81st Street Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.91° N 75.99° W

81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 7 pm 11 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's 81st Street sea temperature is
26.7°C
2.7° 

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 12 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, E swell with 157 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 9s period with SE 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 (Sep 14) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m 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 1.1m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Friday (Sep 18) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Mon 14th Sep)1.5ft (0.5m) 9s
Best Surf 2AM (Mon 14th Sep)1.5ft (0.5m) 9s
Most Powerful 8AM (Wed 16th Sep)3.5ft (1.1m) 8s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. The next couple of weeks are looking pretty grim for a proper paddle. But that doesn't mean we sit on the couch. Let’s break it down day by day.

We start off with some tiny, weak surf. Friday the 11th has a mere 1ft of swell with a short 8-second period. The onshore NE wind will have it looking all over the place. Not worth suiting up. Saturday and Sunday are similar, with waves around 1ft. There’s a moment Sunday afternoon where it goes glassy with the ENE breeze dying off, but the surf is just too small to get excited about. You’d be fighting for dribbles. The water temp is a notable 80°F, which is 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a big deal, so at least you won’t need a thick suit while you’re sitting there waiting for nothing.

The first week is a write-off for the most part. We see some slightly bigger surf around Monday the 15th (3ft) but it’s all short-period, onshore wind slop. The energy is weak, with combined energy values in the 80s and 90s. That’s not surf, that’s just chop. The wind is howling from the NE and it’s just messy. This carries on through the middle of the week.

Then, we get a tiny window. On the morning of Thursday the 18th, we finally see some offshore wind from the WSW at 6 mph. The swell is still tiny at 1ft with an 11-second period from the ENE, but it will be clean. It’s a small, clean day – skateboard waves. You might get a couple of fun little corners if you’re on a log. Not a standout, but the best it gets for a while.

After that, the bottom falls out again. The end of the week and the weekend see the swell drop back to 0.7ft. That’s it. Just flat.

Now, looking further out, there is a pulse of energy coming. It’s not going to save us from the wind, but the ocean will definitely have some push. Starting Sunday the 20th, we see the swell build to 4ft, but with a terrible 5-second period and onshore winds. The combined energy climbs into the low hundreds, but with that short period and wind, it’s just going to be a mess.

By Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd, the swell is up to 4ft and 5ft, but the wind really turns on. We’re talking 28 to 34 mph onshore winds. This is not surfing weather, this is survival. The energy values climb into the upper hundreds, hitting 297 on Tuesday afternoon, which seems strong, but all that energy is being blown flat by the near gale-force conditions. This is more interesting for the kite surfers than for us.

The worst of it hits on Wednesday the 23rd. The swell jumps to 5ft, and the combined energy spikes to a massive 752. That’s a significant amount of energy in the water. But the wind is still screaming onshore from the ENE at 31 mph. This is going to be a full-on, blown-out, stormy mess. For beginners, this is a no-go zone. For experts, it’s just a battle. The swell direction is from the east, which is not ideal for our optimum south-east direction.

The final few days into the 26th see the swell back down to 3ft, but the wind and rain are relentless. It’s just a miserable end to the outlook.

So, the long and short of it is: there are no standouts here. Absolutely nothing that gets the heart racing. The one slight highlight is the clean, tiny window on Thursday morning the 18th. It’s a two-out-of-ten day for sure, but if you just need to get wet, that’s your window. The good news is the water is warm, and with a forecast like this, it can’t stay poor forever. But as it stands, wave-wise, it’s a long flat spell for New York City (81st Street).

Stay patient,
Rusty

Short Range Forecast

Moderate rain (total 16mm), heaviest on Sat night. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 23°C on Sun morning). Winds increasing (calm on Sun afternoon, fresh winds from the N by Mon morning).

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 24°C on Mon night, min 21°C on Mon night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
12
Sunday
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
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
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
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
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.8
E
5
0.4
SE
10
0.4
SE
10
0.4
SE
9
0.5
SE
9
0.4
SE
9
0.9
NE
5
1.1
NE
5
0.9
ENE
6
1.2
ENE
6
1
E
8
1
E
8
1
E
8
0.9
E
8
0.8
E
8
0.8
E
8
0.6
E
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
20
31
28
23
24
23
41
28
37
55
57
81
115
131
137
111
88
86
46
Wind (km/h)
15
ENE
20
ESE
25
SE
15
SSW
20
WSW
5
S
10
SW
35
N
30
N
25
NNE
25
NE
25
ENE
15
ENE
20
ENE
20
ENE
15
ENE
10
NE
15
ESE
15
SW
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross
cross-off
off
glassy
off
cross-on
cross
cross-on
on
on
on
on
on
on
on
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
9:30PM1.04m
9:54AM1.11m
10:11PM1.00m
10:35AM1.10m
10:52PM0.95m
11:16AM1.08m
11:31PM0.89m
11:57AM1.04m
00:12AM0.84m
12:39PM0.99m
00:55AM0.80m
1:26PM0.94m
1:44AM0.76m
Low Tide
3:17AM-0.00m
3:49PM0.03m
3:55AM0.02m
4:34PM0.07m
4:33AM0.06m
5:18PM0.12m
5:10AM0.11m
6:03PM0.19m
5:50AM0.17m
6:50PM0.26m
6:33AM0.22m
7:42PM0.31m
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
clear
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
thunderstorm
thunderstorm
rain showers
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:43
6:43
6:43
6:45
6:46
6:47
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:17
7:15
7:15
7:13
7:12
7:09
7:08
 mm
1
2
4
2
2
2
2
1
Temp °C
25
26
28
27
25
29
28
26
24
24
23
23
21
21
21
21
23
23
24
Feels °C
27
27
28
28
26
32
31
28
19
20
19
20
19
20
20
20
25
25
27
  • Map Icons:
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  • 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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