81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab a coffee and settle in. I’m looking at the next 16 days for our region, and I’ve got to be straight with you – it’s a bleak stretch for anyone hoping to get wet. The first week is basically a write-off, and while the second week tries to get its act together, it’s nothing to get excited about.

Let’s start with the only spot on the menu, 81st Street. A beginner-friendly beach break that’s inconsistent and doesn’t offer much in the way of swell. Right from the get-go, Wednesday morning the 19th, we’re looking at a tiny 1 ft swell from the SE with a pathetic 10-second period, and a cross-shore wind to boot. The combined energy is a measly 24 (weak), and the water temp is a warm 79°, which is about normal for this time of year. It’s just poor surf conditions.

We grind through the rest of the week with nothing but tiny, poor-quality waves. Thursday and Friday are just as flat, with swell heights dropping to 1.0 ft and winds doing us no favors. Saturday the 22nd afternoon gives us a moment of glassy conditions, but the swell is still just 1.0 ft and 8 seconds – it’s flat, mate.

Sunday the 23rd morning is the first time we see a flicker of life. The swell bumps up to 2 ft from the SSE, with a short 6-second period, and we get a clean offshore wind from the SW. The combined energy is still weak at 43, but it’s surfable in a very ordinary "you’ll be disappointed" kind of way. That’s about as good as it gets for the first full week.

After that, we hit a wall of poor conditions again. Monday through to the following Sunday the 30th is a mix of flatness, onshore winds, and chop. There’s a hint of a longer period swell on the 24th afternoon with a 12-second period, but it’s only 1.0 ft and onshore – a total tease.

The second week starts to show a little more promise, but it’s still a marginal affair. Thursday morning the 27th sees a 2 ft SSE swell with an 8-second period, and clean offshore winds from the WSW. The combined energy creeps up to 59 (still weak), but it’s once again just surfable, not good. Friday morning the 28th is similar, with a 2 ft SE swell, an 8-second period, and clean cross-offshore winds. Energy hits 77 (still weak). You’ll get wet, but don’t expect any barrels.

We then get a real gap from the 29th of August through to the 1st of September. Monday the 31st shows clean conditions with a 2 ft SSE swell, but the energy is still weak. Tuesday the 1st of September is the real standout of the entire period, and it’s not saying much. The morning brings a 1.0 ft swell from the ESE, but it’s a 13-second period groundswell, and we get a strong 19 mph offshore wind from the SW. The combined energy is 85, the highest we’ve seen, but it’s still weak. That long period means the waves will be lined up and clean, but it’s tiny. Best for a longboard or a foil.

After that, Wednesday the 2nd sees a 2 ft ESE swell with an 11-second period, but the energy finally hits moderate at 102. The wind is a cross-onshore though, so it’ll be a bit lumpy. Thursday the 3rd is the biggest swell of the whole run, with a 2 ft E swell and a 10-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 155 (moderate). But the wind is a strong cross-onshore, making it choppy and messy.

So, the honest truth: there’s no truly good surf in this 16-day window. The only day that stands out is Tuesday the 1st of September for the clean, offshore conditions and that long-period groundswell, but it’s tiny. If you’re absolutely desperate, you could grab a longboard or a foil on the morning of the 27th, 28th, or 1st, but you’ll be scratching for anything rideable. The rest of the time, it’s a flat, blown-out mess. For the area, this kind of blank run isn’t unusual, but it’s still a bummer.

Stay hopeful, the forecasts can always change. Rusty.

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