
Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 23 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 27 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 8s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 6s period, NE swell with 61 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 27 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 8s 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 (Jul 27) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 6s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 8s. 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 0.9m 6s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.1m 5s period and expected on Monday (Jul 27) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 2AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 6s |
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 cookin’ for us.
Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch ahead. The whole 16-day window is a bit of a flat spell. There’s no real swell to get excited about, and the wind is working against us most days. From the start, Thursday the 23rd of July right through to that Friday the 7th of August, it’s a long run of small, choppy, or just plain messy surf. You’ve got a few days in there with absolutely nothing worth paddling out for.
The first whispers of any real chance come on the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July. We get a tiny pulse of swell from the S at 2ft with a period of just 5 seconds – that’s weak, short-period stuff. The combined energy is a measly 27, so barely a ripple. But here’s the one tiny silver lining: the wind is light and offshore from the SW, so it’s clean. If you’re a beginner and you just want to sit on a longboard in the glass, it’s the only moment in the whole outlook that’s not completely blown out. That afternoon has a risk of thunderstorms, with a stronger offshore wind, but the swell drops to 1ft.
After that, it’s back to the same sad story. A little bump on the 29th of July with a 2ft SSE swell and a bit of a clean window from the NW, but it’s still tiny. The 30th and 31st are just small, cross-shore junk. Into August, the trend continues: nothing over 2ft, and the wind is either onshore or cross-shore, keeping things messy. The most promising wind comes on the 6th of August (Thursday afternoon) with a light offshore from the WSW, but the swell is barely 1ft with a combined energy of only 18. It’s clean, but it’s a lake.
Honestly, for the whole 16 days, there’s no standout. No day where you’d say, “That’s the one.” The surf is consistently poor, the energy is weak, and the breaks are inconsistent. At 81st Street, the water temp is about 80°, which is pretty normal for this time of year – nothing unusual there. But with the crowds being sometimes an issue even on small days, it’s just not worth the hassle.
This is one of those stretches where the forecast can change, so don’t write it off completely, but right now, you’re better off checking the wind forecast for a kite session than a paddle. The setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Fri night. Warm (max 24°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 13mm), heaviest on Tue night. Warm (max 32°C on Tue afternoon, min 22°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSW on Sun night, fresh winds from the SSE by Mon night). | |||||||||||||||||||
Thu 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 4 | ESE 7 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
15 | 17 | 34 | 31 | 28 | 33 | 39 | 24 | 61 | 29 | 23 | 22 | 31 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 25 | 37 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | on | on | on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-off | cross | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | cross-off | on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:48PM0.87m | 5:05AM0.67m | 5:42PM0.87m | 6:00AM0.68m | 6:32PM0.89m | 6:51AM0.71m | 7:18PM0.92m | 7:38AM0.75m | 8:00PM0.94m | 8:22AM0.78m | 8:39PM0.96m | 9:02AM0.82m | 9:16PM0.97m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:02PM0.20m | 10:38AM0.16m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:32AM0.16m | 00:44AM0.17m | 12:23PM0.15m | 1:28AM0.15m | 1:10PM0.13m | 2:08AM0.12m | 1:54PM0.12m | 2:46AM0.10m | 2:37PM0.11m | 3:20AM0.08m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | |
8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:15 | — | — | 8:14 | — | — | 8:13 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 10 | — | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 32 | 25 | 26 | 29 | 25 |
Feels °C | 21 | 21 | 22 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 23 | 22 | 26 | 23 | 27 | 25 | 25 | 30 | 33 | 25 | 27 | 32 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 7 | ENE 6 | ESE 8 | NE 6 | ENE 7 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ESE 7 | S 5 | ESE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 |
15 | 17 | 34 | 31 | 28 | 20 | 27 | 23 | 33 | 29 | 23 | 15 | 16 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 19 | 46 | 25 | 37 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | S 6 | — | — | — | — | ESE 7 | — | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ENE 7 | ESE 8 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | ENE 7 | NE 7 | E 9 |
7 | 6 | — | — | — | — | 21 | — | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 | 31 | 9 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ENE 7 | — | — | E 9 | E 9 | E 9 |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | 6 | 2 | 2 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 4 | ENE 5 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 | NE 6 | — | — | — | SE 4 | S 5 | WSW 3 | S 3 | S 4 | — | — | ENE 4 |
14 | 13 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 33 | 39 | 24 | 61 | — | — | — | 19 | 52 | 2 | 4 | 18 | — | — | 16 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 152 | 152 | 178 | 119 | 106 | 155 | 254 | 243 | 20 | 243 | 0 | 91 | 1155 | 205 | 175 | 164 | 126 | 91 | 91 | 0 |
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.










