Thurso Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 24 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Reef sea temperature is
12.9° C
0.0° 

Thurso Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Thurso Reef surf forecast from 24 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 25 Jul, 10AM (local time) - 16ft (5.0m), 10s period, WNW swell with 4,776 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 24 Jul, 4PM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period with W 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 Friday (Jul 24) at 4PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 3.0m and 9s period. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Reef in the next 16 days are 5.0m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Jul 25) at 10AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 5s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 10AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 4PM (Fri 24th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Best Surf 4PM (Fri 24th Jul)10ft (3.0m) 9s
Most Powerful10AM (Sat 25th Jul)16ft (5.0m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, gents, Rusty here. Let’s get into the lowdown on Thurso Reef. The water temp is about normal for this time of year, nothing to stress about.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a big pulse of west-northwest swell coming in, but it’s a mean one. On Friday the 24th, the swell is building from 8 feet up to 10 feet, and the combined energy is in the 1090 to 1310 range, which is moderate to strong. The direction is west-northwest, which ain't the favorite for this reef, and the wind is a stiff cross-off from the WSW. The afternoon is a bit better, but it’s still a big, powerful wave. Saturday the 25th, it’s even bigger. You’re looking at 13 to 15 feet of swell (energy over 4000), and with a strong cross-off wind, this is for experts only. The wave is so big it’s predicted to be too big for the break. If you don’t have the skills, just watch.

Sunday the 26th, the swell drops to 5 to 6 feet, but the wind goes cross-shore, and the energy drops to 788-842. It’s a little bumpy and just marginal. Not a great day.

The real standout is Monday the 27th. The swell is a clean 5 to 7 feet, and the energy is solid at 1084 in the morning. But the afternoon is the winner. The wind swings to a light offshore breeze from the south, the waves clean up, and you get a 5-foot west swell with a 10-second period. That’s proper groundswell with good shape, and the conditions are very good. This is the best on offer in the first week. The energy is moderate, so you’ll feel the power, but it’s not scary.

After that, the surf gets smaller and the wind gets messy. From Tuesday the 28th through to Thursday the 1st of August, the swell drops to 4 to 5 feet, but the wind is all over the place, and the energy falls to 238-403. It’s mostly marginal or poor. Thursday the 30th has a small window of clean 5-foot surf in the morning, but it’s not a standout.

From Friday the 1st of August onwards, the surf goes very quiet. There’s a solid 5-day gap of small, wind-affected waves. The swell drops under 3 feet, and the energy is under 100, which is weak. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday the 4th of August where the wind goes glassy, and the swell picks up to 5 feet, but it’s a northerly swell, not the optimum direction. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The rest of the second week is a write-off with poor conditions and very small waves.

So, bottom line: the best day is Monday afternoon the 27th of July. The swell is 5 feet from the west, the wind is offshore, and the quality is very good. If you’re an expert, Saturday afternoon the 25th will offer massive, clean waves, but it’s a serious session. Everything else is a gamble or a recovery day.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (near gales from the NW on Sat morning, light winds from the W by Sun night).

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Mon night. Very mild (max 18°C on Tue morning, min 13°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
24
Saturday
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
28
Wednesday
29
Thursday
30
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
1
!
!
0
!
2
1
1
3
1
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
2.5
W
9
3
W
9
3
W
9
5
WNW
10
4
WNW
10
2.4
WNW
10
1.7
WNW
10
1.4
WNW
10
1.7
NNW
10
1.5
NNW
10
1.5
W
10
1.3
W
10
1.5
W
9
1.5
W
9
1.4
W
9
1.3
W
9
1.2
W
8
0.8
N
9
0.8
W
8
0.7
N
8
0.7
N
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
1032
1256
1320
4776
2962
1210
610
394
540
399
440
319
367
351
306
247
196
105
80
68
61
Wind (km/h)
35
WSW
40
W
40
WSW
50
NW
45
W
25
WNW
15
NW
15
NW
10
SW
25
W
10
SSE
10
SSW
20
SW
10
WSW
15
SW
15
SW
10
W
10
SW
5
SE
15
ESE
20
E
Wind State
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross-off
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
off
cross-off
off
cross-off
cross
cross-on
High Tide
6:01PM4.00m
6:29AM3.92m
7:01PM4.14m
7:34AM4.01m
7:51PM4.32m
8:24AM4.15m
8:32PM4.50m
9:05AM4.29m
9:09PM4.66m
9:40AM4.43m
9:42PM4.80m
10:12AM4.53m
10:14PM4.89m
Low Tide
11:45AM2.35m
00:26AM2.39m
12:46PM2.31m
1:24AM2.19m
1:36PM2.21m
2:10AM1.96m
2:18PM2.06m
2:49AM1.76m
2:55PM1.92m
3:24AM1.58m
3:30PM1.78m
3:58AM1.44m
4:04PM1.69m
cloud
light rain
rain showers
part cloud
clear
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
cloud
rain showers
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
light rain
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
4:45
4:47
4:48
4:50
4:52
4:56
4:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:53
9:52
9:49
9:46
9:45
9:43
9:40
 mm
1
1
3
2
1
Temp °C
16
15
15
13
14
12
13
13
13
14
16
16
18
15
14
17
17
15
14
14
13
Feels °C
10
8
7
3
6
7
9
9
11
9
13
14
15
14
10
14
14
13
13
12
11
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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