Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 22 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 27 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period, ESE swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 27 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 8s period, ESE swell with 59 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 8PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 10s period with ESE 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 (Aug 27) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 10s period with a secondary swell of 0.5m and 4s. Another secondary swell of 0.2m and 5s is also forecast. 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 0.7m 8s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Aug 27) 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 0.8m 4s period and expected on Saturday (Aug 22) at 11PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 10s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Thu 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 10s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Thu 27th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let's talk about the surf over the next couple of weeks.
To be honest, it's a flat spell for 81st Street. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty grim, with nothing but tiny, weak waves and poor conditions. The first surfable wave doesn't even show up until the 1st of September, and even then it's a struggle.
The water temp is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, currently sitting at 80°F.
For the first ten days, from the 22nd of August right through to the 31st, we've got a whole lot of nothing. The swell is tiny, usually around 0.7ft to 1ft from the ESE, with periods all over the shop. The combined energy is pathetic, rarely breaking 30 (26, 27, 21... you get the picture). The biggest energy we see in this stretch is a measly 53, and that's still weak. The wind is generally a mess too – cross-shore, cross-onshore, and even some onshore junk. There are a few moments of glassy conditions on the 24th, 28th, and 29th mornings, but with zero swell, it's just a flat, glassy lake. Not worth paddling out for.
Finally, on the 1st of September, we get a pulse of very long-period groundswell from the ESE, 15 seconds, but it's only 0.7ft. The combined energy bumps up to 41, which is still weak. The wind is offshore from the SW at 12 mph, keeping it clean. But with that tiny size, it's a session for a longboard and a lot of patience. It's surfable, but very ordinary.
The 2nd of September sees a bit more size, up to 2ft, and the energy climbs to 86. But the wind goes cross-shore and then cross-onshore from the N, making it choppy and messy. The 4th and 5th of September size stays around 1ft to 2ft, but the wind is directly onshore from the ENE, making it a complete washout. The energy is still weak. The 6th of September is the same story – onshore wind and tiny waves.
Basically, there's no standout here. The only day that even comes close to being worth a look is the 1st of September morning, but only if you're a beginner on a foamie or a longboarder who doesn't mind paddling for a ripple. For anyone else, it's a write-off. The whole setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing, given the poor quality and onshore winds.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastModerate rain (total 11mm), heaviest on Sat afternoon. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 23°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 7mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 23°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | E 13 | ESE 13 | E 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | N 4 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 7 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
14 | 13 | 16 | 11 | 14 | 14 | 26 | 24 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 29 | 16 | 59 | 11 | 29 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 41 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | off | cross | glassy | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | off | glassy | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 5:04PM0.88m | 5:25AM0.73m | 5:58PM0.91m | 6:20AM0.77m | 6:46PM0.94m | 7:08AM0.82m | 7:28PM0.98m | 7:52AM0.87m | 8:08PM1.00m | 8:32AM0.93m | 8:46PM1.02m | 9:10AM0.98m | 9:23PM1.02m | |||||||
Low Tide | 11:20PM0.28m | 10:59AM0.24m | 00:10AM0.25m | 11:55AM0.22m | 00:54AM0.21m | 12:44PM0.20m | 1:33AM0.17m | 1:30PM0.16m | 2:09AM0.13m | 2:14PM0.14m | 2:43AM0.10m | 2:56PM0.12m | 3:17AM0.08m | |||||||
— | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | |
7:45 | — | — | 7:45 | — | — | 7:44 | — | — | 7:42 | — | — | 7:40 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | |
mm | 7 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | 6 |
Temp °C | 27 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 26 |
Feels °C | 29 | 28 | 26 | 31 | 30 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 23 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | ENE 6 | SSE 4 | SSE 6 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | ESE 12 | ESE 11 | SSE 6 | NE 3 | ESE 11 | SE 11 | ESE 9 | E 14 | ESE 7 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 7 |
7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 26 | 24 | 7 | 3 | 11 | 29 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 29 | 26 | 24 | 23 | 41 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | E 8 | E 8 | E 12 | ESE 12 | ESE 12 | — | ESE 3 | ESE 11 | ESE 11 | S 6 | E 6 | — | E 6 | ESE 10 | E 12 | E 4 | ENE 5 | ENE 5 | ESE 8 |
14 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 14 | 14 | — | 1 | 11 | 11 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 13 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | E 13 | ESE 13 | E 8 | SE 8 | SSE 7 | — | SSE 5 | E 7 | SSE 5 | — | E 15 | E 15 | NE 6 | E 13 | E 12 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | E 11 | — |
3 | 13 | 16 | 4 | 2 | 4 | — | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 4 | S 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | NNE 3 | SE 5 | — | N 4 | — | SSE 4 | — | SE 3 | ESE 8 | E 4 | E 4 | — | — | SE 6 | SW 3 |
2 | 24 | 3 | — | — | 1 | 4 | — | 9 | — | 2 | — | 3 | 59 | 9 | 9 | — | — | 8 | 1 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 14 | 14 | 164 | 186 | 91 | 152 | 279 | 91 | 164 | 164 | 304 | 190 | 760 | 152 | 14 | 174 | 4 | 91 | 216 | 0 |
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.











