Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G'day, I'm Rusty. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for Thurso Reef over the next couple of weeks.

The short story is, this is a rough patch. We've got a decent-sized reef break that's fairly consistent, exposed to the northwest swell, but for the first ten days or so, the wind is nearly always wrong, with cross or cross-onshore breezes that are going to chop things up. It’s a bit of a battle out there, but if you're patient, there's a glimmer of something good right at the very end of the outlook.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Thursday, July 16th, but it's a quiet start. The swell is tiny at 1ft from the west, with a 9-second period, and the combined energy is a weak 30. The water is sitting at 55°, which is about average for the time of year. The wind is onshore from the east, so it's going to be pretty messy. Not worth paddling out. The rest of that week and into the next is a write-off. The swell is generally small, under 3ft, and the wind stays onshore or cross-shore, making for poor surf conditions. There's a pulse of energy on the 22nd with a 5ft swell and a moderate 216 energy, but the northwest wind is still cross, so it's lumpy and uninviting.

The wind cleans up a bit on Thursday, July 23rd, with a west-southwest cross-offshore breeze, but the swell is still just 5ft and the period is short at 7 seconds. The energy is moderate at 189, but it's not going to be anything special. The next day, Friday, July 24th, sees a big jump in size. We're looking at a 8ft swell from the west-northwest, with a long 10-second period and a massive 1041 surge of energy. That's a lot of power. However, the wind is cross-onshore from the north-northwest, so it's going to be choppy and closed out. This is expert-only territory, and honestly, with those conditions, it might be more interesting for the kite surfers than the paddle crew.

The standout stretch is the very last weekend of the outlook. Sunday, July 26th is the one to keep an eye on. The morning still has a bit of a cross-onshore breeze, with a 6ft swell and 570 energy, but the afternoon looks magic. The wind swings to a light north-northeast and goes glassy. The swell drops slightly to 6ft, still with a solid 9-second period and 512 energy. The forecast is for "expect very good surf conditions" – this is the best on offer. The waves will be clean and lined up, but be aware that this spot can get crowded sometimes. The 6ft height is a fun size, but it's getting on the bigger side for beginners.

The following morning, Monday, July 27th, also looks promising with glassy conditions and a 4ft swell from the west-northwest. The energy is a moderate 228. It's a smaller, cleaner option after the bigger Sunday session. After that, the wind shifts back to an onshore direction and the quality drops off again.

So, to wrap it up: the first 10 days are a tough slog, but don't give up. The real window is Sunday the 26th afternoon, with a solid, clean, and powerful swell on offer. The Monday morning is a good backup if you want something smaller. The rest of the time, you're better off checking the forecast again.

Rusty signing off.

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