Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, checkin’ in from Scotland for a look at what we’ve got.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the start of this run is a bit of a write-off at Thurso Reef. Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th are looking pretty average with cross-shore winds messing things up, and the swell is just weak and short-period. We’re talking wave energy in the 125-238 range, which is pretty weak, and the wind is just ruining any chance of a decent face. You’ll be fighting a cross-chop all day.

Tuesday the 21st and Wednesday the 22nd stay in the same rough boat. Winds pick up strong and the swell gets a bit bigger, but it’s all messy. The energy gets up there – 396 and 443 – but with a strong breeze and cross-shore or cross-onshore wind, it’s just not happening for a proper surf. For beginners, the 6ft to 7ft on Tuesday is already pushing into "too big" territory anyway with those winds.

Now, Thursday the 23rd we finally see a glimmer. Clean conditions pop up with a cross-offshore wind, but the swell drops right off – down to 1ft in the afternoon. Energy is just 7. It’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride.

The wait is worth it if you’re an expert. The real standout here is Saturday the 25th afternoon. The wind finally swings offshore (SSW at 6 mph), and the swell is a solid 8ft from the WNW with an 11-second period. That’s proper groundswell energy, clocking in at 1456 energy. It’s going to be big and powerful. For a reef setup like Thurso, that long period means clean, lined-up waves, but this size is strictly for the experienced crew. Anyone else should stay on the beach. There’s also the morning session on Friday the 24th with an 8ft swell and clean cross-off wind, but the period is lower (8 seconds) and the wind is up at 25 mph – make of that what you will.

After that flurry, look out for Sunday the 2nd of August. The morning glass-off is hard to ignore: wind is glassy from the west at just 3 mph, with a 4ft medium-period swell (8 seconds) and 344 energy. It’s not the biggest, but with that glass and a clean reef, it’ll be fun for intermediate surfers without the heavy crowd pressure you might expect. The energy is moderate, but the conditions are gonna be pristine.

Don’t get too excited for the first week of August. Monday the 3rd has a clean offshore wind with a 6ft swell, but the period drops to 7 seconds. It’ll be a bit fat and lumpy, but rideable. The rest of the second week is a mixed bag of clean but mostly small or messy surf.

In terms of water temp, it’s about what you’d expect for the time of year – nothing wild to report.

So, to wrap it up: the first 5-6 days are a bust. The real action for the experienced crew is Saturday the 25th afternoon, and for everyone else, keep your eye on Sunday the 2nd of August morning for a glassy session.

Rusty.

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