Surf Forecasts:
Thurso Reef surf forecast from 1 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 4 Sep, 4PM (local time) - 11ft (3.5m), 9s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 8 Sep, 1AM (local time) - 10ft (3.0m), 14s period, WNW swell with 3,615 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 3 Sep, 4AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 10s period with N 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 Thursday (Sep 03) at 4AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 7s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 7s is also forecast. 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 14s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 1AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.4m 5s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 01) at 1PM.
| Wave Type | Time (BST) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 4AM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 5ft (1.6m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 4PM (Fri 4th Sep) | 11ft (3.5m) 9s |
| Most Powerful | 1AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 10ft (3.0m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Thurso Reef over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on the menu for Thurso Reef over the next couple of weeks.
Right off the bat, we’ve got a couple of days of small, weak surf, so don’t bother paddling out on Tuesday the 1st or Wednesday the 2nd. The wind is howling and the swell is tiny or messy. The real action kicks off on Thursday the 3rd, with a 4ft swell from the north, period at 10 seconds, and a moderate cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is moderate at 262, so it’s not huge, but it’s clean and rideable.
Friday the 4th is where things get interesting. The morning has a 8ft swell from the west with a 12-second period, a fresh offshore wind, and a combined energy of 1815 – that’s strong. The afternoon, however, is a beast. We’re looking at a 13ft swell from the west, period at 10 seconds, and a combined energy of 3341. That is powerful, but it’s also pushing into the too-big-for-this-break territory. The wind is cross-shore, so it’ll be lumpy. This is for experienced surfers only.
Saturday the 5th is still big at 10ft from the WNW, but the wind is cross and strong, making it messy. The combined energy is still high at 2112, but the quality is poor. By Sunday the 6th, the swell drops right back to 3ft, and it’s a no-go for the next few days.
The standout window is actually further out. Look at Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th. The conditions are glassy or with light offshore winds, and we’ve got a consistent 3ft to 4ft swell from the west with a long 11 to 13-second period. The combined energy is moderate (303 and 261), and the water is likely about average for the time of year. This is the sweet spot – clean, manageable, and with that long-period energy that will wrap in nicely at this reef. This is your best bet for a proper session.
Short version: Skip the first week. Focus on Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th for the best quality, clean waves.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Very mild (max 17°C on Thu afternoon, min 10°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the S on Tue morning, light winds from the NE by Wed afternoon). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 18mm), heaviest on Sun afternoon. Very mild (max 15°C on Sun night, min 11°C on Fri night). Winds decreasing (strong winds from the WNW on Fri night, light winds from the SE by Sun morning). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | |||||||||||||||
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 6 | W 6 | WNW 7 | NNW 9 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | N 10 | N 9 | WSW 7 | W 10 | W 9 | W 7 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 14 | WNW 14 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 35 | 193 | 336 | 848 | 1322 | 622 | 262 | 157 | 172 | 522 | 2140 | 1117 | 1628 | 804 | 322 | 147 | 116 | 54 | 313 | 1391 | 3615 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | off | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:47AM4.72m | 11:55PM4.92m | 12:25PM4.57m | 00:38AM4.69m | 1:11PM4.38m | 1:32AM4.40m | 2:10PM4.17m | 2:47AM4.12m | 3:31PM4.04m | 4:29AM4.01m | 5:06PM4.09m | 6:11AM4.14m | 6:28PM4.33m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 5:54PM1.57m | 6:21AM1.42m | 6:34PM1.76m | 7:04AM1.70m | 7:23PM1.99m | 7:57AM2.02m | 8:29PM2.21m | 9:12AM2.31m | 10:04PM2.29m | 10:53AM2.41m | 11:44PM2.10m | 12:19PM2.25m | 00:56AM1.73m | ||||||||
 |  |  | |  |  | | | |  | |  | | | | |  | |  | | | |
 | 6:11 | — | — | 6:13 | — | — | 6:15 | — | — | 6:16 | — | — | 6:18 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — |
 | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:12 | — | — | 8:09 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:58 | — |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | — | — | — | 2 | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 4 | 7 | 3 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 15 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 |
Feels °C | 9 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 5 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | NNW 8 | N 13 | NNW 9 | NNW 11 | NNW 10 | N 10 | N 9 | W 11 | W 10 | SSE 6 | N 8 | — | — | WNW 9 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 9 | W 9 | W 14 | WNW 14 |
| kJ | 35 | 13 | 3 | 848 | 1322 | 622 | 262 | 157 | 110 | 522 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 322 | 147 | 116 | 54 | 313 | 1391 | 3615 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 9 | SE 5 | SE 6 | — | W 8 | W 8 | SE 5 | SE 4 | N 8 | N 8 | — | — | — | — | N 9 | NNE 10 | NNE 9 | SE 7 | ESE 7 | N 9 | — |
| kJ | 26 | 1 | 1 | — | 57 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 68 | 20 | — | — | — | — | 6 | 20 | 29 | 22 | 5 | 2 | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 8 | — | — | — | N 12 | — | — | — | SE 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 9 | N 9 | — | — |
| kJ | 11 | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 16 | 6 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 4 | W 6 | WNW 7 | W 8 | — | SE 4 | W 5 | W 6 | WSW 7 | SSW 4 | W 9 | W 7 | WNW 11 | WNW 10 | — | SE 3 | SE 5 | SW 3 | S 4 | S 4 | SSE 4 |
| kJ | 17 | 193 | 336 | 132 | — | 6 | 104 | 95 | 172 | 40 | 2140 | 1117 | 1628 | 804 | — | 12 | 68 | 12 | 21 | 32 | 24 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 43 | 596 | 413 | 27 | 1 | 1 | 44 | 141 | 0 | 1092 | 617 | 755 | 423 | 418 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 183 | 165 |
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.
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