57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me break it down for you: it’s been a tough go and it’s gonna stay flat for a good while. There’s no real surf on offer for the first week or so, and the whole 16-day window is pretty weak. If you’re itching for a wave, you’ll be waiting until at least Friday the 28th of August for anything that even qualifies as rideable, and even then it’s barely a ripple.

From now through Thursday the 27th, forget it. Winds are messy, swell is tiny – we’re talking 1ft to 2ft with weak energy. It’s poor, it’s choppy, and it’s not worth paddling out.

Come Friday morning the 28th, 57th Street (sandbar) finally shows a glimmer. Swell is still tiny at 2ft from the ESE with a short period of 8 seconds, but the wind swings light WSW – that’s cross-offshore, keeping the surface clean. Combined energy is weak, but you can at least sit out there without getting blown off your board. It’s a beginner-friendly sandbar, and it’s fairly consistent, so if you’re just wanting a splash, this is your best bet in the whole outlook. Crowds can show up sometimes, but with surf this small, I wouldn’t stress. Water temp is 25° – a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so you won’t need a thick suit.

Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th drop right back off – wind goes onshore or cross-shore, swell stays under 2ft, and energy plummets. Not worth it.

Monday the 31st through to Tuesday the 1st of September sees a little clean-up with cross-off winds, but the swell drops to 0.3ft to 1ft and the energy is next to nothing. That’s not surf, that’s a lake.

Wednesday the 2nd of September sees a pulse of longer-period groundswell – 2ft at 11 to 12 seconds from the SE, with energy bumping up a little. Winds are clean in the morning but go light cross-onshore in the arvo. Still, it’s tiny. Nothing to get excited about.

Thursday the 3rd of September morning offers 1ft from the SE with clean cross-off winds – surfable but very ordinary. Again, it’s a session for a longboard or a foamie if you’re desperate.

After that, from Friday the 4th through to Sunday the 6th, the wind turns nasty – strong cross-shore from the NE up to 18 mph, with swell building to 3ft-3ft from the E and energy finally getting into three digits. But the wind is lumpy and the period is short (8-9 seconds). For a sandbar, that’s going to be choppy and ugly. Honestly, with that much wind and that sort of swell, this setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Monday the 7th of September sees the wind drop back to gentle cross-shore and a little more energy, but the swell is only 2ft from the E. Not great.

Tuesday the 8th of September morning offers the biggest swell of the whole outlook – 4ft from the SSE with a short period of 6 seconds. Combined energy is moderate. The wind is WNW at 9 mph, so cross-off and clean. That’s the standout, if you can call it that. It’s still only a couple feet, and it’s a short-period windswell, so the waves will be a bit crumbly. But it’s clean, and for this stretch, that’s as good as it gets. 57th Street is beginner-friendly, so if you’re new, this is your window. Crowds sometimes show, but with these conditions, you’ll have plenty of room.

From Wednesday the 9th through Thursday the 10th, it fades again – back to 1ft-3ft with clean but strong cross-off winds. Energy drops off. The run is over.

So here’s the bottom line: the best of a bad lot is Friday morning the 28th of August or Tuesday morning the 8th of September. Both are small, clean, and beginner-friendly. The 8th has a bit more size (4ft) and is the only session that might offer a half-decent wave. Don’t expect barrels. Don’t expect power. Just expect a paddle and a few crumbly lines.

This area is known for being fickle, and this is one of those blank runs. Forecasts can change, but right now, keep your expectations low and your wax in the shade.

Rusty

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