57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right, well, lookin’ at the whole 16-day window for 57th Street, it’s a bit of a tough one. The break is a sandbar, fairly exposed to the swell, but the energy comin’ in is mostly weak. The water temp is sittin’ around 75°, which is about average for this time of year, so no surprises there.

The first few days, from Wednesday the 29th of July all the way through to the end of July and into the start of August, are just poor. The swell is tiny, between 1ft and 2ft, with a short period. The wind is mostly offshore or cross-offshore, which would keep the surface clean, but there’s just no wave power to work with. The combined swell energy is barely registerin’, with values like 35 (weak energy). It’s a flat spell, plain and simple.

We get a bit of a bump on Monday the 3rd of August, with the swell height hittin’ 3ft and combined energy of 105 (moderate wave energy), but the wind is swingin’ cross-shore, and there’s a risk of thunderstorms. It’s a messy setup. The swell direction is from the SSE, which isn’t ideal for the break’s optimum southeast direction.

The closest thing to a standout in this whole period comes on the 5th of August. The Wednesday morning session is glassy, with the swell from the SSE at 2ft and a period of 6 seconds. The energy is weak (33), but it’s clean. The afternoon picks up to 4ft, and the combined energy jumps to 84, still weak. The wind is gentle cross-shore, so it’s a bit choppy, but it’s the biggest swell we’ve seen so far. For a beginner-friendly spot like this, those small, clean conditions are your best bet.

Then, around the 10th of August, the swell tries to build again. The Monday morning shows 4ft with a combined energy of 248 (moderate wave energy), but it’s from the south with a short period and cross-onshore wind. That’s a choppy, messy combo. The 11th of August has a morning with offshore wind and 3ft, but the energy is weak (79). It’s surfable, but nothing to write home about.

The second week, from the 7th of August onwards, is a rinse-and-repeat of small, weak swells. The 7th has a Friday afternoon with 3ft and clean conditions. The 9th offers a couple of days with 4ft and clean offshore wind, but the energy is still low (101). It’s all just ordinary, small waves.

Overall, there’s no real standout. The best session is probably the 5th of August, when the glassy morning gives way to a slightly bigger, but messier, afternoon. Still, it’s small. For a beginner or someone happy to just get wet, the 5th is your window. The rest of the 16 days are a long, flat grind.

Rusty.

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