57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you. Looking at the 16-day window, there’s a big fat nothing on offer for surfers. The first recommendation doesn’t come until the 6th of September, and even then, it’s a dud. We’re looking at a long stretch of flat, weak, or blown-out conditions that just aren’t worth the paddle out. The only break in the mix is 57th Street, a sandbar setup that’s fairly consistent, but the swell energy never gets enough juice to make it interesting.

The whole period is a write-off. The water temperature is sitting at 78°F with a massive anomaly of 6°F warmer than normal, which is very unusual for this time of year. But even that warm water won’t make the surf any better. The combined energy of all swells directed here is weak, mostly in the double digits or low triple digits, peaking at a measly 105 (moderate) on the morning of Thursday the 10th of September, but even then, the swell height is only 4 ft and the wind is cross-offshore, not clean enough to make it worthwhile.

The first few days are a total bust. September 6th has a 2 ft easterly windswell with a short period of 6 seconds and cross-on wind. That’s just poor surf conditions. The 7th and 8th are even smaller, with 1 ft and 0.7 ft. The 9th has a bit more height but a terrible 4-second period and strong cross-on wind, making it choppy and messy. The 10th has a 4 ft swell from the SSW, but the combined energy is only 105, and the wind is cross-offshore, not ideal. The 11th and 12th are tiny and clean but weak. From the 13th onwards, it’s a steady diet of small, onshore, or cross-shore slop, with swell heights barely reaching 2 ft.

The only slight glimmer of hope is on the morning of Thursday the 10th of September, with a 4 ft swell from the SSW and a 6-second period. The combined energy is 105 (moderate), and the wind is cross-offshore and clean. But that’s not a standout, it’s just the least bad option. The wave comment says “poor surf conditions” and the score is zero. For a beginner-friendly break like 57th Street, it’s just not enough.

The rest of the forecast is a desert. The 12th and 17th have glassy conditions, but the swell is only 0.7 ft, so you’d be bobbing on a lake. The 18th, 19th, and 20th see a little more strength from the southeast, with periods hitting 11–12 seconds, but the swell is tiny and the wind is onshore or cross-on. The 21st has a clean offshore wind, but again, the swell is 1 ft. Nothing breaks the pattern.

If you’re a kite surfer, the afternoon of the 20th of September might be interesting: a 4 ft southerly swell with 16 mph cross-on wind, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass. Otherwise, this is a blank run. For this area, that’s not unusual. It tends not to stay poor for long, but right now, the forecasts are not promising.

Rusty.

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