
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 7 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NW swell with cross-shore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 10 Aug, 7AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 9s period, NW swell with 1,389 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 8 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 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 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.9m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m 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 3.0m 9s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 10) at 7AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.3m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 14) at 7AM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Sat 8th Aug) | 6ft (1.9m) 9s |
| Best Surf | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 7AM (Mon 10th Aug) | 10ft (3.0m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, lookin’ at the Thurso Reef forecast. We’ve got a bit of a mixed bag over the next couple of weeks, but there’s a couple of windows that’ll get your blood pumping, especially for the more experienced crew.
The surf starts with a pulse of energy rolling in this Friday afternoon, August 7th. We’re lookin’ at a solid 7ft W swell, but it’s a bit of a messy one with 19 mph cross-off winds and a short 8-second period. The water’s sittin’ at 56°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year. The combined energy is moderate at 532. It’s clean, but the wind is strong, so it’s not a total standout.
Saturday, August 8th, is where things get interesting. The morning is your best bet for a quality session. The swell holds at 7ft from the west, with a better 9-second period and a fresh offshore breeze from the SW at 22 mph. The energy kicks up to 692 (moderate), and the wind is clean as a whistle. The afternoon sees the swell jump to 8ft, with a 10-second period and a massive 1114 energy reading, but the wind goes cross-off, so it’s still rideable but not as perfect. This is a reef break, so it handles the longer period well, but it’s a spot for intermediates and up.
Sunday, August 9th, is a write-off. The morning has 7ft of swell but the wind is a messy cross-off at 22 mph, and the afternoon gets bigger at 8ft, but same story. The wind is just too strong to make it any fun. The setup is too chunky for paddle surfing, and with that much wind, this looks more like a kite-surfing zone than a wave-riding one.
After that, the surf drops off fast. From Monday, August 10th, through to the end of the period, it’s a desert. The swell gets tiny, mostly under 3ft, with a lot of cross-shore wind and lumpy conditions. The energy values are mostly in the double digits or low triple digits (weak to moderate), and the scores are all zero. There’s a small window on Thursday, August 20th, where the afternoon goes glassy with a 1ft NW swell, but it’s barely a ripple. The same goes for Friday, August 21st, with a glassy 2ft N swell in the afternoon. These are just ankle-biters, not worth getting wet for.
So, the true standout is Saturday morning, August 8th. That’s your best shot. The 7ft W swell with a clean offshore breeze and a 9-second period will give you some nice, clean lines at the reef. It’s a fairly consistent break, so you’ll get waves, but it can get crowded at times, so get in early. Nothing else in the 16-day window comes close to that quality.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 9mm), mostly falling on Fri afternoon. Very mild (max 16°C on Sat morning, min 10°C on Sun night). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 23°C on Wed afternoon, min 9°C on Mon night). Winds increasing (calm on Wed night, fresh winds from the WSW by Thu morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Fri 7 | Saturday 8 | Sunday 9 | Monday 10 | Tuesday 11 | Wednesday 12 | Thursday 13 | ||||||||||||||
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) | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 7 | NNW 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | WSW 11 | WSW 10 | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
529 | 612 | 670 | 1085 | 463 | 786 | 1033 | 679 | 963 | 903 | 374 | 181 | 86 | 28 | 17 | 40 | 31 | 78 | 200 | 246 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 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 | ||||||||
— | — | 5:16 | — | — | 5:18 | — | — | 5:22 | — | — | 5:24 | — | — | 5:26 | — | — | 5:28 | — | — | |
— | 9:22 | — | — | 9:20 | — | — | 9:16 | — | — | 9:15 | — | — | 9:12 | — | — | 9:09 | — | — | 9:07 | |
mm | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 22 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 15 |
Feels °C | 10 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 22 | 23 | 20 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 7 | W 9 | NNW 10 | W 10 | W 10 | NNW 9 | NNW 8 | NNW 8 | NNW 10 | S 6 | NNW 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | WSW 11 | W 7 | SE 7 | N 11 | N 10 |
1 | 612 | 20 | 1085 | 463 | 26 | 14 | 24 | 963 | 1 | 374 | 181 | 86 | 28 | 17 | 40 | 21 | 8 | 20 | 31 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 10 | N 9 | N 9 | NNW 9 | NNW 9 | SE 6 | N 8 | N 9 | — | — | W 8 | W 7 | W 7 | W 7 | ESE 5 | N 8 | WSW 10 | N 8 | ESE 7 | SE 6 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 29 | 28 | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 40 | 16 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 18 | 31 | 6 | 5 | 2 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | N 11 | — | — | SE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | W 11 | W 10 | W 10 | W 9 | W 12 | ESE 5 | N 7 | W 12 | — | — |
— | 2 | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 3 | 9 | 11 | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 8 | SSE 6 | W 9 | SSE 6 | — | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 7 | W 8 | NNW 9 | — | — | SE 3 | SE 4 | S 3 | — | — | W 6 | W 6 | W 7 |
529 | 3 | 670 | 3 | — | 786 | 1033 | 679 | 234 | 903 | — | — | 2 | 16 | 2 | — | — | 78 | 200 | 246 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 349 | 0 | 347 | 1 | 5 | 170 | 170 | 428 | 214 | 191 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 16 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 180 | 596 |
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.











