Hampton Roads
Virginia Beach surf report
10.8ft
Epic — 10.8 ft.
Saturday, September 26 · local time at the spot
Right now
Swell
10.8 ft
13 s · ENE57°
Wind
This buoy carries no anemometer, so there is no wind reading here.
Water temperature
70.9°F
21.6 °C
Daylight
6:55 AM
sunrise · sunset 6:54 PM
Rip current risk
High risk
Life threatening rip currents are likely.
NWS surf forecast: 8–11 ft (today, Virginia Beach)
Every level, including Low, describes currents that can kill — how to spot one from the beach and what to do if you are caught.
Tide
Currently falling — next low at 2:08 PM (0.443 ft)
| Time | Tide | Height |
|---|---|---|
| 1:40 AM | low | 0.36 ft |
| 7:55 AM | high | 4.384 ft |
| 2:08 PM | low | 0.443 ft |
| 8:10 PM | high | 4.145 ft |
Tide values are predictions. Wind, pressure and surge move the real water level, sometimes by a lot — see the disclaimer.
Forecast
Model output, not a measurement — NOAA WaveWatch III
| Day | Height | Period | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat | 9.4 ft | 12.1 s | SW 225° |
| Sun | 3.7 ft | 10.2 s | WSW 241° |
| Mon | 1.3 ft | 9.1 s | W 262° |
| Tue | 1.3 ft | 8.9 s | W 261° |
| Wed | 1.5 ft | 8.4 s | W 270° |
| Thu | 1.4 ft | 8.8 s | W 268° |
A model computes; it does not observe. Accuracy drops with range, and nearshore transformation is where it is weakest.
What to wear
At 70.9 °F (21.6 °C), most people at Virginia Beach are comfortable in a 2 mm shorty or spring suit.
2 mm
for 68–72 °F
Short arms and legs. Enough for a couple of hours; wind changes that quickly.
The temperature is measured. The suit recommendation is not — it follows the manufacturers' convention, which varies by a degree or two between brands, and it knows nothing about wind, session length or how you personally run. The full chart and what it leaves out.
Surf cam
No cam here yet. We operate no cameras of our own and embed only where the operator allows it — the rule is on the copyright page. Cam operators who would like a link are welcome to write.
The break
- Type
- Beach break along the boardwalk and south of the pier
- Best swell
- NE to E groundswell, S in summer
- Best wind
- Offshore W
- Tide
- Mid tide
- Level
- Beginner to intermediate
Hazards
- Rip currents
- Crowds
- Shipping traffic near the bay mouth
Local knowledge, not a measurement. Conditions decide the day — check the National Weather Service for warnings and the lifeguards for whether to go in.
Every source behind this page
- Solunar computed · read 8:47 AM
- NOAA WaveWatch III 44099 model cycle 20260926 6z · model · read 8:47 AM
- NDBC 44099 buoy wave height · read 7:56 AM
- NOAA CO-OPS 8639168 tide predictions · read 8:47 AM
- NWS Surf Zone Forecast AKQ zone VAZ098 · read 2:40 AM
All of it is public NOAA and National Weather Service data, free for anyone to use. What we add is the pairing of this spot with these stations — see the terms.
Nearby spots
- Ocean City 10.5 ft · 183 km
- Ocean City 16.7 ft · 296 km
- Wrightsville Beach 3.3 ft · 337 km
- Carolina Beach 3.3 ft · 358 km
- Asbury Park 12.1 ft · 412 km
Surf and beach conditions change faster than this page does, and nobody watches it in real time. When the water looks different from the numbers, trust the water and the lifeguards.