Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 7ft (2.1m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 9 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, W swell with 972 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 6 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 5s period with WNW 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 Thursday (Aug 06) at 10PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 6s. 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 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 09) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.8m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 4AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10PM (Thu 6th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 7ft (2.1m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 9th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at a long window for Thurso Reef. Don’t get too excited just yet, because the first few days are a bit of a write-off. We’ve got a gap from Thursday the 6th right through the weekend where the conditions are just not playing ball. The swell is small and weak, and the wind is all over the place for the first couple of days. It’s not until the Sunday morning on the 9th that things start to look a little more interesting, with a building swell of 7ft from the west and a fresh offshore wind making it clean. The energy is ramping up (856). This is a solid start, but the real standout is a couple of weeks away.
The absolute best of the lot looks set for Wednesday the 19th. The morning session is a beast, with a solid 13ft swell from the west. The wind is howling offshore at 19 mph, which should keep it clean. The combined energy reading is massive at 3013, so there’s plenty of grunt. But, and this is a big but, that’s too big for most. That’s expert territory only, and even then, it’s a powerful, heavy wave. The forecast energy is extreme.
The next best call is the following morning, Thursday the 20th. We’ve got a still-strong 7ft west swell, with a moderate offshore wind. The combined energy is 689, which is still a good, punchy wave. The wind is off, so it’ll be clean. That’s a much more manageable size for a strong intermediate, and a much better bet for a fun session without being totally terrifying.
The water is about average for this time of year, nothing to write home about. The break is a reef, so it’ll handle the long-period swell well, but it can get a bit straight otherwise. The Sunday the 9th and Monday the 10th offer good, clean surf with a moderate 7ft and 4ft west swell respectively, but they are not the standouts. The crowds can be a thing here, so keep an eye out.
For the rest of the second week, there’s a bit of a lull, with a few small, clean days but nothing to get excited about. The energy drops right off until that big pulse on the 19th. The long-range call on the 19th and 20th is the one to circle. It’s promising, but with a forecast that far out, you gotta keep your fingers crossed it holds.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 20mm), heaviest during Sat morning. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri afternoon, min 11°C on Wed night). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Thu afternoon, fresh winds from the SW by Fri afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Mon afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 12°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat night, calm by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | |||||||||||||||
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) | NNW 6 | N 6 | W 5 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 11 | W 10 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 155 | 37 | 22 | 76 | 553 | 586 | 686 | 700 | 623 | 830 | 577 | 320 | 154 | 243 | 137 | 82 | 42 | 26 | 8 | 20 | 18 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-on | off |
High Tide | 2:44PM4.17m | 3:01AM4.28m | 3:55PM4.11m | 4:23AM4.15m | 5:15PM4.16m | 5:55AM4.19m | 6:32PM4.36m | 7:16AM4.39m | 7:36PM4.63m | 8:20AM4.63m | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:27AM1.89m | 8:50PM2.27m | 9:36AM2.09m | 10:15PM2.33m | 11:01AM2.17m | 11:47PM2.18m | 12:22PM2.08m | 1:01AM1.85m | 1:26PM1.88m | 1:59AM1.47m | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  |  |  | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
 | 5:13 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 |
mm | — | — | — | — | 2 | 6 | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 15 | 23 | 18 | 19 |
Feels °C | 6 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 23 | 16 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | N 6 | W 5 | W 6 | N 7 | W 9 | W 9 | NNW 10 | N 9 | W 10 | NW 12 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | ESE 6 | SE 6 | W 6 |
| kJ | 8 | 37 | 22 | 76 | 1 | 586 | 686 | 30 | 42 | 830 | 72 | 320 | 154 | 243 | 137 | 82 | 42 | 26 | 13 | 10 | 11 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | W 10 | N 6 | W 10 | N 10 | N 9 | NNW 10 | N 9 | SE 6 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | W 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | N 7 | W 11 | W 10 |
| kJ | 1 | 17 | 12 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 2 | 2 | 26 | 25 | 225 | 108 | 60 | 28 | 16 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 20 | 18 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | NE 8 | W 10 | N 7 | — | N 11 | N 9 | NNW 9 | — | SE 6 | SE 6 | NNW 10 | NW 9 | SE 5 | SE 5 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 7 | N 7 | ESE 6 |
| kJ | 1 | 3 | 17 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 9 | — | 2 | 1 | 20 | 123 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | WNW 5 | — | SSW 3 | W 8 | SE 5 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | — | W 9 | — | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 3 | — | — |
| kJ | 155 | 26 | — | 6 | 553 | 1 | 509 | 700 | 623 | — | 577 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 5 | 10 | 2 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 235 | 255 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 0 | 423 | 426 | 413 | 291 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 41 | 392 | 60 | 24 |
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.
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