Sandside Bay
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Hourly Forecast
Timezone: Europe/London
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Wednesday 03
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Sandside Bay surf guide

Sandside Bay is a surf spot located near the defunct Dounreay Nuclear Power Station, which sets a unique backdrop for this area. While the waves here may not be as famous as those at Thurso East, Sandside Bay has its moments, especially when the weather takes a turn for the worse elsewhere. It’s not the most popular place, so if you're looking for a more laid-back session, this might be the right choice. The general vibe is friendly, and it’s common to find small crowds, which can be a nice change compared to busier spots.

The waves at Sandside Bay often serve up quality lefts, especially when there are large NW and N swells rolling in. When conditions align just right, you can catch waist-high to overhead (about 1 to 2 meters) waves that break over a flat reef with some sandy patches. The ideal swell sizes here range from about 3 to 6 feet (roughly 1 to 2 meters), and mid to high tides work best for the best results. The take-off is near the old harbor, where you'll find a thick, hollow first section that leads into a long wall for some good ride time. For those with some experience, there’s plenty to enjoy here, whether you’re on a shortboard, fish, longboard, or bodyboard.

If you decide to paddle out, be prepared for a workout when the swells pick up, as it can be a slog to get past the break. The winds from the southwest are preferable, although the spot can handle some westerlies as well. Just keep in mind that this beach is usually empty, partly due to the warnings about radioactive particles, but that doesn’t take away from the experience on days when the waves start pumping during the winter months from December to February.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Sandside Bay

Armadale Bay
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Sandside Bay
Scotland, United Kingdom
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Brimms Ness - The Bowl
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Brimms Ness - The Point
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Point break
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Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
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Tue 9
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Thu 11
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Shit Pipe
Unknown Region, Unknown Country
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
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Fri 12
Sat 13
Sun 14
Thurso East
Unknown Region, Unknown Country
Reef break
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Mon 8
Tue 9
Wed 10
Thu 11
Fri 12
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Murkle Point
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Point break
Wed 3
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Mon 8
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Thu 11
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Sat 13
Sun 14
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Readme

Welcome! If you’re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

🔮 Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

💨 Wind section

The first row on the table (with the 💨 icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

🌊 Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

🌒 Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front — handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. It’s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Here’s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm — the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

With Surfnerd, no more "you should have been here yesterday"

Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

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