Thurso Reef Surf Break

Lat Long: 58.60° N 3.52° W

Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 6 pm 17 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Thurso Reef sea temperature is
13.7° C
0.3° 

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 18 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 10PM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 11s period, W swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 11s period, W swell with 573 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 19 Aug, 1AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 12s 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 (Aug 19) at 1AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 10s. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at Thurso Reef in the next 16 days are 1.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) 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 0.9m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 7AM.

Wave TypeTime (BST) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 1AM (Wed 19th Aug)2ft (0.6m) 12s
Best Surf10PM (Mon 24th Aug)5ft (1.5m) 11s
Most Powerful 1AM (Tue 25th Aug)5ft (1.6m) 11s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about Thurso Reef.

Right off the bat, I’m gonna be straight with you. The next week and a half is a real test of patience. We've got a stretch of poor conditions with only a couple of tiny, fleeting windows of anything surfable. The swell energy is weak, often in the double digits, like 86 kW/m or 26 kW/m. It’s just flat and messy. The wind is all over the place, mostly onshore or cross, with a lot of chop. There’s a run from August 17th right through to the 22nd that's a total write-off. The swell is tiny and the wind is just junk. You’d be better off doing literally anything else.

Come Sunday the 23rd, there’s a whisper of life. A morning session with a clean 2ft from the NW and light offshore winds. But it's marginal at best, and the afternoon turns to mush. We see another little blip on Monday the 24th afternoon. The swell jumps a bit, hitting 2ft from the WNW with a period jumping to 12 seconds. That longer period gives it some push, and with that clean, glassy feel, it might just be worth a paddle. The energy is still low at 218, but for a reef break, that long-period groundswell could actually line it up nicely. It's the best we've seen all week, but it's still a far cry from firing.

After that, we settle back into the doldrums for a few more days. The 25th, 26th, and 27th are just ordinary. There's a bit of swell on the 26th morning, 3ft from the W with a 10-second period and light offshore winds, which the notes call "good surf conditions," but the energy still feels weak and the consistency is lacking.

Then, the story changes. The long-range models are hinting at something significant for September 1st. Now, this is a long way out, so treat it with caution, but there’s a seriously big, powerful swell forecast. We're talking a massive 21ft from the W with a 13-second period, and the energy readings are through the roof at 13815 kW/m. That’s not just a swell; that’s an event. But here's the catch, and it’s a big one – that is way, way too big for Thurso Reef. The wind and tide might be right, but this spot will be a washing machine. This is expert-only, and even then, it might be more of a spectator sport. The afternoon looks a bit smaller at 13ft, but that's still a solid, treacherous slab.

Thurso Reef (Thurso-Reef) is a fairly consistent reef break that’s exposed to a northwesterly swell. The water temp is holding around 57°F, about average for this time of year. Don't get hopes up for those tiny days, but if you're an expert with a big board and nerves of steel, that September 1st window is the one to keep an eye on, even if it's just to watch from the cliff.

Signing off, Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 24mm), heaviest during Mon night. Very mild (max 15°C on Tue afternoon, min 11°C on Mon night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ESE on Mon night, calm by Tue afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Very mild (max 14°C on Sun morning, min 11°C on Thu night). Mainly fresh winds.

Mon
17
Tuesday
18
Wednesday
19
Thursday
20
Friday
21
Saturday
22
Sunday
23
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
W
9
0.5
N
7
0.4
N
7
0.4
N
7
0.6
W
12
1.3
W
11
1.1
W
11
1.5
N
7
1.4
N
7
1.4
N
7
1.4
NNW
6
1.2
NNW
6
1.2
NNW
6
0.9
NNW
5
0.4
NNE
9
1
NW
5
0.9
NW
6
0.7
NW
6
0.9
WNW
8
0.8
WNW
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
41
23
14
17
103
387
267
226
173
171
160
112
81
51
32
41
54
37
96
77
Wind (km/h)
20
ESE
30
ESE
10
S
10
NW
5
NNE
25
ENE
20
NE
25
NNE
25
N
25
N
25
NNW
25
NNW
25
NW
25
WNW
30
NW
30
NW
20
WNW
15
WNW
15
NW
10
S
Wind State
cross
cross
off
cross
glassy
cross-on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross
cross
cross
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
00:36AM4.83m
1:10PM4.35m
1:17AM4.51m
1:52PM4.13m
2:06AM4.17m
2:44PM3.95m
3:10AM3.88m
3:54PM3.84m
4:38AM3.72m
5:18PM3.86m
6:14AM3.76m
6:34PM4.01m
Low Tide
6:23PM1.74m
6:55AM1.57m
7:03PM1.99m
7:36AM1.93m
7:49PM2.25m
8:23AM2.27m
8:51PM2.49m
9:29AM2.54m
10:25PM2.60m
11:03AM2.65m
00:01AM2.49m
12:23PM2.55m
1:05AM2.25m
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cloud
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light rain
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<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:39
5:41
5:43
5:46
5:48
5:50
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:57
8:53
8:51
8:49
8:45
8:43
8:39
 mm
11
3
3
2
4
1
1
Temp °C
13
13
14
15
13
12
13
12
12
12
11
11
12
12
13
13
13
14
15
14
Feels °C
9
8
13
13
12
8
8
7
6
6
5
5
6
7
8
7
9
10
12
12
  • Map Icons:
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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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