Virginia
Hold off if you can — morning starts out very poor with 1-2ft waves.
Hold off if you can — morning starts out very poor with 1-2ft waves.
Best window·Tuesday 6AM–9AM·2-3ft·Fair
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Virginia Beach, Virginia. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on ESE swell at 9s with 10mph NE winds. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on SSE swell at 4s with moderate WSW wind around 11mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on S swell at 4s with strong NW wind at 14mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Very Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and very poor conditions with 18mph NNE winds.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 8s period, rated Very Poor. 2-3+ft waves to start the day on ENE swell at 6s.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Very Poor today — get one free email when Virginia Beach turns Good.
Check Virginia Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
Virginia Beach offers accessible sandy beach breaks along the longest pleasure beach in the United States, with consistent small to medium waves ideal for beginners and intermediates. The gentle, rolling waves work best during autumn when Atlantic swells wrap around from nor'easters, and the broad, sandy bottom provides a forgiving learning environment. This heavily-trafficked tourist destination means you'll share the water with plenty of other surfers, but the long shoreline offers plenty of room to find a quieter peak.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Virginia Beach is 1-2ft with a 8.8s swell period. Wind is ENE at 8mph. Conditions are rated Very Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Virginia Beach is 1-2ft, produced by a 1.5ft ESE primary swell at 9s, a 1.3ft NE wind swell swell at 6s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Virginia Beach is Tuesday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 9.9s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Virginia Beach works best with a NE swell and W winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Virginia Beach. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Virginia Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Virginia Beach offers accessible sandy beach breaks along the longest pleasure beach in the United States, with consistent small to medium waves ideal for beginners and intermediates. The gentle, rolling waves work best during autumn when Atlantic swells wrap around from nor'easters, and the broad, sandy bottom provides a forgiving learning environment. This heavily-trafficked tourist destination means you'll share the water with plenty of other surfers, but the long shoreline offers plenty of room to find a quieter peak.
The prime season at Virginia Beach is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Virginia Beach include heavy crowds, strong currents near pier, tourist swimmers in summer, occasional jellyfish. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Virginia Beach forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
