is a tough stretch. The forecast window is a full 16 days, but the first surfable day doesn’t come until Monday the 3rd of August, and even then, it’s only marginal. The 2nd of August is a complete write-off with poor conditions and zero score. So we’re looking at a couple of days of flat or ugly water before anything even remotely worth paddling out for.

The only break that’s really on the radar here is Thurso Reef. It’s a reef setup, fairly consistent, and it loves a swell from the NW. The water temperature is sitting about 56°F, which is basically normal for this time of year—no surprises there.

Now, the standout moments are few and far between. The best of the lot looks like Monday the 3rd of August. In the morning, we’ve got a small 4 ft swell from the NNW, with a period of 9 seconds, and the wind is a clean cross-offshore from the SE at 12 mph. Combined wave energy is moderate (268). It’s not big, but it’s clean, and that’s the best we’ve got. The afternoon is similar, with the same wind and a slightly smaller 4 ft swell from the N. Still, it’s only a marginal call, so don’t get your hopes up too high.

After that, it’s pretty grim. Tuesday the 4th drops to 3 ft with fresh cross-shore wind and chop—pretty much unsurfable. Wednesday the 5th sees a bump to 5 ft from the NE, but it’s onshore and choppy, so that’s a no-go. The rest of the week is a mix of tiny swell, poor wind, and flat spells.

There’s a brief glimmer on Friday the 7th of August in the morning. The swell is only 2 ft from the W, but the wind is glassy—dead calm, 0 mph from the SSE. That’s a rare moment of clean, glassy conditions, but the swell is tiny. It’s more of a longboard or funboard session if you’re desperate. Combined energy is weak (56).

Beyond that, it’s a long, dry run. The 8th through the 14th are all poor or flat, with swell dropping to 0.3 ft and energy as low as 2. There’s a small pulse on the 16th of August—Sunday morning—with a 2 ft swell from the W, glassy wind, and combined energy of 80. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The 17th of August (Monday) brings a bit more energy, with a 3 ft W swell and a period of 10 seconds, but the wind is a fresh cross-shore from the NW at 16 to 19 mph, making it lumpy and messy.

So, here’s the honest truth: if you’re a beginner, the swell never gets above 5 ft, so you’re safe from big waves, but the quality is just not there. For experts, there’s nothing over 8 ft, so no big-wave days. The best bet is Monday the 3rd of August for a clean, small session, or maybe the glassy morning of Friday the 7th if you’re happy with knee-high waves. Crowds are “sometimes” an issue at Thurso Reef, but honestly, with this outlook, I doubt you’ll have company.

Hang in there, folks. The forecasts can change, but for now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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