57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Look, I’ll level with you – this forecast window for 57th Street is a real test of patience. We’ve got a long, quiet stretch ahead with the first decent hint of surf not showing up until the very end of the period. The first recommendation doesn’t kick in until Friday, the 18th of August, and even that’s a bit of a stretch. Before that, we’re looking at over a week of tiny, weak waves with poor surf conditions virtually every day.

From now through to Thursday the 17th, the swell is a sad story. Heights hover around 1 ft to 3 ft, with periods mostly between 5 and 7 seconds – that’s short-period, gutless stuff. The combined energy is barely a whisper, staying below 100 (typically 14 to 74). Winds are often cross or cross-off, but the waves are just too small and weak to bother with. There’s a few clean moments on the Sunday morning and Monday, but with 2 ft to 3 ft on offer, it’s not worth paddling out for.

Finally, on Friday, the 18th of August, we see a pulse. The morning brings a 5 ft S/SE swell at 5 seconds, but the wind is cross-on from the ENE, making it choppy. The combined energy hits 126 (moderate wave energy), but the conditions are still listed as poor. The afternoon is the real standout of the entire outlook: a 6 ft ESE swell at 7 seconds, with onshore wind from the SE, giving a combined energy of 247 (moderate wave energy). It’s the biggest swell of the whole period, but it’s onshore, creating messy conditions. For a sandbar break like 57th Street, this is more of a peak than a perfect setup. The swell direction (ESE) is a mismatch from the optimum (SE), so it won’t wrap in as cleanly. This is really only for the keen and the experienced – 6 ft is pushing it for beginners, and the onshore wind will make it a battle.

After that, Wednesday the 19th offers a brief flicker. The afternoon shows a 3 ft E swell at 7 seconds, clean with cross-off winds from the SW, and a combined energy of 110 (moderate). The description says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” so it’s just a small window of so-so waves. The rest of the days into the 22nd drop right back down to tiny, weak swell with no real energy.

So, the only true standout here is Friday afternoon, the 18th of August. It’s the biggest swell, but it’s not clean. If you’re desperate, you might find a lumpy, closed-out wave. Otherwise, this forecast is a write-off. 57th Street is a beginner-friendly sandbar, but this run of poor surf is more normal for the area when it goes quiet. Don’t hold your breath – forecasts can change, but right now, it’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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