Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 20 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 24 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 12s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 25 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 11s period, SE swell with 56 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 24 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 1ft (0.3m), 12s 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 Monday (Aug 24) at 2PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 12s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s 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 0.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 25) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 12s |
| Best Surf | 2PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 1ft (0.3m) 12s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Tue 25th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.
81st Street is the only show in town, and to be honest, it’s a pretty quiet one. The swell energy is weak for the entire run, with combined energy values mostly sitting between 13 and 50, which is barely a pulse. The wind is a mixed bag, but there are a few moments where the stars might align for a slow, clean session.
Things start off flat and messy. Thursday the 20th of August has a tiny 1ft ESE swell but the morning is cross-off and clean, so if you’re desperate for a paddle and a knee-high wave, you could take the longboard. The rest of that week stays small, with nothing breaking 2ft and a lot of cross and onshore winds making it choppy.
Saturday the 22nd of August looks like the best of the first week. The morning has a light offshore wind from the WSW, clean conditions, and a tiny 1ft ESE swell. It’s small, but it’s clean. Sunday the 23rd of August morning also has a clean offshore wind from the SW with a 1ft SSE swell – still tiny, but ridable for a beginner on a foamie.
Tuesday the 29th of August is the first real standout. The morning is glassy, dead calm, with a 1ft SE swell and a period of 10 seconds. The combined energy is 46, and the conditions are described as “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” For this spot, that’s about as good as it gets. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, nothing unusual.
Then there’s a gap of poor conditions until Tuesday the 1st of September. That morning, the swell jumps to 2ft from the SE with a 10-second period, and the combined energy hits 116 – moderate energy. The wind is light offshore from the SW, the conditions are clean. For 81st Street, this is the best of the whole outlook. It’s still small, but it’s the most energy and the cleanest wind we’ll see.
After that, Wednesday the 2nd and Thursday the 3rd of September see a bump in swell size to 4ft and 4ft, but the wind is a fresh onshore and cross-onshore from the NE, making it lumpy and messy. The energy is moderate (108 to 159) but the quality is poor.
The standout here is the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September. That’s the one to circle on the calendar. The swell is small but clean, with a light offshore wind and moderate energy. For a beginner-friendly spot like 81st Street, that’s as good as it gets in this 16-day window.
Crowds are possible here, as the break is listed as “sometimes” crowded.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 28mm), heaviest during Fri night. Warm (max 30°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Sat night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Thu afternoon, light winds from the ENE by Fri night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 30°C on Sun afternoon, min 22°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | E 13 | E 13 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 4 | SSE 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
13 | 25 | 7 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 24 | 14 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 15 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross | off | cross | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-off | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | glassy | cross | glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | on | cross-on |
High Tide | 3:06PM0.89m | 3:23AM0.70m | 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 | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:05AM0.20m | 9:22PM0.28m | 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 | |||||||
6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | |
mm | — | — | 2 | — | — | 15 | 4 | 1 | 6 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 30 | 29 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 30 | 29 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 31 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 27 | 30 | 31 | 21 | 26 | 23 | 30 | 28 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 4 | ESE 9 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | SE 5 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | NE 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
13 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 17 | 24 | 12 | 26 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 6 | ESE 8 | SSE 4 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | NE 5 | E 8 | E 8 | E 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | SSE 5 | SSE 6 | E 7 | E 7 | NE 5 | NE 5 | E 15 | E 14 |
— | — | 1 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 16 | E 15 | E 15 | NNE 3 | NE 5 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | S 7 | NNE 3 | — | E 7 | E 7 | E 16 | NE 5 | E 8 |
— | — | 5 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | SSE 4 | S 4 | NNW 2 | NE 3 | SE 4 | W 3 | SSE 4 | — | — | — | W 2 | N 4 | N 3 | — | ESE 5 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 4 | SSE 5 |
— | 25 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 7 | — | — | — | 1 | 9 | 4 | — | 5 | 10 | 21 | 8 | 18 | 15 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 393 | 458 | 793 | 175 | 1224 | 191 | 384 | 91 | 14 | 470 | 4 | 365 | 91 | 190 | 164 | 255 | 164 | 793 | 345 | 530 | 1140 |
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.











