57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you—this stretch of coast is looking pretty average for the next couple of weeks. We’ve got a fair bit of small, short-period windswell and most of it is coming in onshore or cross-onshore, so the surface is going to be lumpy and messy more often than not. Nothing here is going to have you paddling out with a grin from ear to ear, but there are a couple of windows worth watching if you’re keen.

Right now, through the rest of this week and into the weekend, we’re sitting on tiny waves—ankle to knee high at best. The swell’s around 0.3m to 0.7m, with periods mostly 5 to 8 seconds, so it’s weak and gutless. The combined energy is low, mostly in the 24 to 65 range. Winds are light to moderate, mostly cross or cross-on, so it’s not even clean. Sunday the 13th has a bit of glass in the afternoon with a 0.4m SE swell, but it’s barely breaking. Not worth suiting up for.

Monday the 14th and Tuesday the 15th stay small too, with the odd clean-ish morning but no push behind it. Wednesday and Thursday the 16th and 17th stay in that same rut—0.5m to 0.6m, short period, light cross-shore breezes. Friday the 18th picks up a touch with 0.4m but it’s cross-shore and messy. Saturday the 19th isn’t much better. Honestly, for the first week, you’re looking at a lot of flat, wind-affected nothing.

Now, here’s where it gets slightly interesting. On Sunday the 20th, we get a little pulse—1.0m at 5 seconds from the SSW—and the combined energy jumps to 116, so there’s a bit more push. But it’s still short-period, and the wind is cross-shore in the morning, cross-on in the afternoon. Not great, but at least it’s something. Then Monday the 21st brings the first real bump: 1.4m at 7 seconds from the ENE, with moderate cross-offshore winds in the morning. Combined energy hits 232, so there’s some weight behind it. The afternoon drops to 1.0m and gets cross-shore, but the morning could be rideable if you’re desperate.

Tuesday the 22nd is a step back—0.9m, period 6 seconds, and the wind turns fresh cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy and chop. Wednesday the 23rd stays similar, light rain and cross-onshore winds, 0.7m. Not worth the hassle.

Then we get the bigger stuff rolling in from the 24th. Thursday the 24th has 1.2m at 9 seconds in the morning, with moderate cross-offshore winds—cleanest conditions we’ve seen in a while. Combined energy is 383, so there’s real power. But the afternoon drops to 1.1m and the wind swings cross-off again but stronger. Still, that Thursday morning looks like the first proper surfable window. Friday the 25th builds to 1.6m and 1.8m with periods of 8-9 seconds, but the wind is cross-shore and moderate, so it’s lumpy. Combined energy jumps to 662 and 829, so there’s a lot of water moving, but the surface is going to be messy.

Saturday the 26th is the biggest of the run—1.8m at 10 seconds, but with fresh cross-shore winds and lumpy conditions. Combined energy is around 630-640. It’s going to be a grinder, not a groomer. Then Sunday the 27th—this is the standout. Swell builds to 2.4m at 10 seconds in the morning, with combined energy hitting 1770. That’s strong, powerful surf. The afternoon drops slightly to 2.1m at 10 seconds, still with over 1400 energy. But—and this is the catch—the wind is fresh cross-shore, so it’s not going to be clean. The wave comment says marginal, and with that size and chop, this is expert-only territory. 57th Street is a sandbar, so with that much energy and short-period swell, it’s going to be dumping and closing out. Not a beginner wave.

Finally, Monday the 28th starts to ease—1.1m at 9 seconds, with moderate cross-offshore winds in the morning. Combined energy is 212. That’s cleaner, but the swell is backing off. Afternoon is 1.0m and cross-onshore, so it’ll chop up again.

So, what’s the best on offer? Honestly, nothing

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