Orkney Surf

Detailed Orkney surf forecast maps and the latest eyeball surf report from local surfers in the region. Near-shore swell is shown on the map together with the surf forecast rating for spots in Orkney. Find the best places to surf in offshore conditions by selecting the wind option on the forecast map. Windsurfers and kite surfers can also use this option to find more favorable cross-shore conditions in Orkney. Our local Wavefinder indicates where some of the best conditions are likely to be found in Orkney over the next 7 days. Surf photos from Orkney and reviews of the best spots and surfing conditions have been provided by local surfers.

Orkney Surf Forecast

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Wave Energy Map

Wave Height Map

Wind Map

Please enable JavaScript to access the following map views:All map types that you can enable here: Orkney Colour Base Map, Wave Height, Wave Energy, Orkney Swell 1 Energy, Swell 2 Energy, Windwave Energy, Orkney Precipitation, Wind, Temperature, Orkney Cloud Cover.Map overlays available for display: Orkney Pressure, Wind.Symbols shown on the map: Orkney Surf Breaks, Tide Forecasts, Cities, Orkney Ski Resorts, Live Wave Buoys, Live Webcams, Orkney Wind Now, Temperature Now, Weather Now, Orkney Swell at breaks, Rating at breaks.

Orkney Surf Forecast map for predicting the best wave and wind conditions across the region. For surfers, the map shows the most powerful swell tracking across near-shore open water and not the peak waves experienced by boats out at sea. Move your mouse over the ocean swell symbols or the surf breaks on the coastline to see a more detailed surf forecast including wave period and wind conditions. The forecast updates every 6 hours and most live weather reports update every hour. You can animate the Orkney Surf map or show live wind and wave conditions as reported from wavebuoys and local weather stations. Surf breaks shown along the Orkney coastline are also listed below.

Orkney Photos

Orkney Wavefinder

Long range 3-hourly Hourly

	Wednesday 22			Thursday 23			Friday 24			Saturday 25			Sunday 26			Monday 27			Tuesday 28			Wed
	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Saviskaill Bay Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney
Rating	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	2	0	0	1	2	2	3	2	2
Wave Height (m) & direction	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 NNW	0.3 W	0.2 NNW	0.3 N	0.3 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.8 N	0.5 N	1.3 N	1.3 N	1.2 N	1.1 N	1.6 W	1.6 W	1.2 W	0.5 W	1.1 W	1.1 W	1.2 W
Period(s)	11	11	10	9	9	10	6	11	10	6	6	11	10	11	11	6	6	7	16	10	10	12
Energy	129	93	56	41	34	24	17	35	25	53	24	412	354	337	365	312	278	222	237	496	545	463
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	cross	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- on	cross- on	on	cross- on	cross- on	off	off	off	cross- off	cross	cross- on	cross- on	cross	cross- off	off	off
High Tide / height (m)	12:50PM 2.72		1:06AM 2.79		2:16PM 2.43	2:33AM 2.59		3:49PM 2.30		4:01AM 2.55	5:17PM 2.32		5:20AM 2.61	6:24PM 2.44		6:23AM 2.73		7:15PM 2.60	7:13AM 2.84		7:55PM 2.74	7:55AM 2.93
Low Tide / height (m)		7:00PM 0.70		7:48AM 0.58		8:10PM 0.99	9:10AM 0.72		9:35PM 1.13	10:44AM 0.71		11:07PM 1.09	12:01PM 0.58		12:18AM 0.94	12:57PM 0.42		1:11AM 0.75		1:40PM 0.30	1:54AM 0.59
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	clear	clear	clear	clear	some clouds	clear	clear	clear	some clouds	some clouds	clear	some clouds	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	clear	clear	clear	clear
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
High °C	6	5	5	6	8	8	8	9	9	6	6	6	10	11	11	11	11	11	10	10	9	8
Low °C	5	5	5	6	7	7	8	9	4	5	6	6	7	11	10	10	11	10	10	9	8	8
Chill °C (?)	4	2	2	3	5	6	7	7	6	3	3	1	8	9	9	8	8	10	8	8	6	5
Sunrise	5:41	-	-	5:39	-	-	5:35	-	-	5:31	-	-	5:30	-	-	5:28	-	-	5:24	-	-	5:22
Sunset	-	8:43	-	-	8:45	-	-	8:47	-	-	8:47	-	-	8:52	-	-	8:54	-	-	8:58	-	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 NNW	0.3 W	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.8 N	0.5 N	1.3 N	1.3 N	1.2 N	1.1 N	0.8 N	0.6 N	0.6 N	0.8 W	1.1 W	1.1 W	1.2 W
Period (s)	11	11	10	9	9	7	6	11	10	6	6	11	10	11	11	10	10	10	7	10	10	12
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.3 N	0.2 NNE	0.3 NNW	0.3 W	0.3 N	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.3 N	0.2 N	0.1 NW	-	0.2 W	0.1 SW	0.1 W	0.1 SE	0.1 SE	0.1 W	0.2 W	0.5 N	0.7 W	0.8 W	0.6 N
Period (s)	5	4	11	9	8	8	9	6	6	6	-	11	11	7	4	4	19	18	9	15	13	9
Wind waves (m) & direction	0.2 E	0.3 NE	0.1 NE	-	0.3 SE	-	-	-	-	-	0.2 ENE	0.6 SSE	0.1 SW	-	1.2 WSW	1.6 W	1.6 W	1.2 W	-	-	-	0.4 SE
Period (s)	5	5	4	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	5	4	8	-	5	6	6	7	-	-	-	3

