Fifth Street (Miami) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking straight at the Miami stretch. Let’s be honest right off the bat: this is a rough outlook. Fifth Street (Miami) is a sheltered beach and reef setup that needs a specific north-northeast swell to really work, and for the next two weeks we just aren't getting that. The water is sitting at 87.4°, which is a touch warmer than usual for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s doing us any favors.

We’ve got a long, grim gap here. From now all the way through to Thursday the 24th of September, the surf is basically a write-off. We’re looking at tiny, short-period wind slop from the southeast and east, mostly under 2.6 ft, with periods of just 3 to 5 seconds. That’s no energy—the combined swell energy barely cracks 36 (weak) on the best of those days, and most of it is sitting in the single digits to low teens. On top of that, the wind is almost always cross-onshore from the east or southeast, making it choppy and messy. This is not surfing; this is just floating in a washing machine.

There is a brief flicker of hope on Thursday the 17th of September. The swell direction swings to north-northeast, which is exactly what this break needs. We see a 3.6 ft swell with an 8-second period and combined energy climbing to 145 (moderate). But the wind is still cross-onshore from the east-northeast at 12.4 mph, so it’s going to be choppy and poor. It’s a tease. The forecast doesn't rate it as surfable, and I have to agree—it’s a frustrating near-miss.

The real chance, and it’s the only one in the whole 16-day window, comes on Thursday the 24th of September afternoon. Finally, we get a tiny window of cleaner conditions. The swell is 3.0 ft from the north-northeast with a 9-second period, and the combined energy sits at 118 (moderate). The wind turns offshore from the southwest at 9.3 mph, leaving the surf clean. It’s still only a 1 out of 10 quality call, and the crowds here are often, so expect company. But if you’re desperate for a paddle, this is your moment. The swell is small enough for beginners, but honestly, the quality is so marginal that only the hardcore should bother.

After that, it all falls apart again. Friday the 25th and Saturday the 26th see a rise in swell height—up to 5.6 ft from the east-northeast—and combined energy jumps to 223 (strong). But the period drops to 6 seconds, and while the wind is offshore, that short-period wind swell is going to be lumpy and weak in shape. That kind of set-up, with significant swell, poor quality, and strong winds over a beach and reef, honestly looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

In short, there is one single, very ordinary afternoon on Thursday the 24th that is your only real shot. It’s a long wait for not much. That’s Miami for you in this season.

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