Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s heading for Thurso Reef.

The first few days are a total bust. Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd are just nasty with strong cross-shore winds and messy chop. The swell is there, about 5 to 8 ft out of the WNW, but the wind is ruining it. It’s not until Thursday the 23rd that the wind turns cross-offshore, but the surf is still poor, so don’t get your hopes up.

Friday the 24th starts to look better. The swell picks up to 7 ft from the W with periods around 8 to 9 seconds, and the wind is cross-offshore and clean. The wave energy is moderate to strong (661 on the Friday morning, 763 on the afternoon). It’s still only marginal, but the clean conditions are a big improvement. This is where you could start planning a paddle.

The best session on offer is shaping up for Saturday the 25th morning. The swell holds at 7 ft from the WNW with a period of 10 seconds, giving a solid 703 wave energy. The wind is light and cross-offshore, so the face will be clean. This is a reef set-up, so that longer period will really wrap in and give you nice lines. It’s not huge, but it’s the pick of the week for a quality session. Expect crowds possible here, so get in early.

Sunday the 26th drops off a bit, and the wind goes back to cross-shore, making it lumpy. Not worth it.

Looking further ahead, Monday the 27th afternoon has potential. The swell jumps to 7 ft from the W with a period of 11 seconds, and the wave energy is very strong at 1258. The wind is cross-offshore and clean. That’s a powerful reef swell, but it’s a long way out, so don’t bank on it. Still, it’s the standout for the second week.

Tuesday the 28th is a mess with cross-shore winds again, so skip it.

Then we get a little gem on Wednesday the 29th morning. Glassy conditions with a light SW wind, and a 5 ft WNW swell with a 9-second period. It’s small, but glassy on a reef is a rare treat. The combined energy is moderate (297). If you’re a beginner, this is your window – it’s clean and not too big.

After that, the surf fades fast. Thursday the 30th drops to 2 ft, and by Friday the 31st, the wind is howling from the SE, making it clean but the swell is just not there. From the 1st of August onwards, it’s mostly flat. There’s a long gap of poor to no surf from the 31st of July right through to the 5th of August. The 5th of August morning shows a tiny 3 ft WNW swell with clean offshore wind, but it’s barely a ripple.

So, for the whole 16-day window, the standout is Saturday the 25th morning for a solid, clean session, and the long-range bet is Monday the 27th afternoon if you want a bit more power.

Rusty.

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