81st Street Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.91° N 75.99° W

81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 pm 26 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's 81st Street sea temperature is
26.5°C
1.3° 

81st Street surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


81st Street surf forecast from 26 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s period, ESE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 2 Sep, 5PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 11s period, ESE swell with 75 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 28 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 9s 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 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.

The most powerful waves expected at 81st Street in the next 16 days are 0.6m 11s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.9m 6s period and expected on Friday (Aug 28) at 2AM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 5AM (Fri 28th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 9s
Best Surf 5AM (Fri 28th Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 9s
Most Powerful 5PM (Wed 2nd Sep)2ft (0.6m) 11s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.


The Lowdown

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and frustrating around here. 81st Street is the only break in the game, and honestly, it’s a tough watch. The swell is tiny, the wind is often on it, and the consistency is a real issue – this spot is inconsistent at the best of times, and this isn’t the best of times.

We’re starting off with nothing. From Wednesday the 26th of August all the way through to the end of the month, the surf is just poor. Tiny waves, mostly weak cross-onshore winds, and the combined energy is barely registering – you’re looking at values like 23 and 65, which is basically nothing. There’s a moment on Sunday the 30th of August morning where it goes glassy, but the swell is only 1 ft. It’s a tease, not a session.

The first little flicker of hope pops up on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning shows a 1 ft swell from the ESE with an 11-second period, which gives it a bit more push. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the W, and the combined energy climbs to 58. It’s still tiny, but it’s surfable. The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

That little window closes fast, and we’re back to poor conditions for days. The real standout, the only time this whole forecast gets interesting, is on Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning is glassy – a perfect 3 mph wind from the E, zero chop. The swell bumps up to 3 ft from the E, with a clean 11-second period. The combined energy jumps to 156 (moderate wave energy). It’s not huge, but for 81st Street, that’s the best we’re going to see. The wind is offshore and glassy, making it clean. The only downside is the swell direction is from the E, while the optimum is ESE, so it’s a little off-angle. But for a tiny, inconsistent spot, a clean, glassy 3 ft is a proper little window. It’s a beginner-friendly size, so it’s a good chance for the learners.

After that, the wind messes things up again. The afternoon of the 8th gets choppy, and the rest of the week into the 10th stays small and messy. The energy is moderate (247 and 180) but the winds are cross or cross-on, ruining the surface.

So, to cut it short: for the next 16 days, the only real standout is the morning of Tuesday the 8th of September. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the day off work yet, but it’s the one window where everything lines up. Everything else is a write-off.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Heavy rain (total 27mm), heaviest during Fri afternoon. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Fri afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Thu afternoon, calm by Fri afternoon).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Some drizzle, heaviest during Sat afternoon. Warm (max 33°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
26
Thursday
27
Friday
28
Saturday
29
Sunday
30
Monday
31
Tuesday
1
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
ESE
8
0.3
ESE
9
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
9
0.8
SSE
5
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.7
SE
5
0.3
ESE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.4
SE
8
0.5
SE
8
0.3
ESE
8
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.2
ESE
12
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
24
17
24
28
34
23
22
27
13
12
12
17
32
11
13
12
12
11
11
14
Wind (km/h)
25
SE
20
S
10
SSE
30
SSE
15
SSW
15
WNW
15
SSE
10
SW
5
NE
10
ESE
10
SSE
5
SSW
20
SE
15
SSW
15
WSW
15
SE
20
SW
15
WNW
15
SSE
15
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
on
cross-on
cross
glassy
cross
cross-off
off
cross-on
cross-off
cross-off
cross
off
High Tide
8:08PM1.00m
8:32AM0.93m
8:46PM1.02m
9:10AM0.98m
9:23PM1.02m
9:47AM1.02m
10:01PM1.01m
10:26AM1.05m
10:40PM0.98m
11:06AM1.07m
11:22PM0.94m
11:50AM1.08m
00:08AM0.89m
Low Tide
2:09AM0.13m
2:14PM0.14m
2:43AM0.10m
2:56PM0.12m
3:17AM0.08m
3:38PM0.11m
3:51AM0.06m
4:21PM0.11m
4:27AM0.06m
5:06PM0.12m
5:06AM0.07m
5:55PM0.15m
clear
rain showers
thunderstorm
part cloud
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
light rain
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:30
6:31
6:31
6:31
6:33
6:33
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:40
7:39
7:37
7:37
7:35
7:34
7:32
 mm
2
1
3
3
14
2
2
1
Temp °C
26
26
27
28
27
25
23
25
25
26
26
25
28
28
29
33
32
30
35
34
Feels °C
24
25
28
27
27
26
27
27
29
28
28
28
31
30
31
35
32
30
35
34
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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.

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