
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 5 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 7 Aug, 7PM (local time) - 8ft (2.4m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, W swell with 938 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 7 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 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 0.8m 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 2.3m 10s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 10PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.6m 6s period and expected on Monday (Aug 10) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 7AM (Fri 7th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 6s |
| Best Surf | 7PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 8ft (2.4m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 10PM (Fri 7th Aug) | 7.5ft (2.3m) 10s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you about Thurso Reef. We’ve got a mixed bag of a forecast ahead, with some real window dressing, but nothing that’s going to blow your mind. The first week is a write-off, so don’t even bother waxing up until the second weekend.
The overall pattern is a long, flat, and windy start. We’re looking at a big gap of nearly no surf worth mentioning until the 7th of August. From Wednesday 5th through to Thursday 6th, the wind is a mess – cross-onshore, onshore, or just lumpy cross-chop with swell piddling around 3ft to 6ft and periods as short as 6 seconds. The combined energy is weak to moderate (348 to 91), but it’s all junk. Forget it.
The first whisper of hope comes on Friday morning, 7th August. The wind swings to a light offshore from the SSW, and we get a tiny 3ft west swell with a 6-second period. The energy is weak (75) and the waves are ordinary. The afternoon bumps up to 7ft from the west with a slightly better 8-second period, but that’s a strong southerly breeze. It’s surfable, but it’s a grunt session.
Saturday morning, 8th August, is maybe the first genuine standout in the period. We’ve got 6ft west swell, a 10-second period, and a proper offshore wind from the SW. That’s clean, with moderate energy (535). The wind holds, but by afternoon it’s stronger and cross-off, so morning is your window. It’s still a bit small for Thurso Reef to be firing, but it’s the best it’s been.
Sunday 9th and Monday 10th are a tease. Sunday morning has 7ft west swell, 10-second period, clean cross-off wind, and strong energy (846). But the wind is a fresh breeze, and the coordination is marginal. By Monday it’s all gone to shit again with a cross-onshore from the NW and choppy, messy conditions.
The real standout, the one you’ve been waiting for, is Saturday morning, 15th August. The wind drops to absolutely glassy, zero mph, and we get a 4ft west-northwest swell with an 8-second period. The combined energy is moderate (234). For a reef break like Thurso Reef, that glassy morning is going to be a rare treat. The sets will be clean, the surface will be like a mirror, and the crowd profile is “sometimes” – so you might have a few mates out, but it won’t be a circus. The swell direction is west-northwest, which is a solid match for the reef’s optimum from the NW. This is the best on offer, hands down. The afternoon goes to shit with a cross-on breeze, so get out early.
After that, the 16th to the 20th is a slow slide back into tiny, onshore, choppy junk. Energy drops below 100, and the swell is under 3ft. The 20th of August sees a little 3ft west swell with a 9-second period, but it’s cross-shore and chopped up. Not worth a paddle.
Water temperature is 56°, which is bang on average for this time of year. No surprises there.
So, to wrap it up: Saturday 15th August morning is your true standout – glassy, clean, and a fun size for intermediate crew. If you’re desperate, the Saturday 8th morning is a good warm-up. Don’t hold your breath for the rest.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Very mild (max 15°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Wed afternoon). Mainly strong winds. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sun night. Very mild (max 15°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the WSW on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 5 | Thursday 6 | Friday 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | |||||||||||||||
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 | NNW 6 | N 6 | W 10 | W 6 | W 8 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 9 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
89 | 346 | 537 | 186 | 51 | 20 | 43 | 609 | 766 | 524 | 463 | 408 | 815 | 660 | 388 | 761 | 586 | 423 | 325 | 269 | 202 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross | cross | off | off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:46PM4.29m | 1:55AM4.48m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:47PM2.10m | 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 | ||||||||
5:11 | — | — | 5:13 | — | — | 5:15 | — | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | |
— | — | 9:27 | — | — | 9:24 | — | — | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | |
mm | — | 1 | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 8 | 2 | — | 1 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Feels °C | 14 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | E 6 | W 11 | W 10 | N 6 | W 4 | W 6 | N 7 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 12 | NNW 10 | NNW 10 | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | N 9 |
89 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 51 | 20 | 43 | 1 | 766 | 524 | 463 | 408 | 25 | 25 | 353 | 761 | 586 | 423 | 325 | 269 | 202 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 7 | W 10 | E 6 | E 6 | W 10 | N 6 | WNW 9 | N 10 | N 9 | NNW 10 | SE 6 | NNW 9 | N 8 | NNW 9 | SE 7 | — | SE 6 | W 6 | W 7 | W 7 | WNW 7 |
23 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 12 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 10 | 27 | 6 | 8 | 2 | — | 1 | 98 | 39 | 36 | 16 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 11 | — | W 11 | E 6 | NE 8 | W 10 | N 7 | — | N 11 | N 9 | NNW 9 | ESE 6 | — | — | — | — | — | E 6 | W 10 | NW 8 | W 6 |
2 | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 3 | — | 2 | 2 | 17 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 8 | N 7 | NNW 6 | WNW 5 | — | SSW 3 | W 8 | SSW 4 | S 4 | SSW 3 | — | W 10 | W 10 | WNW 9 | W 8 | W 6 | — | — | — | SE 3 |
— | 346 | 537 | 186 | 33 | — | 4 | 609 | 7 | 27 | 3 | — | 815 | 660 | 388 | 228 | 175 | — | — | — | 3 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 165 | 596 | 313 | 255 | 8 | 0 | 141 | 5 | 413 | 24 | 170 | 165 | 26 | 0 | 696 | 656 | 315 | 94 | 73 | 0 |
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.











