Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Thurso Reef.

First up, the water temp is sittin’ around 55°, which is bang on average for this time of year – no surprises there.

Right now, we’re staring down the barrel of a solid mid-week window. The real standout is Friday afternoon, July 24th. The swell is pumping at a solid 10ft out of the west, with a period of 8 seconds. The combined energy is a hefty 1186 – that’s a lot of power in the water. The wind is howling from the west at 25 mph, but it’s holdin’ cross-offshore, which means the reef should be lined up. Look, the size is getting up there – over 8ft – so this is one for the experts only. Beginners, stay on the beach for this one.

The action starts to build on Thursday afternoon, July 23rd, with a 7ft west-northwest swell. The wind is a strong cross-off from the west at 25 mph, but the energy is only 378 – it’s a bit wind-affected. The forecast says the surf is poor, so I’d hold off until Friday.

Friday morning, July 24th is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell jumps to 8ft out of the west, period 9 seconds, and the energy is 1033. The wind is still cross-off from the west-southwest at 22 mph, but the report flags it as marginal. The tide or wind might be a bit off. Then Friday afternoon hits the sweet spot.

Saturday, July 25th is a write-off. The swell is 13ft in the morning and 10ft in the afternoon, but the wind is a screaming cross-shore at 25-31 mph. The energy is massive – 2712 – but the forecast is calling it poor surf conditions. It’s a mess out there.

Sunday, July 26th through Monday, July 27th sees the swell drop back to 5ft to 5ft out of the west-northwest. The wind is light and variable, mostly cross-off. The energy sits around 680-790. The forecast says the surf is marginal, but Monday afternoon looks promising. A 5ft west swell with a 3 mph cross-off wind and clean conditions – that’s a glassy afternoon session. The energy is 669, and the report says expect very good surf. That’s a nice little window for the mid-level folks.

Tuesday, July 28th is a solid call. The morning sees a 5ft west swell, period 9 seconds, with a 9 mph offshore wind from the south-southwest. The energy is 390. The afternoon is similar: 5ft west swell, 12 mph offshore wind from the southwest, energy 456. Both sessions are flagged as good surf conditions with clean, offshore lines. That’s a full day of quality waves.

After Tuesday, the swell starts to fade. Wednesday, July 29th has a 4ft west swell, but the wind flicks onshore, making it poor. The afternoon on Wednesday is a 4ft west swell with a cross-off wind, energy 324, and the forecast says good surf – so there’s a chance for a quick session.

Thursday, July 30th morning is the last gasp of decent surf. A 6ft west swell, period 9 seconds, with a cross-off wind from the southwest at 9 mph. The energy is 476, and the forecast says good surf. That’s a clean, fun-sized morning.

Then it all goes quiet. From Friday, July 31st all the way through to Wednesday, August 6th, the swell drops to pathetic 1.0ft to 2ft. The wind is mostly cross or onshore, and the energy is below 100. The forecasts are all poor. That’s a full week of flatness.

Monday, August 3rd morning offers a glimmer of hope. The swell bumps back up to 5ft out of the west-northwest, but the period is a short 6 seconds. The wind is glassy – 3 mph, calm. The energy is 289, and the forecast says expect good surf. It’s a short-period swell, so it’ll be a bit fat and crumbly, but glassy conditions make everything better. The afternoon goes to shit with a 6ft onshore wind.

From Tuesday, August 4th onward, it’s back to tiny, onshore slop. The swell is 1.0ft to 3ft, the wind is poor, and the energy is below 100. No good.

So, to wrap it up: the absolute best on offer is Friday afternoon, July 24th – big, powerful, and clean for the experts. The runner-up is Tuesday, July 28th – a full day of clean, offshore conditions with solid 5ft to 5ft waves. The Monday afternoon session on July 28th is a glassy sleeper for the patient ones. After that, it’s a long wait for the next pulse.

Rusty out.

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