Thurso Reef Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, let’s talk about Thurso Reef. We’ve got a solid run of swell coming our way, but it’s a mixed bag of conditions, so you’ll need to pick your windows carefully.

The week kicks off with a bit of a dud on Friday, August 7th. The morning has a tiny 1ft WNW swell with a weak energy of 56, and the water is sitting at 56°F, which is bang on average for this time of year. The wind is ripping offshore from the SSW at 19 mph, but there’s just no power in the water to make it worth your while. That afternoon, the swell jumps to 6ft from the W, but the period is a short 8 seconds, and the energy is still moderate at 502. It’s a bit of a grovel.

Saturday, August 8th, is where things start to get interesting. Morning sees a clean 7ft W swell, still a bit short at 9 seconds, but the energy is building to 659. The real standout, though, is Saturday afternoon. You’ve got a 7ft W swell with a 10-second period, and the energy is up to 754. The wind is a moderate 16 mph offshore from the SSW, keeping it clean. This is a solid wave for intermediates, and the offshore wind is a major positive. It’s not too big, but it’s got some punch.

Sunday, August 9th, is a bit of a letdown. The morning has a 7ft W swell, but the wind swings to a cross-offshore from the WSW at 22 mph, which isn’t ideal. The quality is marginal, and the energy is still high at 711, but the wind is just too strong for it to be clean. Afternoon is worse with a cross-offshore wind and a 7ft W swell that’s just messy.

Monday, August 10th, the swell drops a touch to 7ft from the NNW, but the wind is a cross-shore from the NW at 9 mph, creating a bit of chop. The energy is strong at 969, but the conditions are marginal. This one is better for the experienced crew.

The real hidden gem, and the one I’d be circling on the calendar, is Tuesday, August 11th, morning. The swell drops to 4ft from the N, but the wind is a light cross-offshore from the SE at 9 mph. The energy is a weak 207, but it’s clean and the wind is perfect. The water temp is still 56°F, so don’t forget your hood. The crowd profile here says “sometimes”, so you might have a few others out. This is a long-period groundswell at 11 seconds, which is great for a point or reef like this, giving you nice, long walls.

Things get pretty quiet and marginal after that. Wednesday, August 12th, through Friday, August 14th, is a mix of weak, short-period swell and strong winds. The swell is small, and the wind is mostly cross-offshore, but it’s not doing much for the surf quality. There’s a spike on Thursday afternoon, August 13th, with a 6ft W swell, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-offshore, making it a bit of a wind-slapped mess.

The next real standout, and this is a long-range call so keep the salt in your eyes, is Sunday, August 16th, afternoon. The swell is 5ft from the W with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light offshore from the S at 6 mph. The energy is a moderate 371, and the conditions are expected to be good. This is a promising one for the end of the week.

Tuesday, August 18th, afternoon is another one to watch. The swell is 7ft from the W with a 7-second period, but the wind is a gentle offshore from the SSW at 9 mph. The energy is 375, and it’s clean. That’s a good, fun wave for the intermediate surfers.

The last week of the forecast is mostly small, with a few windows of clean but average surf. The best of the rest is Wednesday, August 19th, afternoon, with a 4ft W swell, light wind, and clean conditions. It’s not a standout, but a good session for a longboard.

Overall, the best bet on offer is the Saturday afternoon, August 8th, with that clean 7ft swell and offshore wind. The Tuesday morning, August 11th, is a close second for a cleaner, smaller, more refined wave. The long-range Sunday, August 16th, afternoon is a promising but less certain option.

Rusty.

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