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

	Thursday 19			Friday 20			Saturday 21			Sunday 22			Monday 23			Tuesday 24			Wednesday 25			Thu
	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	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill 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	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Saviskaill Bay Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Mill Bay Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney
Rating	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	4	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.6 N	1.4 NNW	0.4 N	1.6 WSW	1.6 W	0.7 WNW	0.8 SE	2.1 W	2.1 W	1.8 W	0.3 NNE	3.5 W	4.0 W	0.3 NNE	0.4 NNE	1.5 W	1.9 W	3.0 W	3.0 WNW	0.9 NW	0.4 NNW	3.5 WNW
Period(s) (?)	12	11	11	8	10	21	8	17	16	15	9	17	16	9	9	13	12	12	9	17	18	16
Energy(?)	848	714	37	654	552	738	101	3013	2423	1855	17	6189	7598	16	40	836	1087	2518	2337	662	130	6846
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	on	cross- off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- off	cross	cross	off	cross- off	cross	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- on	cross- off	cross- off	off
High Tide / height (m)	9:34AM 3.32		10:02PM 2.97	10:07AM 3.31		10:35PM 2.94	10:42AM 3.23		11:10PM 2.87	11:21AM 3.07	2:23PM 2.64	1:56AM 2.26	11:58AM 2.91	12:07PM 2.84			1:08PM 2.58	1:37AM 2.45		5:31PM 2.04		6:08AM 1.96
Low Tide / height (m)		3:58PM -0.08		4:03AM 0.19	4:32PM -0.05		4:39AM 0.25	5:08PM 0.08		5:18AM 0.37		7:31PM 0.27	5:59AM 0.52		9:16PM 0.56	6:54AM 0.76		7:29PM 0.83	8:08AM 0.95		11:50PM 0.97
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	cloudy	cloudy	rain shwrs	light rain	light rain	mod. rain	some clouds	light rain	rain shwrs	some clouds	some clouds	rain shwrs	rain shwrs	clear	light rain	cloudy	cloudy	rain shwrs	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy
Rain (mm)	-	-	1	2	5	8	-	1	4	-	-	1	2	-	3	-	-	4	-	-	-	-
High °C	5	5	6	6	5	6	6	6	8	7	8	8	8	7	7	9	9	9	7	7	6	5
Low °C	5	4	5	5	5	6	5	6	6	7	7	6	8	7	7	7	9	6	6	7	6	5
Chill °C (?)	-1	-1	0	1	1	3	1	2	3	2	4	3	3	2	5	6	6	6	2	2	3	-1
Sunrise	7:39	-	-	7:35	-	-	7:31	-	-	7:30	-	-	7:28	-	-	7:24	-	-	7:22	-	-	7:18
Sunset	-	5:15	-	-	5:17	-	-	5:21	-	-	5:22	-	-	5:24	-	-	5:28	-	-	5:28	-	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	1.6 N	1.4 NNW	0.4 N	0.9 W	1.6 W	1.0 W	0.8 SE	2.1 W	2.1 W	1.8 W	0.8 SSE	3.5 W	4.0 W	0.7 S	0.4 NNE	1.5 W	1.9 W	0.6 S	1.1 WNW	1.1 NNW	0.4 NNW	3.5 WNW
Period (s)	12	11	11	11	10	9	8	17	16	15	6	17	16	5	9	13	12	5	19	8	18	16
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.5 W	0.7 WSW	0.2 W	0.7 NNW	0.6 S	0.7 WNW	0.2 NNE	1.1 W	0.9 N	0.9 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.6 NNE	0.6 NNE	0.3 NNE	0.1 NW	0.6 N	0.5 NNE	0.4 NNE	0.4 NNE	0.9 NW	0.3 N	-
Period (s)	14	13	13	10	4	21	9	12	10	10	9	11	10	9	15	9	10	10	10	17	7	-
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.6 S	1.5 S	3.0 SE	1.6 WSW	-	1.0 N	0.7 N	0.2 ESE	1.0 S	1.9 WSW	0.8 WSW	-	-	0.7 WSW	0.8 S	0.6 S	0.6 S	3.0 W	3.0 WNW	0.4 W	0.7 SSE	1.2 SSE
Period (s)	5	5	9	8	-	6	4	7	5	7	4	-	-	4	4	4	3	12	9	3	8	5

