Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s cooking for the next couple of weeks.

It’s a slow start, and we’re going to need to wait for the good stuff. The first few days are a mix of messy wind and average swell, but there’s one clear standout that’s about a week away. Don’t get your hopes up for the early sessions.

For Sunday, July 26th, the morning has a 5ft swell from the WNW with a 10-second period, but the wind is a cross-shore from the WNW at 9 mph, putting a little chop on it. The combined energy is moderate at 764, but it’s not clean. The afternoon gets worse with a stronger 19 mph cross-shore, making it lumpy. Skip it.

Monday, July 27th is a better size, but still not the one. The morning features a 6ft swell from the NNW with a 9-second period. The wind is a cross-offshore from the W at 9 mph, and the water is clean. The energy is solid at 951. But the afternoon wind picks up to 22 mph, which is too strong to make it any good.

Tuesday, July 28th has a smaller 4ft swell from the NNW, but the wind is tricky. The afternoon session has a clean offshore wind from the SW at 16 mph, which is a good sign, but the wave quality is still just marginal.

The swell drops off sharply into the end of the week. Wednesday, July 29th and Thursday, July 30th are small and weak, with the energy dropping below 250. Not worth the paddle.

Friday, July 31st sees a spike in size, with a 7ft swell from the W, but the period is a short 7-seconds and the wind is a fresh 22 mph. That’s going to be a messy, blown-out mess. The energy is 405, but it’s poor quality.

Now, if you’ve got the patience to wait, Monday, August 3rd is your window. The morning is looking like the best on offer. We’ve got a 5ft swell from the NNW with a 9-second period. The energy is moderate at 364. But the real magic is the wind – it’s glassy, with a 0 mph wind from the NE. That’s a total clean face. The water temp is about 56°, which is pretty normal for this time of year, so no surprises there. This is the one to aim for, but it’s a one-session wonder; the afternoon turns onshore and choppy.

After that, it’s a long, flat run. The conditions get poor from Tuesday, August 4th and stay that way through the rest of the week. The swell is tiny, and the wind is consistently wrong. There’s a small window on Friday, August 7th where the morning has a 5ft swell from the NNW with an 8-second period and a light cross-offshore breeze, but it’s still a reach. The energy is only 254.

So here’s the takeaway: don’t rush. The first week is a write-off except for that glassy Monday morning. The second week is looking bleak. There’s a big gap of poor conditions from the 4th of August onwards. If you’re desperate, paddle out on the 3rd of August morning, but otherwise, keep your board in the car and wait for a better forecast.

Rusty.

Read more