
Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 17 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, E swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 16 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 7s period, ENE swell with 140 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 17 Sep, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period with E 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 Thursday (Sep 17) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 8s period with a secondary swell of 0.2m and 13s. 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 1.1m 7s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Sep 16) at 2AM. 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 Saturday (Sep 19) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 17th Sep) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Wed 16th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
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.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon morning. Warm (max 28°C on Mon morning, min 21°C on Tue night). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the N on Mon afternoon, light winds from the E by Wed night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Fri afternoon, min 21°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | Saturday 19 | Sunday 20 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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 9 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | ESE 9 | E 12 | E 8 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SSE 5 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
20 | 48 | 42 | 65 | 38 | 140 | 66 | 80 | 50 | 61 | 60 | 53 | 34 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 10 | 23 | 11 | 30 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-off | off | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | on |
High Tide | 11:16AM1.08m | 11:31PM0.89m | 11:57AM1.04m | 00:12AM0.84m | 12:39PM0.99m | 00:55AM0.80m | 1:26PM0.94m | 1:44AM0.76m | 2:19PM0.91m | 2:41AM0.74m | 3:18PM0.89m | 3:44AM0.74m | 4:19PM0.90m | 4:48AM0.77m | |||||||
Low Tide | 5:18PM0.12m | 5:10AM0.11m | 6:03PM0.19m | 5:50AM0.17m | 6:50PM0.26m | 6:33AM0.22m | 7:42PM0.31m | 7:21AM0.27m | 8:39PM0.34m | 8:18AM0.31m | 9:39PM0.35m | 9:21AM0.32m | 10:37PM0.33m | ||||||||
6:43 | — | — | 6:45 | — | — | 6:46 | — | — | 6:47 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | 6:48 | — | — | |
— | 7:13 | — | — | 7:12 | — | — | 7:09 | — | — | 7:08 | — | — | 7:07 | — | — | 7:06 | — | — | 7:04 | — | |
mm | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 33 | 32 |
Feels °C | 30 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 25 | 28 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 34 | 31 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | SE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 8 | E 7 | E 8 | E 8 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 6 | E 8 | S 4 | ESE 11 | SSE 5 |
20 | 21 | 15 | 15 | 11 | 88 | 66 | 80 | 50 | 61 | 60 | 53 | 34 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 30 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | E 15 | E 15 | E 9 | E 14 | E 14 | E 14 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | E 12 | E 12 | ESE 12 | S 4 | E 12 | E 11 | ESE 11 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 |
— | — | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 14 | 2 | 11 | 2 | 23 | 6 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | E 15 | E 15 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | SE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | E 7 | — | E 7 | E 7 |
— | — | — | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 4 | — | 4 | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | N 4 | NNE 5 | NE 5 | ENE 6 | ENE 6 | ENE 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 2 | S 4 | WSW 3 | SSE 3 | S 4 | SW 3 | SSE 4 | WSW 3 |
12 | 48 | 42 | 65 | 38 | 140 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 152 | 310 | 280 | 1232 | 1140 | 1140 | 1140 | 1140 | 254 | 198 | 190 | 0 | 0 | 530 | 109 | 159 | 1148 | 735 | 91 | 91 | 453 |
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.










