Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 28 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 9s period, ESE swell with 113 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 10s period with ESE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for 81st Street this week:
The surf forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 11s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at 81st Street in the next 16 days are 0.8m 9s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 28) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 3s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 5PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 9s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, folks, it’s Rusty here. Let's have a look at the next couple of weeks for your slice of the coast, focusing on 81st Street. I'm not gonna lie to you, the forecast is pretty flat. We're in for a long stretch where there just isn't much to get excited about for a surfer.
The next week to ten days is basically a dead zone. We’re talking ankle-biters and knee-high slop at best. There’s just no energy in the water. You might see a tiny bump of 2ft early on the 22nd, but it’s short-period, junky swell and the wind is all over the place. There are some clean windows, like Sunday the 23rd with glassy conditions and a light offshore on Monday the 24th, but with waves only around 0.7ft to 1ft, it's barely a ripple. Paddling out with a foamie might be more fun than actually catching anything.
The first real flicker of hope arrives on the morning of Friday, August 28th. The swell bumps up to 3ft from the ESE, with a period of 9 seconds, and the energy jumps to a moderate 133. There’s a light cross-offshore wind making things clean, but it's still only a questionable wave. It's the best we've got, but it's ordinary. We'll call it a "maybe" for the most dedicated among you.
After that little pulse, it's back to the flat spell. We’re talking days and days of nothing. The swell stays small, the winds are mostly onshore or cross-shore, and the energy readings just drop into the teens and twenties. From early September, the swell direction wants to swing more to the SE and SSE, but the size just isn't there to go with it.
Honestly, the standout – and I use that term loosely – is that Friday the 28th morning. It’s not a day to call in sick for, and at 3ft with a 9-second period, it’s small enough for beginners to consider, but the quality isn't there. There are no big swells, no perfect winds, and no solid groundswell to get your heart racing.
Water temp is sitting at 80°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won't need a thick wetsuit.
So, there it is. A long, flat outlook. The whole 16-day window is a bust for real surfing. With the waves this small and the wind often messy, the setup at this beach looks like it might be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Keep the board in the car and the wax in the drawer for a while longer. Forecasts can change, though, so we'll keep an eye on it.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 29mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 28°C on Sun afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 23°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 4 | ESE 8 | E 13 | ESE 13 | E 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | E 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 4 | ESE 5 | E 6 | E 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 24 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 15 | 25 | 18 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | glassy | cross-off | off | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 4:05PM0.87m | 4:24AM0.70m | 5:04PM0.88m | 5:25AM0.73m | 5:58PM0.91m | 6:20AM0.77m | 6:46PM0.94m | 7:08AM0.82m | 7:28PM0.98m | 7:52AM0.87m | 8:08PM1.00m | 8:32AM0.93m | 8:46PM1.02m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 9:00AM0.23m | 10:23PM0.29m | 10:00AM0.25m | 11:20PM0.28m | 10:59AM0.24m | 00:10AM0.25m | 11:55AM0.22m | 00:54AM0.21m | 12:44PM0.20m | 1:33AM0.17m | 1:30PM0.16m | 2:09AM0.13m | 2:14PM0.14m | 2:43AM0.10m | |||||||
6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | |
— | 7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:39 | — | |
mm | — | — | 13 | 5 | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 |
Temp °C | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 31 | 28 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 25 |
Feels °C | 23 | 26 | 22 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 27 | 23 | 30 | 27 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 27 | 27 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | NE 4 | ENE 4 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | ESE 12 | E 12 | SSE 3 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 9 | E 14 | ESE 5 | ESE 9 | E 6 |
13 | 15 | 16 | 9 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 22 | 11 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 9 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 3 | E 7 | ESE 8 | NE 6 | E 8 | E 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | ESE 11 | SSE 4 | E 6 | — | E 6 | E 6 | E 6 | ESE 7 | E 12 | ESE 10 |
2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 15 | E 15 | E 7 | E 13 | NE 7 | E 13 | ESE 13 | E 8 | E 7 | NE 4 | NNE 3 | E 7 | E 7 | — | E 7 | E 16 | E 15 | — | ESE 10 | — | E 12 |
4 | 4 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | 9 | — | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NNE 4 | NE 4 | NE 5 | ESE 4 | S 3 | SSE 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | NNW 3 | — | WSW 2 | NNE 3 | NE 3 | SE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 3 | ESE 4 | — | E 6 | SSE 2 |
7 | 4 | 7 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 8 | — | 25 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1224 | 1597 | 190 | 254 | 14 | 304 | 152 | 152 | 159 | 164 | 407 | 345 | 152 | 152 | 530 | 937 | 1140 | 891 | 191 | 191 | 91 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the 81st Street Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for 81st Street provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at 81st Street can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our 81st Street surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (81st Street) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for 81st Street may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
81st Street is 4 km (2 miles) from the city of Pylos. If you plan a vacation in Virginia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Pylos. Pylos has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











