Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Thurso Reef over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be honest with ya – it’s a bit of a slow start. The first real sniff of a wave we can work with isn’t until Tuesday morning, July 14th. The water temp’s sitting at 55°, which is about average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there.

That Tuesday morning, we’ve got a small 2ft groundswell pushing in from the west with a lovely 12-second period. The combined energy is moderate at 209. The wind’s coming from the ESE at 9 mph, so it’s a cross-shore breeze. It’s clean enough to get a few rides, but the conditions are a bit marginal. The swell direction is a little off the optimum, so it’s not going to be firing.

The rest of that week and into the next is a bit of a write-off, honestly. Wednesday through to the following Monday, we’re looking at tiny waves, messy cross-shore winds, and a lot of “poor surf conditions” flags. The swell barely tops 3ft, and when it does, the wind is usually howling from the north-west at 15-22 mph, turning the surface into a lumpy, choppy mess. There’s a brief moment on Sunday morning, July 19th, with a clean 3ft swell, but the period is a short 7 seconds, so it’ll be weak and crumbly.

Now, let’s talk about the one true standout in this whole 16-day window. It’s not until Wednesday, July 23rd, in the afternoon. A solid 3ft west swell rolls in, but the period jumps to a very long 14 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the combined energy shoots up to 349 – that’s serious power for the reef. The wind is a gentle cross-shore, so it’ll be clean. This is the best bet for a decent session, but keep in mind, with that long period, it might wall up a bit at the reef, so it’s one for the intermediates.

We’ve got another pulse of energy on Friday, July 24th, with a 4ft west swell and a 12-second period, but the wind is a fresh 19-22 mph cross-shore, which will ruin the surface. Then on Saturday, July 25th, the wind goes cross-offshore, keeping it clean, with a 4ft west swell. The energy is strong at 265. It’s not the biggest, but the clean conditions make it a solid option.

The very end of the outlook, on Sunday, July 27th, morning, we get a tiny 2ft west swell with glassy conditions from the SSE. It’s tiny, but if you’re desperate for a squeaky clean, longboard session, that’s your window.

Overall, the best bet is that Wednesday afternoon, July 23rd, at Thurso Reef. It’s got the power, the direction, and the cleanest wind. The rest of the time, you’re fighting the wind or the lack of swell. The crowds can be a problem here sometimes, so get in early for that standout session.

Rusty.

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