81st Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at the outlook for the next couple weeks. To be honest, there’s no surf worth paddling out for on the immediate horizon. The next 16 days are looking poor for 81st Street. Flat spells are common here, but this stretch is more of a blank run than a hopeful one.

The wave energy you’ll see over the whole period is weak — starting as low as 35 (combined energy) and never really climbing above an 85. Most swell heights hover below 2 ft to 4 ft, and the swell periods are short, often under 8 seconds, so the waves are weak and lack push.

On Tuesday afternoon, July 7, there’s a tiny 1.0 ft ESE swell with a 10-second period, but an onshore ENE wind of 12 mph chops it up. The water temperature is a warm 80°, about a touch warmer than normal for this time of year. Not a standout session though. Crowds can show up sometimes, but with surf this ordinary, you might have the place to yourself.

Morning of Friday, July 10, is the closest thing to a highlight: clear skies, a gentle offshore wind from the west at 9 mph, and clean conditions on a 2 ft SE swell with an 8-second period. Still small, but a longboard could catch something. Combined energy is just 50 (weak). It’s surfable, but nothing to get excited about.

Same story repeats on Wednesday morning, July 15, with a westerly offshore breeze cleaning up a small 2 ft E swell, 8-second period, energy at 46. It’s okay but nothing special. If you’re desperate for a paddle, that’s your window.

After that, it’s pretty much dead. The second week has small 1.0 ft to 3 ft swells but with cross-shore or onshore winds. Even the glassy patch on Monday morning, July 20 (2 ft SE, 8-second period, slight air wind from ESE, glassy) is still tiny — energy only 32 (weak). The later periods show some westerly or southerly offshores, but the swells remain tiny and weak.

Nothing here for a stand-out session. Let’s hope the forecasts change soon. For now, it’s mostly a skunk.

Rusty.

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