81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's take a good hard look at the only break on the table for the next 16 days: 81st Street.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough stretch. The whole 16-day window is full of "poor surf conditions" flags. We've got a real gap here with nothing worth getting wet for, and honestly, it doesn't start to look even remotely interesting until we're nearly two weeks out. The first real glimmer of something surfable doesn't pop up until the morning of Sunday, September 20th.

The water is sitting at a very unusual 80°F for this time of year, which is a massive 5°F warmer than normal. If you're used to a chilly morning, this ain't it.

Now, for what little we've got. 81st Street is an exposed spot that likes an ESE swell, but it’s inconsistent and best for beginners on the small days. The whole period is plagued by tiny, weak swell. We're looking at wave heights barely cracking 3 ft at their absolute peak, mostly hanging around 0.7 ft to 3 ft, and with periods so short they barely qualify as waves – think 4 to 9 seconds, which is just wind slop. The combined energy is weak, barely cracking triple digits only once (102 on the morning of September 22nd).

Let's break down the calendar. Nothing on Wednesday the 9th, Thursday the 10th, or Friday the 11th. That weekend? Forget it. The 14th through the 19th is a total write-off.

The only days that even register a "surfable waves but very ordinary" score are the mornings of Sunday the 20th, Monday the 21st, Tuesday the 22nd, and Thursday the 24th.

The one standout – if you can call it that – is the morning of Tuesday, September 22nd. We see a combined energy hitting 102 (moderate), with 3 ft swell rolling in from the ESE at an 8-second period. The real kicker is the wind: it's glassy, dead calm. For a spot that's usually dealing with cross-shore chop, that window of clean, glassy conditions is a rare gem. It’ll be tiny, but it'll be the cleanest 3 ft you'll find all window. Crowds are only "sometimes" an issue here, and on a Tuesday morning with this tiny swell, you might have it all to yourself.

The mornings of the 20th (3 ft, NE, offshore wind from the W), 21st (2 ft, ESE, cross-off wind from the SSW), and 24th (2 ft, E, glassy) are all similar stories – very small, but clean. They are second-tier options at best.

Bottom line: don’t get your hopes up for the next two weeks. This is a long, flat run for 81st Street. Only the glassy dawn patrol sessions around the 22nd and 24th are worth a look if you’re desperate, but keep your expectations in the car.

Rusty.

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