
Surf Forecasts:
81st Street surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, S swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 22 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5.5ft (1.7m), 8s period, S swell with 383 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 8AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 7s period with SSE 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 8AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.8m and 7s period with a secondary swell of 0.1m and 13s. 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 1.7m 8s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be offshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.7m 5s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8AM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 7s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 5.5ft (1.7m) 8s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for 81st Street over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's get real about what's coming up.
First off, the outlook is grim. We're looking at a long dry spell. The only spot that's even showing a pulse is 81st Street, but it's a tough one. That break is inconsistent, so it's a bit of a gamble, and it's a beginner wave, so it's not going to handle any real size. The water temp is sitting at 80°, which is pretty much bang on average for this time of year, so no nasty surprises there.
We've got a few days of nothing. Look, from Sunday the 19th all the way through to Tuesday the 22nd, it's just poor. Tiny, weak swell, with combined energy readings in the low double digits (like 54, 29, 24) – that's just not enough to get excited about. The wind is mostly cross-on or cross-off, keeping things messy.
Now, there's a tiny window on Wednesday morning, the 22nd. The swell bumps up a bit to 4 ft from the SSE, and the period is a weak 8 seconds. The combined energy finally cracks triple digits at 165 (moderate). But the real kicker is the wind: it's a solid 19 mph offshore from the WSW. That's a fresh offshore breeze, which will clean the waves up. The problem is that 4 ft is getting close to the limit for a beginner spot, and it's still a weak, short-period swell. It's the best on offer, but that's a low bar. The afternoon of the 22nd drops off again.
After that, it's a long, painful slog. From Thursday the 23rd right through to Monday the 3rd of August, it's all poor surf conditions. You're looking at tiny swells, often under 2 ft, with combined energy values stuck in the teens and twenties. Most days have cross-onshore winds, creating choppy, lumpy junk. There's a brief moment of glassy conditions on Saturday the 25th and Thursday the 30th, but the swell is so small and weak, you'd be lucky to get a ride. The energy on the 30th is only 19, so it's barely a ripple.
Honestly, for a break that's already inconsistent, this 16-day window is a total bust. The forecast is reliable for the near term, and it's all bad news. There's no standout. If you're a kite surfer, the strong offshore winds on Wednesday the 22nd might look interesting, but for a paddle surfer? Leave the board at home.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastHeavy rain (total 37mm), heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 31°C on Tue afternoon, min 23°C on Sun night). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Sun night, fresh winds from the SW by Tue night). | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 6mm), mostly falling on Wed afternoon. Warm (max 31°C on Wed afternoon, min 22°C on Thu morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the SW on Wed morning, light winds from the ENE by Fri night). | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | 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) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 4 | E 4 | E 10 | E 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | E 7 | ESE 7 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
50 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 165 | 95 | 220 | 48 | 37 | 33 | 27 | 42 | 50 | 43 | 52 | 42 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | off | cross-off | cross-off | off | off | off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | glassy | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:13PM0.93m | 1:28AM0.81m | 2:04PM0.91m | 2:19AM0.75m | 2:57PM0.89m | 3:12AM0.70m | 3:52PM0.87m | 4:08AM0.67m | 4:48PM0.87m | 5:05AM0.67m | 5:42PM0.87m | 6:00AM0.68m | 6:32PM0.89m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 7:09PM0.06m | 7:17AM0.02m | 8:06PM0.12m | 8:03AM0.08m | 9:05PM0.16m | 8:52AM0.12m | 10:04PM0.19m | 9:44AM0.15m | 11:02PM0.20m | 10:38AM0.16m | 11:55PM0.19m | 11:32AM0.16m | 00:44AM0.17m | ||||||||
5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
— | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:16 | — | — | 8:16 | — | |
mm | — | 1 | 8 | 2 | — | 1 | 3 | — | 22 | — | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 30 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 31 | 25 | 28 | 31 | 29 | 22 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 31 | 32 | 27 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 31 | 27 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 19 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 4 | E 4 | — | E 9 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 | SE 7 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 |
50 | 23 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 1 | — | 2 | 165 | 95 | 220 | 48 | 37 | 33 | 27 | 42 | 50 | 43 | 30 | 42 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 13 | — | E 12 | E 12 | E 12 | SE 8 | NE 4 | — | — | — | — | W 4 | SSE 8 | NNE 5 | SSE 7 | — | — | NE 4 | — | — | — |
3 | — | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 22 | 13 | 10 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 8 | E 13 | E 8 | — | E 12 | NE 4 | — | E 10 | — | — | — | — | — | — | NNE 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
1 | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 3 | N 3 | — | ESE 4 | ESE 3 | SW 3 | S 5 | S 4 | S 5 | SW 4 | SSW 5 | NNE 3 | NNE 4 | — | — | NE 3 | NNE 3 | — | NE 4 | E 7 | — |
3 | 3 | — | 6 | 3 | 2 | 27 | 38 | 164 | 32 | 52 | 12 | 18 | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | 1 | 52 | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 164 | 345 | 91 | 152 | 842 | 1140 | 803 | 431 | 164 | 0 | 91 | 244 | 245 | 126 | 243 | 255 | 174 | 254 | 0 | 4 |
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.










