
Surf Forecasts:
Virginia Beach surf forecast from 18 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Wednesday 22 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period, SSE swell with offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Friday 24 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 6ft (1.8m), 6s period, ENE swell with 254 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 22 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 8s period with SSE swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Virginia Beach this week:
The surf forecast for Virginia Beach over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 5PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.3m and 8s period. The wind is predicted to be offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Virginia Beach in the next 16 days are 1.8m 6s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Jul 24) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.0m 4s period and expected on Sunday (Jul 19) at 5AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Best Surf | 5PM (Wed 22nd Jul) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Fri 24th Jul) | 6ft (1.8m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Virginia Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s take a good, hard look at what’s coming our way for the next couple of weeks. I’ll be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch.
The short story is that we’ve got a long, long gap of flatness and poor conditions ahead. For the first week or so, there’s really nothing to get excited about. The little bump of energy we see around 0.7 ft to 1 ft is just not enough to push a wave. The combined energy is weak, barely registering, and the wind is all over the shop. You’re looking at a lot of clean, offshore winds on some small days, but the swell is just too small to do anything with. It’s a real tease.
We finally get a little spike around Wednesday the 22nd of July. That morning shows a 3 ft swell from the SSE with a moderate cross-offshore breeze, and the combined energy finally climbs to a moderate 140. The waves are still pretty ordinary, but this is the only window that looks even remotely surfable. Then Wednesday afternoon, hold on, the wind goes glassy from the NW, which is beautiful, but the swell drops back to 3 ft from the SE. The comment says "surfable waves but very ordinary conditions," and to be honest, that’s the best we’ve got. It’s still not a standout.
The next morning, Thursday the 23rd of July, we see a 4 ft NE swell with a cross-shore wind, giving us another moderate energy reading of 118. But again, it’s a short period, messy swell, and the wind is side-shore, not clean. It’s just not worth paddling out for.
After that, it’s back to the same story: tiny waves, poor energy, and onshore or cross-onshore winds. The second week of the forecast is even more barren, with nothing but small, weak swells in the 1.0 ft to 2 ft range. The energy is weak, and the winds are a mix of clean and messy, but the swell never gets going.
So, the honest truth is there are no true standouts here. The best I can give you is Wednesday afternoon, the 22nd of July, at Virginia Beach (Virginia-Beach). If you’re desperate, you might find a waist-high wave with a glassy surface. The water is a pleasant 79°F, which is about average for this time of year, so at least it’s a nice paddle. Crowds are possible, but with waves this small, it’ll be a quiet lineup.
Given the persistent low swell, this setup looks more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. There’s enough wind and a bit of chop to get them going, but for us, it’s a waiting game.
Stay patient, keep watching the charts, and don’t waste the petrol. Forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a tough outlook.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Sun night. Warm (max 34°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 25mm), heaviest during Wed night. Warm (max 34°C on Tue afternoon, min 21°C on Thu morning). Winds increasing (light winds from the SSE on Mon night, fresh winds from the N by Wed night). | ||||||||||||||||||
Saturday 18 | Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | ||||||||||||||
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) | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 5 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 5 | ESE 5 | ESE 5 | SE 5 | S 6 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
6 | 6 | 57 | 47 | 23 | 24 | 32 | 17 | 34 | 66 | 25 | 17 | 194 | 153 | 202 | 95 | 150 | 97 | 101 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | cross-off | off | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-on |
High Tide | 11:03PM1.16m | 11:39AM1.11m | 11:49PM1.06m | 12:29PM1.10m | 00:34AM0.96m | 1:19PM1.08m | 1:21AM0.87m | 2:10PM1.05m | 2:11AM0.79m | 3:05PM1.03m | 3:08AM0.74m | 4:02PM1.02m | 4:12AM0.72m | ||||||
Low Tide | 5:25AM-0.06m | 5:46PM0.04m | 6:11AM-0.02m | 6:44PM0.11m | 6:58AM0.03m | 7:42PM0.17m | 7:44AM0.09m | 8:39PM0.22m | 8:30AM0.13m | 9:36PM0.24m | 9:18AM0.17m | 10:33PM0.25m | |||||||
— | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | |
8:22 | — | 8:21 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:20 | — | — | 8:19 | — | — | 8:17 | — | — | 8:17 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | — | 6 | 12 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 28 | 31 | 34 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 25 | 27 | 34 | 27 | 30 | 34 | 28 | 22 | 25 | 24 |
Feels °C | 32 | 32 | 34 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 28 | 33 | 25 | 29 | 34 | 30 | 18 | 22 | 21 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | NE 3 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | SSE 5 | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 10 | ESE 5 | SE 8 | — | SSE 8 | SSE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 7 |
2 | 6 | 6 | 47 | 23 | 24 | 32 | 17 | 10 | 2 | 25 | 10 | — | 153 | 202 | 95 | 32 | 16 | 18 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | ESE 8 | — | E 13 | E 8 | SSW 4 | — | E 12 | E 12 | — | E 12 | ESE 8 | NE 5 | — | E 6 | WSW 4 | — | SSE 7 | SSE 7 | S 7 |
6 | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | — | 3 | 3 | — | 3 | 6 | 3 | — | 1 | 2 | — | 10 | 5 | 4 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | E 14 | E 13 | E 9 | E 13 | E 13 | E 13 | — | E 10 | — | — | NE 5 | S 7 | — | — | E 6 | — | — | — | — |
4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | — | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | S 3 | SSE 5 | WSW 4 | WSW 4 | N 3 | ENE 3 | E 4 | E 5 | ESE 5 | — | SE 5 | S 6 | SW 4 | WSW 5 | NE 4 | NE 6 | NE 6 | ENE 6 |
— | 5 | 57 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 34 | 66 | — | 17 | 194 | 25 | 10 | 35 | 150 | 97 | 101 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1229 | 1237 | 333 | 5 | 10 | 288 | 82 | 180 | 590 | 82 | 930 | 2305 | 884 | 398 | 0 | 82 | 255 | 172 | 193 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Virginia | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
Header Global | |||||||||||||||||||
- Map Icons:
Break
Live Wave Height (m)
Live Wind Speed (km/h)
Surf Rating (10 Max)
Ocean Swells (m)
Wind Speed (km/h)
Information about the Virginia Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Virginia Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Virginia Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Virginia Beach 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 (Virginia Beach) 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 Virginia Beach 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.
Virginia Beach is 3 km (2 miles) from the city of Virginia Beach. If you plan a vacation in Virginia, look for hotels and other accommodation in Virginia Beach. Virginia Beach has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










