10-day surf forecast with Strike Scores for Marwick Bay, Orkney Islands, UK
Marwick Bay is one of Orkney's most exposed surf spots--a right-hand reef on the west coast wide open to the North Atlantic.
Best day in the forecast: 2026-08-11 with a score of 23/100 (Poor)
Poor conditions overall: Average score 5/100. Look for spots with better forecasts.
Poor alignment: Swell from 350° is 50° off optimal 300°, barely within workable range 260°-340°.
Marginal size: 1.0m is 0.8m from ideal 1.8m.
Short period: 8s is below minimum 9s. Windswell-dominated (choppy, weak waves).
Onshore/cross-shore: 25 km/h from 51° (NE). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-7 points: Short-period windswell is present, creating choppy, disorganized conditions.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (350°), size (1.0m), or wind (25 km/h from 51°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
1.0m (3.3ft) swell from 350° (N) at 8.1s period
Local wind-generated waves (choppy, short-period)
No alignment: Swell from 359° is outside workable range 260°-340°. Wrong swell direction for this spot.
Marginal size: 1.1m is 0.6m from ideal 1.8m.
Short period: 7s is below minimum 9s. Windswell-dominated (choppy, weak waves).
Onshore/cross-shore: 24 km/h from 310° (NW). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-10 points: Previous days of onshore wind left residual chop ("morning sickness"), reducing wave quality.
Groundswell-dominant conditions (clean, long-period waves).
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (359°), size (1.1m), or wind (24 km/h from 310°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
1.1m (3.6ft) swell from 359° (N) at 7s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 272° is 28° off optimal 300°, workable but not ideal.
Marginal size: 1.3m is 0.4m from ideal 1.8m.
Onshore/cross-shore: 20 km/h from 194° (SSW). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-17 points: Previous days of onshore wind left residual chop ("morning sickness"), reducing wave quality.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (272°), size (1.3m), or wind (20 km/h from 194°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
1.3m (4.3ft) swell from 272° (W) at 7.3s period
Poor alignment: Swell from 265° is 35° off optimal 300°, barely within workable range 260°-340°.
Good size: 2.0m is within 15% of ideal 1.8m.
Moderate period: 9s meets minimum 9s but below ideal 13s. Some groundswell energy present.
Onshore/cross-shore: 14 km/h from 222° (SW). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-11 points: Previous days of onshore wind left residual chop ("morning sickness"), reducing wave quality.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (265°), size (2.0m), or wind (14 km/h from 222°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
2.0m (6.6ft) swell from 265° (W) at 9.3s period
Poor alignment: Swell from 268° is 32° off optimal 300°, barely within workable range 260°-340°.
Marginal size: 1.2m is 0.6m from ideal 1.8m.
Onshore/cross-shore: 28 km/h from 270° (W). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (268°), size (1.2m), or wind (28 km/h from 270°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
1.2m (3.9ft) swell from 268° (W) at 7s period
Good alignment: Swell from 295° is 5° off optimal 300°, still within prime range.
Too small: 0.9m is below minimum 1.0m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Onshore/cross-shore: 15 km/h from 351° (N). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-10 points: Short-period windswell is present, creating choppy, disorganized conditions.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (295°), size (0.9m), or wind (15 km/h from 351°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.9m (3.0ft) swell from 295° (WNW) at 8s period
Moderate alignment: Swell from 282° is 18° off optimal 300°, workable but not ideal.
Onshore/cross-shore: 15 km/h from 147° (SSE). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
-7 points: Previous days of onshore wind left residual chop ("morning sickness"), reducing wave quality.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (282°), size (2.0m), or wind (15 km/h from 147°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
2.0m (6.6ft) swell from 282° (WNW) at 7s period
Too small: 0.7m is below minimum 1.0m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Onshore/cross-shore: 14 km/h from 185° (S). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (282°), size (0.7m), or wind (14 km/h from 185°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.7m (2.3ft) swell from 282° (WNW) at 7s period
Very low confidence (8-10 day forecast, conditions may change)
Good alignment: Swell from 305° is 5° off optimal 300°, still within prime range.
Too small: 0.5m is below minimum 1.0m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Onshore/cross-shore: 40 km/h from 262° (W). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (305°), size (0.5m), or wind (40 km/h from 262°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.5m (1.6ft) swell from 305° (NW) at 9s period
No alignment: Swell from 0° is outside workable range 260°-340°. Wrong swell direction for this spot.
Too small: 0.0m is below minimum 1.0m. Waves will be weak/mushy.
Moderate period: 11s meets minimum 9s but below ideal 13s. Some groundswell energy present.
Onshore/cross-shore: 15 km/h from 233° (SW). Destroying wave quality. Offshore range: 70°-140°.
Poor conditions at Marwick Bay. Either swell direction (0°), size (0.0m), or wind (15 km/h from 233°) is unfavorable. Consider other spots or wait for better conditions.
0.0m (0.0ft) swell from 0° (N) at 11s period
Open-Meteo Weather API (wind/weather data)