81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s get into it.

Right off the bat, I’ve gotta be straight with you: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and frustrating around here. 81st Street is the only break in the game, and honestly, it’s a tough watch. The swell is tiny, the wind is often on it, and the consistency is a real issue – this spot is inconsistent at the best of times, and this isn’t the best of times.

We’re starting off with nothing. From Wednesday the 26th of August all the way through to the end of the month, the surf is just poor. Tiny waves, mostly weak cross-onshore winds, and the combined energy is barely registering – you’re looking at values like 23 and 65, which is basically nothing. There’s a moment on Sunday the 30th of August morning where it goes glassy, but the swell is only 1 ft. It’s a tease, not a session.

The first little flicker of hope pops up on Wednesday the 2nd of September. The morning shows a 1 ft swell from the ESE with an 11-second period, which gives it a bit more push. The wind is a clean cross-offshore from the W, and the combined energy climbs to 58. It’s still tiny, but it’s surfable. The water temperature is sitting at 80°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

That little window closes fast, and we’re back to poor conditions for days. The real standout, the only time this whole forecast gets interesting, is on Tuesday the 8th of September. The morning is glassy – a perfect 3 mph wind from the E, zero chop. The swell bumps up to 3 ft from the E, with a clean 11-second period. The combined energy jumps to 156 (moderate wave energy). It’s not huge, but for 81st Street, that’s the best we’re going to see. The wind is offshore and glassy, making it clean. The only downside is the swell direction is from the E, while the optimum is ESE, so it’s a little off-angle. But for a tiny, inconsistent spot, a clean, glassy 3 ft is a proper little window. It’s a beginner-friendly size, so it’s a good chance for the learners.

After that, the wind messes things up again. The afternoon of the 8th gets choppy, and the rest of the week into the 10th stays small and messy. The energy is moderate (247 and 180) but the winds are cross or cross-on, ruining the surface.

So, to cut it short: for the next 16 days, the only real standout is the morning of Tuesday the 8th of September. It’s a long way out, so don’t book the day off work yet, but it’s the one window where everything lines up. Everything else is a write-off.

Rusty.

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