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

	Sat	Sunday 21			Monday 22			Tuesday 23			Wednesday 24			Thursday 25			Friday 26			Saturday 27
	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night	AM	PM	Night
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Saviskaill Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Saviskaill Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness 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
Rating	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	4	4	4	4	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.6 SSE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.4 SE	1.6 SE	1.5 W	2.3 SE	0.8 WNW	1.5 ESE	2.2 WNW	3.0 WNW	2.0 WNW	2.4 WNW	2.5 WNW	0.7 SE	3.0 W	2.0 W	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	4.5 WNW	4.0 WNW	3.5 W
Period(s) (?)	6	6	6	6	7	12	7	16	8	13	13	13	13	12	7	14	13	12	11	14	13	12
Energy(?)	174	107	158	153	245	677	556	508	273	2311	2832	1314	1905	1794	59	4009	2746	2743	3646	7260	5616	3775
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	cross	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	off	cross	cross	cross- off	on	glass	off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- off	on	cross- on	cross- on	cross	cross- on
High Tide / height (m)	11:56PM 2.31		12:03PM 2.48	12:33AM 2.28		12:39PM 2.51	1:10AM 2.23		1:14PM 2.52	1:48AM 2.18		1:50PM 2.49	2:29AM 2.12	11:30AM 2.83	2:28PM 2.45	12:09AM 2.37		12:12PM 2.74	1:02AM 2.31		3:58PM 2.30
Low Tide / height (m)		5:42AM 0.63		6:13PM 0.42	6:13AM 0.64		6:50PM 0.42	6:45AM 0.67		7:27PM 0.43	7:19AM 0.71		8:05PM 0.45	5:21AM 0.69		6:03PM 0.51	6:03AM 0.80		6:49PM 0.56	6:52AM 0.91		10:27PM 0.54
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	some clouds	light rain	light rain	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	clear	clear	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
High °C	9	9	8	9	9	9	9	9	9	8	7	7	6	6	5	6	8	8	8	6	5	6
Low °C	8	8	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	8	7	6	5	6	5	5	6	8	7	6	5	5
Chill °C (?)	5	5	4	5	5	4	4	7	6	5	7	5	2	4	3	2	3	3	4	2	0	0
Sunrise	-	9:02	-	-	9:02	-	-	9:07	-	-	9:07	-	-	9:07	-	-	9:07	-	-	9:07	-	-
Sunset	-	-	3:15	-	-	3:15	-	-	3:17	-	-	3:15	-	-	3:18	-	-	3:18	-	-	3:19	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	0.1 N	0.2 WNW	0.3 NW	0.1 NW	0.1 N	1.5 W	0.1 N	1.0 W	1.5 ESE	2.2 WNW	3.0 WNW	2.0 WNW	2.4 WNW	2.5 WNW	0.7 SE	3.0 W	2.0 W	0.1 NW	1.9 NW	-	-	0.6 NNW
Period (s)	13	17	16	15	8	12	8	11	8	13	13	13	13	12	7	14	13	20	15	-	-	15
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.1 W	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 NW	0.2 N	0.1 N	0.8 WNW	0.1 NW	1.0 NW	0.4 ESE	0.4 ESE	0.3 ESE	0.3 ESE	0.1 NW	-	0.9 WNW	0.1 SE	-	-	-	0.5 NNW
Period (s)	13	12	9	8	14	8	8	16	15	16	7	7	7	7	12	-	16	6	-	-	-	15
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.6 SSE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.4 SE	1.6 SE	1.1 SE	2.3 SE	-	-	0.7 NW	-	-	-	-	-	-	2.5 W	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	4.5 WNW	4.0 WNW	3.5 W
Period (s)	6	6	6	6	7	5	7	-	-	4	-	-	-	-	-	-	9	12	11	14	13	12

