57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll be straight with you – the next couple of weeks are a bit of a write-off for proper waves at 57th Street. We’ve got a long, flat spell staring us down, so don’t bother checking the cam until we’re well into the second week.

The whole stretch from Saturday 11 July right through to the end of Sunday 19 July is basically a dud. The swell barely tickles 0.7ft to 3ft, and the energy is pathetic – mostly reading between 14 and 59 (weak energy), with a few bumps in the 40s. On top of that, the wind is all over the shop: cross-on, onshore, or just messy. Saturday morning 11 July starts with a glassy 0.7ft from the ESE, but it’s so small it’s barely a ripple, and the water’s a touch warmer than normal at 76°F (anomaly 4°F), so it’s pleasant for a float but not a surf. The rest of that week is a mix of clear skies and crummy wind – Sunday 12 July has 12 mph cross-onshore winds chopping up the 3ft, and Monday 13 July is onshore. Nothing worth paddling out for.

We finally see a hint of life on Monday morning 20 July. The swell bumps to 3ft from the south, with a period of 8 seconds, and the combined energy hits 124 (moderate). The wind is gentle offshore from the WNW at 9 mph, so it’s clean. The notes say “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” and the score is a 1. It’s not a standout, but it’s the first real chance to get wet. The afternoon turns cross-shore and messy, so aim for the early session.

The next true highlight is Thursday afternoon 23 July. The swell jumps to 4ft from the east, period 6 seconds, and energy at 136 (moderate). The wind goes glassy from the SW at 3 mph – that’s a major positive, meaning clean, smooth faces. Again, it’s “surfable but very ordinary,” so don’t expect perfection, but it’s the best wave of the whole run. The morning of Friday 24 July also offers clean conditions with 2ft from the SE, period 8 seconds, and gentle offshore wind from the NW at 9 mph. Energy sits at 74 (weak), but it’s clean and rideable on a longboard.

Saturday morning 25 July is the last decent call: 4ft from the SSE, period 7 seconds, energy at 113 (moderate), with light cross-offshore wind from the west at 6 mph. Clean conditions again. After that, Sunday 26 July falls back into cross-shore and onshore muck.

So, if you’re chasing a surf, the standout is Thursday afternoon 23 July – that 4ft with glassy wind is the pick of the bunch. Monday morning 20 July and Saturday morning 25 July are your next best bets. Everything else is either flat, choppy, or both. Hang in there, the forecasts might change, but for now, it’s a lean run.

Rusty.

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