	Wednesday 22							Thursday 23								Friday 24
	4AM	7AM	10AM	1PM	4PM	7PM	10PM	1AM	4AM	7AM	10AM	1PM	4PM	7PM	10PM	1AM	4AM	7AM	10AM	1PM	4PM	7PM
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney
Rating	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction	0.9 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 WNW	0.4 NNW	0.4 NNW	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 N	0.2 NNW	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.2 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.3 NNE
Period(s)	12	12	12	11	11	11	10	10	10	10	9	9	9	9	7	10	7	6	6	11	11	10
Energy	250	194	134	88	93	63	77	56	66	60	41	30	34	34	19	24	18	14	17	23	35	31
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	off	off	off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- off	off	off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	off	off	cross- off	off	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on
Tide State	-	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb
High Tide / height (m)				1:00PM 2.69					1:16AM 2.75				2:16PM 2.43				2:33AM 2.59				3:49PM 2.30
Low Tide / height (m)		6:40AM 0.31					7:05PM 0.74				7:48AM 0.58				8:10PM 0.99				9:10AM 0.72
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	some clouds	cloudy	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	some clouds	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Temp. °C	7	6	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	6	8	7	7	8	7	8	8	8	9	9
Chill °C (?)	4	3	4	3	2	2	3	2	2	2	3	2	5	4	4	6	5	7	7	6	7	6
Sunrise	-	5:41	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5:37	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5:35	-	-	-	-
Sunset	-	-	-	-	-	8:43	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8:45	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8:47
Swell1 (m) & direction	0.9 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 WNW	0.4 NNW	0.4 NNW	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 NNE	0.3 NNE
Period (s)	12	12	12	11	11	11	10	10	10	10	9	9	9	7	7	7	7	6	6	6	11	10
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.3 NNE	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.1 N	0.3 NNW	0.3 NNW	0.4 NNW	0.4 W	0.3 W	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 W	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.2 NNE	0.3 N	0.3 N
Period (s)	5	5	5	5	4	12	11	11	10	10	9	8	8	9	9	8	8	8	9	11	6	6
Wind waves (m) & direction	0.2 E	-	0.2 E	-	0.3 NE	0.2 NNE	-	0.1 NE	-	-	-	-	0.3 SE	0.3 SE	0.2 SSE	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Period (s)	6	-	5	-	5	4	-	4	-	-	-	-	2	3	3	-	-	-	-	-	-	-

	Wednesday 22
	2AM	3AM	4AM	5AM	6AM	7AM	8AM	9AM	10AM	11AM	12PM	1PM	2PM	3PM	4PM	5PM	6PM	7PM	8PM	9PM	10PM	11PM
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney
Rating	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction	1.0 W	0.9 WNW	0.9 WNW	0.9 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.8 W	0.7 WNW	0.7 W	0.7 W	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 WNW
Period(s)	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	10	10	10	10
Energy	319	253	250	247	199	196	187	147	129	133	125	88	88	93	93	93	66	63	68	65	47	46
Wind (km/h)
Wind State	off	off	off	cross	cross	cross	cross- off	cross	cross	cross- off	cross- 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 / height (m)												1:00PM 2.69
Low Tide / height (m)						6:44AM 0.36													7:05PM 0.74
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
High °C	7	7	7	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Chill °C (?)	4	4	4	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	3	3	3	3	2	3	2	2	2	2	2	2
Sunrise	-	-	-	-	5:41	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sunset	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8:43	-	-	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	1.0 W	0.9 WNW	0.9 WNW	0.9 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.8 WNW	0.8 W	0.7 WNW	0.7 W	0.7 W	0.7 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.4 WNW	0.4 WNW
Period (s)	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	11	10	10	10	10
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 NNE	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.4 NNE	0.3 N	0.3 N	0.3 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.2 N	0.2 N	0.2 NNW	0.2 NNW
Period (s)	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	5	4	4	4	12	12	11	11	11	11
Wind waves (m) & direction	-	-	0.2 E	0.2 E	0.2 E	0.3 E	-	0.2 E	0.2 E	-	0.2 E	-	-	0.3 NE	0.3 NE	0.3 NE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.2 NNE	0.1 NE	0.1 NE	0.1 NE
Period (s)	-	-	6	6	6	5	-	5	5	-	5	-	-	5	5	5	4	4	4	4	4	4

Orkney Surf Breaks

beach

beach

reef

Orkeny and the shetlands are very remote islands in the very north of Scotland which attracts the more hard core surfer in search of some of the most perfect waves you can get in this part of the world. There is a small but keen group of surfers that live there. You need to bring all of your own equipment with you as this place is as remote as remote gets. The Bay of Skaill offers the largest surf and tends to be the most poplar spot with locals. The coastlines are very exposed so is known for some big swells powering through and hammering the shores.

Orkney has a range of sandy bays, intense reef breaks and near perfect point breaks. Luckily the gulf stream runs all of the way up offering a slightly warmer surf.
The swell window is very generous allowing breaks to go off from a multitude of directions. The weather can be quite fierce so be prepared for cold and strong winds. If the swell is flat take five to absorb one of the most beautiful untouched places in Europe. Getting there can be quite tricky and expensive but is worth it, for the waves awaiting are world class and uncrowded.

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