81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again. Looking at the next 16 days for 81st Street (United States), it’s gonna be a slow one. The water is sitting at a warm 81°, which is way warmer than normal for the season, so at least you won’t be cold waiting for a wave.

The first week is pretty much a bust. From Thursday the 3rd through Monday the 7th, the swell is tiny and the wind is trash—onshore or cross-shore making it choppy. The combined swell energy is weak, barely hitting triple digits (as low as 10 to 39 in the early days). Not worth your time.

We do get a small window on Tuesday the 8th. That morning, it’s glassy with a light breeze, and we’ve got a 0.5 ft swell from the ENE with a 10-second period. The energy is weak at 68, but it’s clean. It’s tiny and this break is inconsistent, so don’t expect much, but if you’re jonesing, that’s the best the first week offers. Crowds are only sometimes there, so you might score it alone.

From Wednesday the 9th through Saturday the 12th, it’s back to tiny, messy surf with onshore winds and weak energy.

Now, the only real standout is Sunday the 13th of September. That morning we get a 4 ft swell from the E with cross-off wind. The combined energy hits 131—moderate and the biggest of the run. By the afternoon, it builds to 5 ft from the E with light cross-off wind, and energy climbs to 189. The waves are still “ordinary,” but it’s the most size we’ll see. At 5 ft, it’s getting solid for this spot—not for beginners. The short period (7 seconds) won’t give perfect shape, but the clean conditions make it the pick of a quiet 16 days.

Monday the 14th morning has a 3 ft swell with offshore wind, but energy drops back to 65. Tuesday the 15th morning goes glassy with a 2 ft swell.

So, bottom line: this is a flat spell with a couple of tiny clean windows and one OK day on the 13th. If you’re an experienced surfer who can work a short-period groundswell, that Sunday morning is your best bet. The rest of us are stuck waiting.

Rusty.

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