81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here with a look at what’s coming down the line for 81st Street. I’ve got to be straight with you – this stretch isn’t exactly firing for the next couple of weeks. The water is sitting at a very warm 80°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick wetsuit.

The pattern for the next week is a tough one. We’ve got a long gap of poor conditions right from the start. From Monday the 14th all the way through to the morning of Thursday the 18th, it’s just no-go – messy winds, onshore junk, and tiny, weak energy. The swell energy is barely registering, with readings as low as 32 (weak energy) to 88 (weak energy). It’s a real flat spell.

Finally, on Friday the 18th, we get a tiny glimmer. Friday morning sees a light offshore breeze from the WSW, cleaning up some 2ft swell from the east with a period of 7 seconds. The energy is still weak at 46, and it’s only surfable, nothing to write home about. That clean window gets blown out by the afternoon. Saturday the 19th is another write-off with messy winds, and Sunday the 20th offers another clean, offshore morning with a 1ft, 11-second period groundswell from the ESE. But honestly, the energy is a pathetic 29 (weak energy), so it’s barely a ripple.

Monday the 21st sees a jump in size but with onshore winds ruining it. By Tuesday the 22nd, the swell really builds, with the afternoon showing 7ft from the east at 9 seconds, and energy jumping to a moderate 632. But with a strong cross-onshore wind at 25 mph, it’s going to be a complete washing machine. That setup looks far more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. The conditions stay poor through the 25th.

Now, if you’ve got some patience, Saturday the 26th is our standout. The morning brings a clean 5ft swell from the ENE (8 seconds) under a light offshore breeze from the SW, with moderate energy (204). Then Saturday afternoon? It goes glassy. Zero wind. The swell bumps to 5ft from the ENE (7 seconds), energy hits 279 (moderate). That’s the session to aim for. It’s a little on the bigger side for beginners, but for anyone with a bit of experience, that’s clean, fun waves. Keep in mind, this break can be inconsistent, and crowds are sometimes around, so you might have to share.

Sunday the 27th gets choppy again, and the following Monday and Tuesday (the 28th and 29th) are back to onshore junk or just very ordinary conditions. The 29th morning offers one last clean, small window with a 2ft east swell and a gentle offshore from the west, but it’s just a small, weak wave (46 energy).

So, the long and short of it: it’s a barren run for the first week, then a solid, clean window on Saturday the 26th afternoon. That’s your one true standout. Everything else is a maybe.

Rusty.

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