81st Street Water Temperature and Wetsuit Guide
(Virginia, USA)
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Today's 81st Street sea temperature is 15.3 °C
(Which is 1.0°C colder than average for this time of year)
| Mean: | 16.3 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Range: | 14.0 °C to 18.7 °C | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics for 05 May (1981–2005) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Today, many surfers would wear a spring wetsuit.
Sunny with pleasantly warm air temperatures (feels like 21 °C) at 81st Street, yet the sea remains several degrees colder than the air. Most surfers will need a spring wetsuit though a summer suit or even a shorty may suffice for a short session.
Map of current United States Surface Water Temperatures based on measurements from oceanographic satellites |
Map of current United States Sea Water Temperature Anomalies (compared with long term averages at this time of year) |
(click thumbnails to expand)
Below is a graph of Historical Sea Surface Temperature for 81st Street. This has been derived from analysis of two decades of oceanographic satellite measurements of nearby open water. We have calculated the average water temperature variation around the year as well as the extremes that have been observed on each date.
All of the graphs for the surf breaks presented on Surf-Forecast.com are on the same scale to enable comparison between locations around the world.
81st Street water temperatures peak in the range 24 to 28°C (75 to 82°F) on around the 22nd of July and are at their lowest on about the 1st of March, in the range 7 to 13°C (45 to 55°F). Year round warm water temperatures at 81st Street climb to their highest in the second half of July. Even then a rash vest and board shorts should be fine for surfing at any time of year. At its lowest at the beginning of March, low water temperatures at 81st Street are suited to a 5/4mm or 5/3mm good quality wetsuit with neoprene gloves and 3mm boots. You will need a hood if it's windy or the air is cold.
Actual sea surface water temperatures close to shore at 81st Street can vary by several degrees compared with these open water averages. This is especially true after heavy rain, close to river mouths or after long periods of strong offshore winds. Offshore winds cause colder deep water to replace surface water that has been warmed by the sun. Air temperature, wind-chill and sunshine should also be considered before deciding on the kind of wetsuit needed to stay warm when surfing at 81st Street. Refer to our detailed weather forecasts for this information.
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