
Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 14 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 15 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 14 Jul, 7PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 11s period, WNW swell with 194 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 15 Jul, 1AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s 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 Wednesday (Jul 15) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 6s. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Reef in the next 16 days are 0.9m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 14) at 7PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 4PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 1AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 1AM (Wed 15th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 7PM (Tue 14th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
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.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 20°C on Wed morning, min 12°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun morning, min 10°C on Sat afternoon). Winds increasing (light winds from the NW on Sat night, fresh winds from the WNW by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 14 | Wednesday 15 | Thursday 16 | Friday 17 | Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 12 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | WNW 7 | N 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
106 | 198 | 127 | 64 | 40 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 176 | 151 | 86 | 80 | 133 | 93 | 75 | 93 | 6 | 113 | 142 | 112 | 58 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross | cross | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:27PM5.10m | 10:07AM4.91m | 10:14PM5.21m | 10:57AM4.92m | 10:59PM5.25m | 11:45AM4.85m | 11:44PM5.19m | 12:31PM4.70m | 00:29AM5.05m | 1:16PM4.50m | 1:14AM4.84m | 2:04PM4.29m | 2:03AM4.58m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 3:16PM1.44m | 3:47AM0.99m | 4:03PM1.40m | 4:34AM0.87m | 4:47PM1.44m | 5:20AM0.88m | 5:31PM1.54m | 6:05AM1.00m | 6:14PM1.70m | 6:51AM1.22m | 6:58PM1.91m | 7:38AM1.51m | 7:46PM2.13m | ||||||||
4:26 | — | — | 4:28 | — | — | 4:30 | — | — | 4:31 | — | — | 4:33 | — | — | 4:35 | — | — | 4:37 | — | — | |
— | — | 10:10 | — | — | 10:08 | — | — | 10:07 | — | — | 10:06 | — | — | 10:05 | — | — | 10:02 | — | — | 10:00 | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 15 | 17 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 13 | 11 |
Feels °C | 12 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 7 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 10 | WNW 11 | W 10 | W 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | ENE 9 | ENE 9 | WNW 7 | N 6 | N 6 | NE 8 | W 10 | WNW 9 | W 10 |
96 | 198 | 127 | 64 | 40 | 26 | 28 | 24 | 176 | 151 | 86 | 80 | 8 | 8 | 75 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 49 | 26 | 48 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 12 | — | NE 6 | NE 6 | NE 6 | E 6 | E 5 | WNW 11 | N 9 | N 9 | N 8 | N 8 | N 7 | W 16 | N 5 | WNW 10 | NE 9 | — | E 6 | N 10 | N 9 |
106 | — | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 19 | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | 15 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 19 | — | W 18 | W 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NE 6 | — | — | ENE 8 | WNW 12 | — | — | N 11 | N 7 | N 6 |
7 | — | 6 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 6 | 30 | — | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | ESE 2 | SE 2 | — | ESE 2 | — | — | — | — | NW 3 | NW 4 | NW 5 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 7 | NW 7 | NW 6 |
— | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 12 | 18 | 133 | 93 | — | 93 | 84 | 113 | 142 | 112 | 58 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 60 | 24 | 191 | 51 | 31 | 94 | 1265 | 71 | 94 | 419 | 1 | 24 | 126 | 71 | 71 | 94 | 71 |
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.










