
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 6 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 4PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 10s period, W swell with 1,026 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 6s 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 (Aug 07) at 7AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 9s. 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 2.4m 10s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 4PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.7m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 10PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 6.5ft (2.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 4PM (Sat 8th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s get you sorted. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for Thurso Reef for the next couple of weeks. Let’s just say, we’re going to have to be patient. The first week is mostly a write-off, a real test of faith. There's a stretch from Thursday the 6th right through to the 13th where you'll be fighting for scraps. The energy is all over the place, and the wind is just messy when there is any size.
The first real glimmer of hope shows up on the morning of Friday the 7th, but it’s not until the weekend of the 9th and 10th that things start to get a bit more interesting. We see some moderate energy (494 to 657) pushing in from the west on Saturday and Sunday, but it’s locked in with a strong breeze that’s going to put a bit of a chop on it. It’s surfable, but not worth getting overly excited about. It feels like the ocean is waking up but not quite sure of itself.
The worst part is the middle of the month. From the 11th through the 17th, it’s mostly tiny, weak, and disorganized. There’s a few bursts of clean conditions, but with waves around 3 feet or less, you’re just paddling around. The 17th does see a bit of a pulse, but the cross-shore wind kills it.
Hold on, because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The standout is the morning of Thursday, August 20th. We finally get a combination of things coming together. We’ve got a moderate 4ft west swell, with a 10-second period, and the energy is solid at 348. The wind will be a gentle offshore breeze coming from the SSW. That is going to make Thurso Reef (Thurso) absolutely clean. The water temp is sitting right on the average for this time of year, at 56°F, so it’s not a shock to the system.
It’s not a huge day, but it’s the best looking conditions on offer in this whole stretch. The swell direction is from the west, which is what this reef wants to see. It might be a bit raw and you might have to share it with a few others, as crowds are sometimes a factor, but for a true wave, that’s your window. The afternoon looks like it’ll hold some clean lines as well, but the morning is the pick.
After that, the energy fades again. The 21st has some light offshore winds but the swell is dropping. So, if you’re keen, circle Thursday the 20th. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the time off just yet, but it’s definitely got the most promise in this dry spell.
Alright, that’s the long-range look. Let’s just hope the ocean gets its act together.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 12mm), heaviest on Sat night. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat afternoon, min 12°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the WSW on Thu afternoon, strong winds from the SW by Sat morning). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 17°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the W on Sun morning, calm by Mon 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 | WNW 5 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | NW 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 11 | N 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
151 | 37 | 17 | 45 | 540 | 599 | 792 | 1026 | 407 | 461 | 601 | 366 | 208 | 235 | 169 | 84 | 63 | 28 | 18 | 36 | 178 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | 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 | 8:50PM2.27m | 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 | 4 | — | — | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 3 | — |
Temp °C | 12 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 19 |
Feels °C | 7 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 18 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | N 6 | WNW 5 | W 6 | N 7 | W 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | W 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | NW 11 | NW 10 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | N 8 | W 11 | N 12 |
8 | 37 | 17 | 45 | 1 | 599 | 20 | 17 | 407 | 26 | 40 | 209 | 208 | 235 | 169 | 84 | 63 | 28 | 18 | 36 | 178 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 6 | W 10 | N 6 | WNW 9 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 10 | N 9 | W 8 | W 8 | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | ESE 6 | N 7 | W 10 |
1 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 28 | 7 | 10 | 60 | 108 | 63 | 28 | 16 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 17 | 96 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 5 | NE 8 | W 10 | N 7 | — | N 11 | — | — | N 8 | — | NW 12 | SE 6 | N 9 | NW 9 | NW 7 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 7 | N 14 | SE 7 |
1 | 3 | 17 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 106 | 51 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 33 | 13 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNW 6 | WNW 5 | — | SSW 3 | W 8 | SSE 5 | W 9 | W 10 | — | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | — | — | — | ESE 3 | SE 4 | ESE 3 | S 3 | — | — |
151 | 21 | — | 9 | 540 | 3 | 792 | 1026 | — | 461 | 601 | 366 | — | — | — | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 255 | 28 | 8 | 24 | 141 | 0 | 347 | 347 | 0 | 420 | 413 | 26 | 71 | 94 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 24 | 0 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Scotland - North Coast | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Latest Updates
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.











