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Bu Sands Seasonal Surf Averages

Based on the last ten years data for this location this page gives seasonal trends and an idea of what kind of conditions you can expect and when. Of course these are just averages - it's worth reading carefully to understand exactly what they mean and to recognise the kind of variation you could expect on a trip because an average can never tell the whole story. Click on a month below to see more detail.
If you want a past forecast for a specific date range then click here.

Local Photo


Swell Consistency and Wind Overview

Wind Swell Ground Swell
80%
49%

31%

Jan
81%
57%

24%

Feb
76%
37%

39%

Mar
67%
27%

40%

Apr
52%
10%

42%

May
37%
5%

32%

Jun
33%
5%

28%

Jul
41%
7%

34%

Aug
58%
18%

40%

Sep
69%
22%

47%

Oct
77%
37%

40%

Nov
81%
43%

38%

Dec
This graph shows the percentage of days that had a ridable wind swell (7 seconds period or more) or groundswell (10 seconds period or more) of over 3ft. It also shows the dominant wind direction. Not all of these days will neccessarily give great surf, and very short lived wind swells or longer period secondary swells may produce surf not recorded, but it gives a clear idea of the seasonal trend and a rough guide to the chances of scoring something ridable.

Monthly Overview

Jan
Swell
Consistency
80%
Average Swell
Height
10ft
Average Swell
Period
11s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Feb
Swell
Consistency
81%
Average Swell
Height
11ft
Average Swell
Period
11s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Mar
Swell
Consistency
76%
Average Swell
Height
9ft
Average Swell
Period
10s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Apr
Swell
Consistency
67%
Average Swell
Height
8ft
Average Swell
Period
10s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
May
Swell
Consistency
52%
Average Swell
Height
6ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Jun
Swell
Consistency
37%
Average Swell
Height
5ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Jul
Swell
Consistency
33%
Average Swell
Height
4ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Aug
Swell
Consistency
41%
Average Swell
Height
5ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Sep
Swell
Consistency
58%
Average Swell
Height
7ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Oct
Swell
Consistency
69%
Average Swell
Height
9ft
Average Swell
Period
9s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Nov
Swell
Consistency
77%
Average Swell
Height
10ft
Average Swell
Period
10s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell
Dec
Swell
Consistency
81%
Average Swell
Height
10ft
Average Swell
Period
10s
Dominant Wind
Dominant Swell

Understanding this Data

These swell averages are calculated ONLY on swells of more than 7 seconds period. This means this is the average height of a swell that's likely to produce ridable surf NOT an average of every wave heading toward the beach in a month. Likewise the period is the average period OVER 7 seconds. There will be days that have short period wind swells that won't produce and ridable swell and these are excluded from the averages. The consistency figure gives the percentage of days that meet this condition.

For example if the consistency is 50% you could expect the 'average' swell for about 15 days in the month. Of course an average tells only part of the story. A combination of very large and very small swells may produce the same average as a consistent medium sized swell.

Monthly Data

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

Nearby Spots

Keiss
Sinclairs Bay - Beach
Skail Bay Right
Skara Brae
Birsay Bay
Dunnet Bay
Marwick
Castlehill to Murkle
Murkle Point
Thurso East
S*** Pipe
Brimms Ness - The Point
Sandside Bay
Melvich
Strathy
Sandend (Moray Firth)
Lossiemouth
Armadale Bay
Boyndie Bay
Banff - Beach
Brora Beach
Torrisdale
Fraserburgh
St Combs to Inverallochy
Peterhead (Sandford Bay)
Cruden Bay
Balmedie to Newburgh
Quendale Bay
Sango Bay
Aberdeen - Beach
Melby
Durness (Balnakeil Bay)
Nigg Bay
Stonehaven
Gulberwick
Sandwood Bay
Lunan Bay
Arbroath
St Andrews West
St Andrews East
Kingsbarns
Breckon
Seacliff
Belhaven Bay (Dunbar)
Pease Bay
Coldingham Bay
Port of Ness
Eoropie
Bamburgh
Beadnell Bay
Staffin Bay
Glenbrittle
Dalbeg
Talisker Bay
Isle of Lewis
Seaton To Blyth
Whitley Bay
Tynemouth - Longsands
Cliff
South Shields
Sunderland
Mangersta
Scarasta
Caravans
Graveyards
Westport
St Bees
Machrihanish
Dunaverty
Ardnave Bay