Thurso Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 am 07 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Reef sea temperature is
13.3° C
0.1° 

Thurso Reef surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Thurso Reef surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Saturday 8 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s period, W swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 4AM (local time) - 7.5ft (2.3m), 10s period, NW swell with 948 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 1PM (local time) - 6.5ft (2.0m), 9s 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 Saturday (Aug 08) at 1PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 2.0m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. 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 Monday (Aug 10) at 4AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.6m 4s period and expected on Friday (Aug 07) at 1PM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1PM (Sat 8th Aug)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s
Best Surf 1PM (Sat 8th Aug)6.5ft (2.0m) 9s
Most Powerful 4AM (Mon 10th Aug)7.5ft (2.3m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright folks, let’s talk about Thurso Reef. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming our way, but it’s a mixed bag of conditions, so you’ll need to pick your windows carefully.

The week kicks off with a bit of a dud on Friday, August 7th. The morning has a tiny 1ft WNW swell with a weak energy of 56, and the water is sitting at 56°F, which is bang on average for this time of year. The wind is ripping offshore from the SSW at 19 mph, but there’s just no power in the water to make it worth your while. That afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft from the W, but the period is a short 8 seconds, and the energy is still moderate at 502. It’s a bit of a grovel.

Saturday, August 8th, is where things start to get interesting. Morning sees a clean 7ft W swell, still a bit short at 9 seconds, but the energy is building to 659. The real standout, though, is Saturday afternoon. You’ve got a 7ft W swell with a 10-second period, and the energy is up to 754. The wind is a moderate 16 mph offshore from the SSW, keeping it clean. This is a solid wave for intermediates, and the offshore wind is a major positive. It’s not too big, but it’s got some punch.

Sunday, August 9th, is a bit of a letdown. The morning has a 7ft W swell, but the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the WSW at 22 mph, which isn’t ideal. The quality is marginal, and the energy is still high at 711, but the wind is just too strong for it to be clean. Afternoon is worse with a cross-offshore wind and a 7ft W swell that’s just messy.

Monday, August 10th, the swell drops a touch to 7ft from the NNW, but the wind is a cross-shore from the NW at 9 mph, creating a bit of chop. The energy is strong at 969, but the conditions are marginal. This one is better for the experienced crew.

The real hidden gem, and the one I’d be circling on the calendar, is Tuesday, August 11th, morning. The swell drops to 4ft from the N, but the wind is a light cross-offshore from the SE at 9 mph. The energy is a weak 207, but it’s clean and the wind is perfect. The water temp is still 56°F, so don’t forget your hood. The crowd profile here says “sometimes”, so you might have a few others out. This is a long-period groundswell at 11 seconds, which is great for a point or reef like this, giving you nice, long walls.

Things get pretty quiet and marginal after that. Wednesday, August 12th, through Friday, August 14th, is a mix of weak, short-period swell and strong winds. The swell is small, and the wind is mostly cross-offshore, but it’s not doing much for the surf quality. There’s a spike on Thursday afternoon, August 13th, with a 6ft W swell, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-offshore, making it a bit of a wind-slapped mess.

The next real standout, and this is a long-range call so keep the salt in your eyes, is Sunday, August 16th, afternoon. The swell is 5ft from the W with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light offshore from the S at 6 mph. The energy is a moderate 371, and the conditions are expected to be good. This is a promising one for the end of the week.

Tuesday, August 18th, afternoon is another one to watch. The swell is 7ft from the W with a 7-second period, but the wind is a gentle offshore from the SSW at 9 mph. The energy is 375, and it’s clean. That’s a good, fun wave for the intermediate surfers.

The last week of the forecast is mostly small, with a few windows of clean but average surf. The best of the rest is Wednesday, August 19th, afternoon, with a 4ft W swell, light wind, and clean conditions. It’s not a standout, but a good session for a longboard.

Overall, the best bet on offer is the Saturday afternoon, August 8th, with that clean 7ft swell and offshore wind. The Tuesday morning, August 11th, is a close second for a cleaner, smaller, more refined wave. The long-range Sunday, August 16th, afternoon is a promising but less certain option.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 10mm), heaviest on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 17°C on Sat morning, min 11°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Wed morning, min 11°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
2
2
3
2
1
0
1
1
2
2
2
0
1
0
0
0
0
1
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
9
1.9
W
8
2
W
9
2
W
9
2
W
10
1.7
W
10
2.1
W
9
2
W
9
1.5
NNW
11
2
NNW
10
1.9
NNW
10
1.4
N
9
1.1
N
9
0.9
N
9
0.6
N
8
0.5
N
8
0.5
W
11
0.6
W
6
0.6
W
12
1.7
W
10
1.6
W
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
29
499
664
637
725
533
685
635
499
858
671
339
189
120
47
31
58
25
103
609
381
Wind (km/h)
30
SSW
30
SW
25
SW
30
SW
25
SSW
15
W
35
WSW
35
W
20
WNW
15
NW
5
N
10
SSW
15
SE
15
SE
15
SSE
15
SSE
15
SSE
5
NNW
20
SW
35
WSW
35
WSW
Wind State
off
off
off
off
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-on
off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross-off
High Tide
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
9:12AM4.84m
9:16PM5.15m
9:57AM4.97m
9:59PM5.31m
Low Tide
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
3:05PM1.49m
3:34AM0.89m
3:48PM1.37m
part cloud
light rain
light rain
cloud
cloud
rain showers
clear
clear
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
cloud
part cloud
cloud
cloud
clear
cloud
clear
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:15
5:16
5:18
5:22
5:24
5:26
5:28
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
9:22
9:20
9:16
9:15
9:12
9:09
9:07
 mm
3
3
4
Temp °C
15
15
14
17
16
15
15
15
12
11
13
13
16
18
20
24
20
17
18
18
14
Feels °C
10
10
9
13
11
11
8
8
8
7
12
10
13
14
18
21
17
17
14
12
8
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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