Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 11 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 16 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, NNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 16 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 8s period, NNW swell with 176 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 12 Aug, 10AM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 12s 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 Wednesday (Aug 12) at 10AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.3m and 8s is also forecast. 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 1.2m 8s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Aug 16) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 15) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 10AM (Wed 12th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 10AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Sun 16th Aug) | 4ft (1.2m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk feet and miles per hour for Thurso Reef. First week is pretty quiet, not much going on. Water temp is about 56°F, right around average for this time of year, nothing unusual.
The first real chance to get wet comes Sunday the 16th morning. The wind goes glassy out of the NE, and we’ve got a 4ft swell from the NNW, short period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is 266 (moderate wave energy), and the surf description says “expect good surf conditions.” That’s your best bet in the early going—clean, glassy, and a little bit of push.
We then hit a flat lull through the middle of the following week, with tiny waves and poor conditions.
Things pick up again Thursday the 20th, when the swell jumps to 6ft from the west, 11-second period. Combined energy hits 724 (strong wave energy), but the wind is a moderate cross-shore from the NW, putting some chop on the surface. It’s called “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” Power, but not clean.
The real standout is Saturday the 22nd morning. We’ve got a 4ft west swell, 9-second period, with a light offshore wind from the SSW. Combined energy is 318 (moderate wave energy), and it’s “expect good surf conditions.” That’s your cleanest, best-sized session of the whole outlook.
Later that same afternoon, the swell builds to 7ft from the WNW, 11-second period, and combined energy hits 1070 (strong wave energy). But the wind swings cross-shore from the WNW at 12 mph, so it’s rough. That’s big, powerful, and only for experts.
Sunday the 23rd morning still offers clean 4ft west swell with a light cross-off wind, and combined energy of 271. A solid, clean session, but not as good as Saturday morning.
After that, it fades back into tiny, weak surf through the end of the outlook.
So, mark your calendar for Sunday the 16th morning for a glassy session, and Saturday the 22nd morning for the best combo of size and clean offshore wind. The rest is a waiting game.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Thu afternoon. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 12°C on Tue morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummarySome drizzle, heaviest during Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Fri morning, min 11°C on Sun afternoon). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | Friday 14 | Saturday 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | |||||||||||||||
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) | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 12 | W 10 | WSW 10 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | N 10 | W 9 | N 9 | W 9 | WNW 8 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 9 | W 9 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 105 | 60 | 27 | 24 | 80 | 32 | 40 | 79 | 73 | 92 | 47 | 78 | 25 | 52 | 146 | 167 | 157 | 70 | 35 | 140 | 56 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 8:30PM4.91m | 9:12AM4.84m | 9:16PM5.15m | 9:57AM4.97m | 9:59PM5.31m | 10:39AM4.99m | 10:40PM5.35m | 11:18AM4.92m | 11:19PM5.28m | 11:55AM4.77m | 11:57PM5.10m | 12:32PM4.57m | 00:36AM4.83m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 2:19PM1.67m | 2:49AM1.13m | 3:05PM1.49m | 3:34AM0.89m | 3:48PM1.37m | 4:17AM0.79m | 4:28PM1.34m | 4:58AM0.82m | 5:07PM1.40m | 5:37AM0.98m | 5:45PM1.53m | 6:16AM1.25m | 6:23PM1.74m | ||||||||
 |  |  | | |  |  |  | | | | | | | | |  |  | | |  | |
 | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | 5:31 | — | — | 5:33 | — | — | 5:35 | — | — | 5:37 | — | — |
 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | — | — | 9:05 | — | — | 9:01 | — | 8:59 | — | — | 8:57 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 11 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 3 |
Temp °C | 12 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 16 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 8 | 13 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 17 | 12 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 10 | W 6 | W 11 | W 11 | W 10 | N 9 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | W 9 | NW 9 | NNW 8 | N 8 | N 7 | N 7 | W 9 | W 9 |
| kJ | 105 | 60 | 27 | 15 | 80 | 17 | 40 | 79 | 73 | 41 | 47 | 41 | 25 | 52 | 21 | 167 | 157 | 70 | 35 | 140 | 56 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | W 8 | N 7 | WSW 10 | W 6 | N 10 | N 10 | SE 6 | W 9 | SE 6 | SE 5 | N 9 | N 8 | WNW 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 10 | N 7 | N 8 |
| kJ | 16 | 15 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 6 | 34 | 44 | 1 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 24 | 12 | 99 | 52 | 23 | 32 | 23 | 18 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 12 | ESE 5 | N 7 | N 8 | N 8 | SE 6 | N 9 | SE 5 | — | — | E 6 | E 6 | SE 5 | — | W 12 | WNW 6 | — | ESE 5 |
| kJ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 7 | — | 2 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 3 | SE 3 | SE 5 | S 2 | — | — | — | ESE 6 | — | W 10 | WNW 3 | W 9 | W 5 | W 5 | WNW 8 | — | — | — | SE 3 | SE 4 | — |
| kJ | 1 | 2 | 16 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | — | 92 | 3 | 78 | 66 | 82 | 146 | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 290 | 428 | 953 | 617 | 71 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
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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