	Thursday 19							Friday 20								Saturday 21
	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM	9PM	0AM	3AM	6AM	9AM	12PM	3PM	6PM
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	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	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Mill Bay Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness 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	2	3	4	4	0	0	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.7 N	1.6 N	1.5 N	1.4 N	1.4 NNW	1.2 N	1.2 N	1.2 NNW	1.0 W	1.0 W	0.3 N	0.4 NNW	1.5 W	1.5 W	1.3 SE	0.7 WNW	1.0 WNW	1.0 W	1.6 WNW	0.7 SE	0.5 SE	0.9 SE
Period(s) (?)	13	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	12	12	10	9	10	10	8	21	20	19	18	7	7	7
Energy(?)	951	856	744	726	714	493	458	570	508	414	18	52	526	648	266	738	1274	1243	2068	92	34	98
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	off	off	off	off	cross- off	cross- off	off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- on	off	cross- off	off	glass	cross	on	cross- on	cross- on
Tide State(?)	low-flow	mid-flow	high-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb	low	low	mid-flow	mid-ebb	low	low	high	mid-ebb	low	mid-flow	mid-flow	high	mid-ebb
High Tide / height (m)				9:34AM 3.32				10:02PM 2.97								10:35PM 2.94					1:42PM 2.78
Low Tide / height (m)						3:58PM -0.08				4:03AM 0.19	6:43AM 0.37			4:32PM -0.05	7:15PM 0.06			4:36AM 0.23
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	some clouds	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	light rain	light rain	light rain	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	light rain	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	light rain
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	-	1	1	3	2	-	-	4	3	-	-	-	1
Temp. °C	5	5	5	5	5	4	6	6	6	7	6	6	5	5	6	6	6	7	5	5	6	6
Chill °C (?)	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	1	1	0	2	1	1	1	0	2	5	2	7	-1	1	2	1
Sunrise	-	-	7:37	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7:33	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7:33	-	-	-
Sunset	-	-	-	-	5:15	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5:19	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5:20	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	1.7 N	1.6 N	1.5 N	1.4 N	1.4 NNW	1.2 N	1.2 N	1.2 NNW	1.0 N	1.0 W	2.0 SSE	0.4 NNW	0.7 N	0.6 NNW	1.3 SE	1.0 W	1.0 WNW	1.2 W	1.6 WNW	0.7 SE	0.5 SE	0.3 N
Period (s)	13	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	10	12	9	9	10	9	8	9	20	12	18	7	7	6
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.3 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.7 W	0.7 WSW	0.6 W	0.6 W	0.8 W	1.0 W	0.7 NNW	0.3 N	0.3 WNW	0.6 S	0.5 N	0.3 N	0.7 WNW	0.9 W	1.0 W	1.4 W	0.5 NNE	0.3 SSE	0.2 NNE
Period (s)	11	14	14	13	13	12	12	13	12	10	10	10	4	11	10	21	13	19	11	6	6	10
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.5 S	1.5 S	1.2 S	1.3 S	1.2 S	1.4 S	1.7 SW	1.2 SW	1.9 SSE	1.5 W	1.5 W	0.4 W	1.0 N	1.0 N	0.9 NNW	-	0.5 NE	0.3 E	0.9 SE
Period (s)	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	6	5	9	10	10	3	6	6	6	-	3	2	7

	Thursday 19
	1AM	2AM	3AM	4AM	5AM	6AM	7AM	8AM	9AM	10AM	11AM	12PM	1PM	2PM	3PM	4PM	5PM	6PM	7PM	8PM	9PM	10PM
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	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	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Mill Bay Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Birsay Bay Scot - Orkney	Rackwick Scot - Orkney	Bay of Skaill Scot - Orkney	Grim Ness 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	2	3	4	4	0	0	0	0
Wave Height (m) & direction (?)	1.8 N	1.7 N	1.7 N	1.7 N	1.8 N	1.6 N	1.5 N	1.7 N	1.5 N	1.4 N	0.7 N	1.1 N	1.3 N	1.3 N	0.6 N	1.3 N	1.4 NNW	1.2 N	1.2 N	0.5 N	0.5 N	0.5 N
Period(s) (?)	13	13	13	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	11	11	11
Energy(?)	1091	982	951	922	1058	856	764	956	744	699	139	330	645	583	99	565	653	490	483	62	58	58
Wind (km/h)
Wind State(?)	off	off	off	off	cross- off	off	off	cross- off	off	off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- on	off	cross- off	off	cross- off	cross- on	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off	cross- off
High Tide / height (m)										9:34AM 3.32		11:32AM 2.77
Low Tide / height (m)																3:58PM -0.08
Weather Advanced Surf Forecast

Summary	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	cloudy	light rain	light rain	some clouds	cloudy
Rain (mm)	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-
High °C	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	5	5	5
Chill °C (?)	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-2	-2	-2	-1	-1
Sunrise	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	7:39	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Sunset	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5:15	-	-	-	-	-
Swell1 (m) & direction	1.8 N	1.7 N	1.7 N	1.7 N	1.8 N	1.6 N	1.5 N	1.7 N	1.5 N	1.4 N	0.7 N	1.1 N	1.3 N	1.3 N	0.6 N	1.3 N	1.4 NNW	1.2 N	1.2 N	0.5 N	0.5 N	0.5 N
Period (s)	13	13	13	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	12	11	11	11	11	11	11	11
Swell2 (m) & direction	0.4 W	0.4 W	0.3 W	0.3 W	0.4 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.5 W	0.6 W	0.2 W	0.1 W	0.5 W	0.6 W	0.2 W	0.6 W	0.6 WSW	0.4 W	0.6 W	0.2 W	0.2 W	0.2 W
Period (s)	11	11	11	11	14	14	14	14	14	13	13	12	13	13	12	12	13	13	12	12	11	12
Wind waves (m) & direction	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.5 S	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	1.6 S	1.6 SSE	1.6 SSE	2.5 SSE	2.5 SSE	1.3 SSE	1.4 SSE	2.5 SSE	1.3 S	1.4 S	1.2 SSE	1.2 S	3.0 SSE	3.0 SSE	3.0 SSE
Period (s)	6	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	5	8	8	5	5	8	5	5	4	5	9	9	9

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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	Pressure
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