57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the outlook for 57th Street. Let’s be real: the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat for the most part. We’ve got a long stretch of small, weak, and messy waves ahead, so I wouldn’t rush to get the wetsuit on just yet.

Right now, on Thursday the 16th, we’ve got nothing going on. Tiny 0.7ft of swell with a period of 8 seconds from the ESE, and the combined energy is a weak 11. It’s a no-go. The water is sitting at 75°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so that’s a nice small comfort, but the surf is basically non-existent. A few days roll by, and it’s the same story. Friday the 17th through to Sunday the 19th give us a bit of a bump, but it’s still sad. On Sunday the 19th, we get a morning of clean-ish conditions with a WNW wind at 12 mph, and the swell is 3ft from the south at 7 seconds, but it’s just not enough. The energy is only 86 – weak. By Sunday afternoon, the wind turns offshore from the NW, and the waves are “surfable but very ordinary.” It’s a 2ft SSE swell, and honestly, it’s barely worth the paddle.

The real window of interest doesn’t arrive until a week later. On Wednesday the 22nd, we see a bit of a pulse. The morning shows a 3ft SSE swell with an 8-second period, and the wind is a clean cross-off from the NNW at 12 mph. The combined energy jumps to 105 – moderate – and the conditions are clean. The afternoon is even better: the wind drops to a light 6 mph from the north, still cross-off, and the swell holds at 3ft. The energy is 106 (moderate). It’s not pumping, but it’s the best we’ve seen in a while.

Then, on Thursday the 23rd, the swell picks up a bit more. We’re looking at 4ft from the NE, but the period is short at 5-6 seconds, and the wind is a cross-shore from the ENE at 16 mph. The energy is 157 (moderate) in the morning, and 189 (moderate) in the afternoon. It’s a bit lumpy and choppy, though, so it’s not going to be clean. It’s more of a challenge than a treat.

The standout for the whole 16-day window is the morning of Saturday the 25th. The swell is 4ft from the SE with a 9-second period, and the wind is a light cross-off from the WSW at just 3 mph. The combined energy is 234 (moderate), and the conditions are clean. It’s the most promising session in the whole run. The break is a sandbar, fairly consistent, and it’s a beginner-friendly spot, but with this size, it’s fine for all levels. Expect crowds "sometimes" though, so it might get a little busy.

After that, the surf fades again. The afternoon of the 25th sees a bigger 6ft swell from the SE, but the wind turns onshore from the south at 12 mph, and the energy spikes to 682 (strong), but it’s choppy and messy. The rest of the run into the end of July is mostly small, weak, and onshore – a real letdown after that Saturday morning.

Honestly, don’t plan a trip around this. The first week is a write-off, and the second week has one decent morning. If you’re desperate for a paddle, aim for the 25th, but keep your expectations low. It’s a waiting game now.

-Rusty

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