Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 15 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Monday 17 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 5s period, SE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 18 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 11s period, SE swell with 61 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 17 Aug, 11AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 5s 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 (Aug 17) at 11AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 5s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 8s. 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 0.5m 11s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Aug 18) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be 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 Monday (Aug 17) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 5s |
| Best Surf | 11AM (Mon 17th Aug) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 5s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Tue 18th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 11s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next 16 days for 81st Street. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch is looking pretty bleak. The forecast is a long, drawn-out run of tiny, weak swell with almost no quality to speak of. Most of the time, the waves are barely there, and even when we get a bit of energy, the conditions are fighting us.
We’ve got a solid block of poor surf kicking off from Saturday the 15th through to the end of August. The first hint of anything even close to rideable isn’t until Monday the 17th, but even then, it’s just a tiny 2ft swell from the southeast, with a period of only 5-6 seconds. That’s short-period, weak stuff. The combined energy is only 42-51, so it’s barely a bump. The morning of the 17th has a clean offshore wind from the WSW, which is a positive, but the swell is so small it’s hardly worth paddling out for.
The rest of that week is a write-off. We’re stuck with knee-high slop, cross-shore winds, and periods that bounce around. The water temp is sitting at 80°F, which is about normal for the time of year, so at least you won’t freeze while you’re staring at a flat ocean.
There’s a bit of a pulse showing up around the 28th and 29th. The afternoon of Friday the 28th sees a 4ft swell from the east, with a period of 10 seconds and a combined energy of 282. That’s moderate energy, and it’s the biggest swell in the window. But the wind is a cross-onshore from the ESE, making it choppy. The following morning, Saturday the 29th, the swell holds at 4ft from the east, with a period of 7 seconds, and the energy is still decent at 173. The wind is a light cross-shore, which is better, but the short period means the waves will be a bit crumbly and less powerful.
The best chance for a decent surf comes on Sunday the 30th. The morning brings a clean 3ft swell from the east with a moderate offshore wind from the WSW. That’s clean, lined-up waves. The energy is 114. It’s not a massive day, but for this stretch, it’s the standout. It’s a small, clean wave for the early session. The afternoon also looks clean with a 3ft swell, but it’s dropping.
Honestly, 81st Street is an inconsistent spot, and this forecast is a perfect example of why. We’ve got a long gap of 12 days of nothing, then a tiny window of ordinary surf. For a beginner, the swell never gets above 5ft, so it remains safe, but the quality is so poor it’s hard to recommend. This setup is more interesting for a longboard or a stand-up paddle than a performance shortboard. The crowds are only “sometimes,” so you won’t be fighting for the few mushburgers that roll through.
If you’re desperate, aim for the morning of Sunday the 30th. It’s the cleanest, most promising session in the whole 16 days, but keep your expectations in check. Otherwise, it’s a long wait for nothing.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 32°C on Mon afternoon, min 23°C on Mon morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SSE on Sun night, light winds from the ESE by Mon afternoon). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 3mm), mostly falling on Thu night. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 25°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 15 | Sunday 16 | Monday 17 | Tuesday 18 | Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 5 | SE 4 | SE 8 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | SE 5 | NNE 4 | NE 6 | ENE 6 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 30 | 34 | 34 | 26 | 61 | 42 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 12 | 25 | 24 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | cross | cross | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 11:22PM0.96m | 11:50AM1.02m | 00:06AM0.89m | 12:35PM0.99m | 00:49AM0.82m | 1:22PM0.95m | 1:36AM0.77m | 2:11PM0.92m | 2:26AM0.73m | 3:06PM0.89m | 3:23AM0.70m | 4:05PM0.87m | 4:24AM0.70m | |||||||
Low Tide | 4:58PM0.00m | 5:11AM-0.01m | 5:47PM0.06m | 5:51AM0.04m | 6:36PM0.12m | 6:32AM0.09m | 7:28PM0.19m | 7:16AM0.15m | 8:23PM0.24m | 8:05AM0.20m | 9:22PM0.28m | 9:00AM0.23m | 10:23PM0.29m | |||||||
— | — | 6:20 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | |
7:54 | — | — | 7:53 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:52 | — | — | 7:50 | — | — | 7:49 | — | — | 7:47 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | — | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 26 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 32 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 29 | 33 | 33 |
Feels °C | 27 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 24 | 28 | 34 | 32 | 30 | 32 | 31 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 35 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | E 4 | ESE 5 | SE 5 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 6 | SE 11 | ESE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | ESE 8 | SE 4 | ESE 8 | SE 5 | SE 5 | SE 5 | ENE 6 |
3 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 30 | 34 | 34 | 26 | 61 | 42 | 23 | 20 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 19 | 8 | 4 | 24 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 6 | S 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | E 8 | ESE 7 | E 14 | SE 12 | SSE 6 | — | — | — | E 7 | ESE 8 | E 6 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 9 | ESE 9 |
3 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 7 | — | — | — | 4 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | E 7 | S 6 | — | — | ESE 7 | — | — | SE 12 | ESE 11 | — | — | — | — | E 6 | — | E 16 | E 6 | E 15 | SSE 5 |
— | 1 | 2 | — | — | 11 | — | — | 6 | 24 | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ENE 4 | E 5 | E 5 | SE 4 | SSE 4 | WSW 3 | — | — | N 3 | N 3 | — | — | — | SSE 3 | SSE 4 | SSE 4 | — | NNE 4 | NE 6 | — |
15 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 38 | 2 | — | — | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 5 | 12 | — | 12 | 25 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 2903 | 1142 | 937 | 937 | 310 | 0 | 91 | 126 | 190 | 119 | 126 | 126 | 1148 | 402 | 159 | 558 | 152 | 198 | 14 | 14 |
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.











