Surf spot

Thurso East

Forecast conditions and map view for Thurso East in UK, North Scotland. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: UK, North Scotland
Coordinates: 58.6024, -3.5081

Metric
Metric	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00
Wave height (m)	2	2.2	2.2	2.3	1.5	1.8	2.2	2.5	2.4	2.5	2.4	2.2	2.1	1.9	1.7	1.5	1.3	1.1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	1	0.9	0.9	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.8	0.9	1.4	1.6	2.3	2.1	1.8	1.4	1.2	1.1	1.1	1.6	1.8	2	2.5	3.1	3.4	3.6	3.5	3.3	3.1	2.8	2.4	1.7	2.3
Wave direction	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	WNW	NW	NW	NW	NW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	NNW	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W	W
Wave period (s)	8.2	8.8	9.2	9.3	10.8	10.4	9.4	8.3	8.2	7.8	7.8	7.8	7.7	7.5	7.3	7.2	7.2	8.1	8.3	8.3	8.3	7.5	7.5	7	7.8	6.8	6.3	7.8	8.6	8.3	8.3	7.8	7.7	8.1	8	6.7	6.7	6.7	6.8	7	7	7.3	6.7	7	7.8	9.3	10.6	11.2	11.3	11.2	10.9	10.8	10.4	10.6	10.9	9.4
Wave energy (kJ)	549	731	825	884	544	723	880	878	801	746	680	603	513	423	304	221	162	157	151	134	118	87	88	88	93	85	66	91	64	68	71	78	87	247	332	467	381	278	189	143	114	120	221	322	506	1093	2160	2934	3208	3038	2611	2164	1762	1316	703	903
Wind speed (km/h)	12.8	24.1	27.8	25.4	35.1	32.8	24.6	14	11.1	10.3	11	14.6	9	12.8	9.6	11.9	10.9	15.5	12.8	18.5	17.1	7.9	10.5	13.8	13.2	29.7	16.3	24.5	26.7	22.6	29.5	33.4	29.6	33.1	32.6	24.8	23.1	14.9	6.6	18.1	20.5	17.1	23.4	23.9	30.1	28.3	27.4	25.4	27.1	24.8	24.3	24	26.6	30	28.8	31.1
Wind direction	SSECross-off	SECross-off	SCross	SWCross-on	WNWBlown out	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WNWOnshore	NCross	SECross-off	SSECross-off	SSECross-off	SCross	SSECross-off	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	SCross	SCross	SSECross-off	SCross	NWCross-on	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	NWCross-on	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	WNWOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSECross	SCross	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	WSWOnshore	SWCross-on	SWCross-on

Thurso East is one of the UK’s most famous heavy-wave surf breaks, located on the north coast of Scotland near the town of Thurso in Caithness.

Quick description

Type of wave: Powerful, hollow reef break
Best for: Experienced to expert surfers
Wave quality: World-class on the right swell
Water temp: Very cold year-round
Crowd: Can be busy when conditions are good, but still relatively remote compared with major surf destinations

What makes it special

Thurso East is known for its fast, clean, barrelling right-hand waves that break over a reef/rock bottom. When the swell lines up with the right tide and wind, it produces long, powerful tubes and high-performance walls. It’s widely regarded as one of the best waves in Europe.

Conditions

Best swell: North and northwest Atlantic swell
Best wind: Light offshore or calm conditions, often southerly winds
Tides: Highly tide-dependent
Season: Autumn and winter tend to produce the most powerful and consistent surf

Hazards

Cold water and air: Full winter gear is essential
Sharp reef/rocks: Risk of injury on the bottom
Strong currents: Can be difficult to paddle out
Powerful surf: Not suitable for beginners

Overall vibe

Remote, rugged, and exposed to the elements, Thurso East has a serious North Atlantic feel. It’s a legendary spot for surfers looking for heavy, quality reef surf in a dramatic Scottish setting.