Virginia Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening on our beaches over the next couple of weeks. I’ve got to be straight with you, this is one of those stretches where the ocean just isn’t playing ball. There’s no surf worth paddling out for at the start, and we’re looking at a long, quiet gap before anything even starts to look possible.

For the first week, from Sunday the 23rd of August right through most of the following week, it’s a bust. The swell is tiny, with heights barely reaching 1 foot the whole time. The energy in the water is weak, with the combined swell energy sitting in the low double digits or just under 50 (between 19 and 53). That’s basically a lake. On top of that, the wind is all over the place - onshore, cross-onshore, or just messy. There is nothing here for a surfer. Even with the water temperature at a pleasant 80°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, it doesn’t make up for the total lack of waves. You’d be better off swimming.

Things don’t improve much into the end of August. The last couple of days of the month see the swell energy creep up a little, hitting 87 on the morning of Monday the 31st, but the waves are still tiny at 1 foot. There is a glimpse of hope that morning with a clean, offshore wind from the SW, but the surf is described as "very ordinary." Hardly worth rushing for.

We finally see a real shift as we move into the first week of September. On the morning of Tuesday the 1st of September, we get a proper groundswell showing up. The swell bumps to 2 feet from the east, with a long period of 15 seconds. That long period means more shape and push, but it also means those sets will be widely spaced. The combined energy at that point jumps to 125 (moderate), and with a light offshore breeze from the WNW, conditions will be clean. This is the first time in the whole outlook that things start to look like a surf session.

The morning of Thursday the 3rd of September is the hidden gem here. We see a moderate offshore wind from the WSW at 12 mph, which will groom the faces nicely. The swell picks up to 3 feet from the ESE, with a period of 12 seconds and a combined energy of 167. That’s solid, moderate energy for our coast. This is the standout session if you can get out there. The water is still hanging around the same temp, so it’s comfortable.

Virginia Beach (beach/jetty) is the only break on the cards. It’s a consistent, exposed beach setup, and it’s best when the swell is from the ESE, which is exactly what we get on that Thursday morning. The wave direction matches up perfectly. Keep in mind that this spot can get crowded, and on a decent day like that, you’ll have company. For the more experienced crew, the wave faces later in the forecast (around September 5th) see a jump in size to 6 feet from the ESE, but the period drops to a short, messy 5 seconds, and the wind turns cross-onshore and choppy. That’s not surfable; that’s a washing machine.

The long-range stuff (into the second week of September) is less promising. The swell drops back down and the winds turn onshore again. It’s not worth planning around right now.

So, the takeaway: The first week and a half is a write-off. The real window is the morning of September 1st and more importantly, the morning of September 3rd. That Thursday session is the one to circle on the calendar. Expect clean lines and proper waves, but don’t sleep on it.

Rusty.

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