81st Street Surf Break

Lat Long: 36.91° N 75.99° W

81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 1 am 08 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's 81st Street sea temperature is
26.6° C
0.9° 

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 8 Aug 2026:

  • Most powerful swell: Saturday 8 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 8s period, SE swell with 32 kJ wave energy.

Best Forecast Surf Conditions for 81st Street this week:

The most powerful waves expected at 81st Street in the next 16 days are 0.5m 8s and forecast to arrive on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 5s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 08) at 11PM.

Wave TypeTime (EDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)--
Best Surf--
Most Powerful11AM (Sat 8th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 8s

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


The Lowdown

Gutted, folks. I’ve been staring at the charts for the next couple of weeks, and honestly, it’s a pretty bleak stretch for 81st Street. It’s one of those times where you might be better off dusting off the longboard or doing some maintenance on the quiver, because the surf is going to be tiny and the wind ain’t doing us any favors for a while.

The first week and a half is a total write-off. From Saturday the 8th right through to the 18th, we’re looking at nothing but knee-to-waist high dribble, with heights mostly stuck between 0.7ft and 2ft. The energy is weak, with combined swell energy readings in the single digits and teens for most of that time, barely cracking 30-40 on the odd afternoon. The swell direction is all over the place, mostly from the SE to SSE with periods anywhere from 5 to 8 seconds, which is just short-period wind chop, not real surf. A couple of mornings, like the 11th and 12th, will be glassy with light winds, but there’s just nothing to push in. You’d be paddling for foam.

We do start to see a bit more energy in the water around the middle of the second week, but the quality is still poor. The 19th and 20th see a bump in size, with the swell building to 3ft and then 5ft-6ft by Thursday afternoon. The energy jumps up to 153 and then 407, which is a sign of more push, but the period drops right off to 5-7 seconds. That’s just stormy, crumbly junk. With cross-shore winds in the moderate range, it’s going to be a mess. At 6ft, it’s also starting to get a bit much for the beginners, and with that short period, it’ll be a walled-up closeout for everyone else. Honestly, with that onshore energy, it might be a better week for the kite surfers than us paddle surfers.

There’s one little window that teases us, and it’s the only thing keeping this from being a total blank. On Friday the 21st, the swell drops back to a more manageable 4ft-5ft, and the period stretches out to 9 seconds. The energy is still moderate at 276-327, and while the winds are light, they’re cross and cross-on, which will put a bit of texture on the face. It’s still not what I’d call a standout, but it’s the best of a bad bunch. The wave comment says it’s “marginal,” and I’d agree. It’s surfable, but you’ll be working for it.

After that, it fades back to nothing. The 22nd and 23rd drop back down to 2ft-2ft with weak energy and the wind swings around onshore, which kills it completely.

So, here’s the deal. The water temp is 80° which is about normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a hood. But the surf… it’s just not there. The entire 16-day window is a poor outlook, with only that Friday the 21st offering anything remotely rideable, and even that is marginal. It’s a dry spell, and with a spot that’s as inconsistent as this one, it’s not unusual. Forecasts can change, and we’re not that far out from that Friday bump, so I’d keep an eye on it, but don’t book your day off work just yet.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Light rain (total 2mm), mostly falling on Mon afternoon. Warm (max 33°C on Sat afternoon, min 25°C on Sat morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Light rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed night. Warm (max 32°C on Tue night, min 24°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Saturday
8
Sunday
9
Monday
10
Tuesday
11
Wednesday
12
Thursday
13
Friday
14
AM
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
0
0
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)
0.5
SE
8
0.4
ESE
8
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.4
SE
7
0.2
ESE
7
0.5
SSE
6
0.4
SE
6
0.5
S
4
0.4
SSE
6
0.4
SSE
6
0.1
SE
8
0.3
SSE
5
0.3
SSE
6
0.2
ESE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.3
SE
8
0.2
ESE
8
0.4
SSE
5
0.3
SE
7
0.4
SE
8
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
32
24
14
13
12
4
22
9
10
10
13
3
5
6
6
6
9
6
8
8
14
Wind (km/h)
20
SW
20
SW
20
SW
15
WSW
15
SE
20
SW
15
SW
5
SSE
20
WSW
5
SSW
15
SE
15
SE
15
NW
5
W
15
WSW
10
NNW
20
SE
20
SSW
20
W
10
NE
10
N
Wind State
off
cross-off
cross-off
off
cross
off
off
cross
off
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
cross-off
glassy
off
cross
cross
cross-off
cross-off
on
cross
High Tide
5:14PM1.01m
5:43AM0.77m
6:21PM1.05m
6:48AM0.82m
7:21PM1.08m
7:47AM0.89m
8:16PM1.09m
8:41AM0.95m
9:06PM1.09m
9:32AM1.00m
9:53PM1.06m
10:20AM1.03m
10:38PM1.01m
Low Tide
10:11AM0.08m
11:35PM0.12m
11:21AM0.05m
00:36AM0.06m
12:27PM0.01m
1:30AM0.01m
1:28PM-0.03m
2:19AM-0.04m
2:24PM-0.05m
3:05AM-0.06m
3:17PM-0.06m
3:48AM-0.07m
4:08PM-0.04m
4:30AM-0.05m
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
rain showers
thunderstorm
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
thunderstorm
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
part cloud
thunderstorm
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:13
6:15
6:16
6:16
6:18
6:18
6:18
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:02
8:01
8:00
8:00
7:59
7:58
7:57
 mm
1
1
6
7
Temp °C
28
33
31
28
32
31
25
30
29
27
31
32
28
32
27
26
28
27
30
32
29
Feels °C
29
33
31
29
33
32
26
33
31
31
33
34
30
35
29
29
31
27
30
34
32
  • 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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