	Sat	Sunday 21								Monday 22								Tuesday 23
	9PM	0AM	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness 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	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney
Rating	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	2
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.5 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.4 SE	1.3 SSE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.2 SE	1.4 SE	1.6 SE	1.6 SE	1.6 SE	1.7 W	1.9 SE	1.3 W	1.2 W	1.1 W	1.1 W	1.0 W	2.1 SE	1.6 SE
Period(s) (?)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	7	7	13	7	12	12	11	11	11	8	8
Energy(?)	151	174	150	129	107	157	158	105	110	153	199	224	245	962	312	489	398	301	320	335	892	304
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross- on	cross	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross- on	cross	cross	cross- on	cross- off	cross	off	off	off	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- off
Tide State(?)	-	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	high	high	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	low	mid-flow
High Tide / height (m)		11:56PM 2.31					12:03PM 2.48				12:33AM 2.28			9:44AM 2.97	12:39PM 2.51			10:08PM 2.64
Low Tide / height (m)				5:42AM 0.63					6:13PM 0.42				6:13AM 0.64			4:04PM 0.42				4:08AM 0.56	6:45AM 0.67
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	cloudy	clear	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds	clear	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	cloudy	cloudy	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	light rain
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-	-	2
Temp. °C	9	8	8	9	8	9	8	8	8	8	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Chill °C (?)	5	3	4	5	4	5	4	4	4	4	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	4	5	7	7	7
Sunrise	-	-	-	-	-	9:02	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9:06	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9:03
Sunset	-	-	-	-	-	-	3:15	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3:15	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 NW	0.2 WNW	0.3 NW	0.3 NW	0.2 WNW	0.1 NW	0.1 NW	0.1 NW	0.1 NW	0.1 N	1.7 W	0.1 N	1.3 W	1.2 W	1.1 W	1.1 W	1.0 W	1.8 SE	1.6 SE
Period (s)	13	13	12	16	17	17	16	16	16	15	15	14	8	13	8	12	12	11	11	11	8	8
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 NW	0.2 N	0.1 NW	0.2 N	0.2 N	0.2 N	0.2 WNW	0.4 WNW	0.1 W	0.1 NW
Period (s)	12	13	12	12	12	9	9	9	9	8	8	8	14	8	12	8	8	8	18	16	16	15
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.5 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.4 SE	1.3 SSE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE	1.2 SE	1.4 SE	1.6 SE	1.6 SE	1.6 SE	0.9 SE	1.9 SE	1.3 SSE	1.4 SSE	1.3 SSE	1.1 S	0.5 S	2.1 SE	-
Period (s)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	7	7	4	7	5	5	5	5	4	8	-

	Saturday 20					Sunday 21
	7PM	8PM	9PM	10PM	11PM	0AM	1AM	2AM	3AM	4AM	5AM	6AM	7AM	8AM	9AM	10AM	11AM	12PM	1PM	2PM	3PM	4PM
Best forecast wave conditions in Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness 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	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney
Rating	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	2
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.4 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.4 SE	1.4 SE	1.4 SE	1.3 SSE	1.4 SE	3.0 WNW	1.3 SE	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	3.5 WNW	3.0 WNW	1.3 SE	1.3 SE
Period(s) (?)	5	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	16	6	16	16	16	16	16	6	6
Energy(?)	113	137	151	151	151	174	157	167	150	150	139	129	135	4127	107	5144	5221	5145	5319	5081	158	158
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross	cross- on	cross- off	cross- on	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- on
High Tide / height (m)						11:56PM 2.31										9:10AM 2.96
Low Tide / height (m)												5:42AM 0.63
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	clear	some clouds	cloudy	clear	clear	clear	clear	clear	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	some clouds	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	some clouds	cloudy	some clouds	some clouds
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
High °C	9	9	9	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	8	9	8	8	8	8	8	9	9	9	8	8
Chill °C (?)	5	5	5	3	3	3	3	4	4	4	4	5	4	4	4	3	3	5	5	5	4	4
Sunrise	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	9:06	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sunset	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3:15	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 NW	0.1 NW	0.1 NW	3.0 WNW	0.2 WNW	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	3.0 WNW	3.5 WNW	3.0 WNW	0.3 NW	0.3 NW
Period (s)	13	13	13	13	13	13	12	12	12	12	16	16	16	16	17	16	16	16	16	16	16	16
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 W	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.1 N	0.2 N	0.1 N	0.2 N	0.2 N	-	-	-	0.1 N	0.1 N
Period (s)	12	12	12	13	13	13	13	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	-	-	-	9	9
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.4 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.5 SSE	1.4 SE	1.4 SE	1.4 SE	1.3 SSE	1.4 SE	0.9 SE	1.3 SE	0.9 SE	0.9 SE	0.9 SE	0.8 SE	0.9 SE	1.3 SE	1.3 SE
Period (s)	5	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	4	6	4	4	4	4	4	6	6

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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