Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, gents, Rusty here. Let’s get into the lowdown on Thurso Reef. The water temp is about normal for this time of year, nothing to stress about.

Right off the bat, we’ve got a big pulse of west-northwest swell coming in, but it’s a mean one. On Friday the 24th, the swell is building from 8 feet up to 10 feet, and the combined energy is in the 1090 to 1310 range, which is moderate to strong. The direction is west-northwest, which ain't the favorite for this reef, and the wind is a stiff cross-off from the WSW. The afternoon is a bit better, but it’s still a big, powerful wave. Saturday the 25th, it’s even bigger. You’re looking at 13 to 15 feet of swell (energy over 4000), and with a strong cross-off wind, this is for experts only. The wave is so big it’s predicted to be too big for the break. If you don’t have the skills, just watch.

Sunday the 26th, the swell drops to 5 to 6 feet, but the wind goes cross-shore, and the energy drops to 788-842. It’s a little bumpy and just marginal. Not a great day.

The real standout is Monday the 27th. The swell is a clean 5 to 7 feet, and the energy is solid at 1084 in the morning. But the afternoon is the winner. The wind swings to a light offshore breeze from the south, the waves clean up, and you get a 5-foot west swell with a 10-second period. That’s proper groundswell with good shape, and the conditions are very good. This is the best on offer in the first week. The energy is moderate, so you’ll feel the power, but it’s not scary.

After that, the surf gets smaller and the wind gets messy. From Tuesday the 28th through to Thursday the 1st of August, the swell drops to 4 to 5 feet, but the wind is all over the place, and the energy falls to 238-403. It’s mostly marginal or poor. Thursday the 30th has a small window of clean 5-foot surf in the morning, but it’s not a standout.

From Friday the 1st of August onwards, the surf goes very quiet. There’s a solid 5-day gap of small, wind-affected waves. The swell drops under 3 feet, and the energy is under 100, which is weak. There’s a brief moment on Tuesday the 4th of August where the wind goes glassy, and the swell picks up to 5 feet, but it’s a northerly swell, not the optimum direction. It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about. The rest of the second week is a write-off with poor conditions and very small waves.

So, bottom line: the best day is Monday afternoon the 27th of July. The swell is 5 feet from the west, the wind is offshore, and the quality is very good. If you’re an expert, Saturday afternoon the 25th will offer massive, clean waves, but it’s a serious session. Everything else is a gamble or a recovery day.

Rusty.

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