57th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get into it. It’s Rusty here, and I’ve been staring at the charts for our stretch of coast, specifically around 57th Street. And I’m not gonna lie to you, it’s a bit of a flat spell. The next week and a half is looking pretty grim if you’re after any real waves.

The pattern is simple: we’ve got a persistent, weak southerly swell that’s barely putting any energy on the beach. The combined energy is mostly in the weak zone, with values like 45 and 62 (that’s weak). The swell heights are hanging around the 2ft to 3ft mark, with a short period of 6 seconds. That’s just not enough to do anything with. It’s basically a lake out there.

The winds are also all over the place, mostly cross or cross-on, which will just chop up any little bump that does show. There are a few cleaner windows, like Friday morning with a cross-off breeze and a bit of energy (93), but the swell is still tiny. The water temp is sitting at 76°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least you won’t need a thick suit.

We go through this whole first week with nothing but “poor surf conditions” and scores of zero. The swell barely moves. It’s just a whole lot of nothing. The 13th and 14th get even smaller, with waves dropping to 1ft, though there is a glassy morning on the 13th. But glassy and flat is still just flat.

The wind does turn offshore for the morning of the 17th, and the energy kicks up a little to 58, and the wave comment finally says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions.” But that’s damning with faint praise. The swell is still just 2ft from the ENE. The 18th morning looks similar, cleaner, with a bit more period (7 seconds) and more energy (71), but we’re still just talking about knee-high slop. It’s not going to be a memorable session.

The real story here is that there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. It’s a flat, weak run. The break is fairly consistent, but consistently small. It’s not a blank run where it never breaks, but it’s a stretch of days where you’ll be fighting for any little crumb. Forecasts can change, and with a fairly consistent spot like this, it tends not to stay this poor for long. But for now, leave the board at home.

If you’re desperate, there’s a tiny window on the 18th morning where the wind is light and the swell is clean, but it’s barely worth the paddle. The 20th has a longer period (10 seconds) but the swell is back down to 1ft, so that doesn’t help us.

Honestly, for the next two weeks, the setup looks more interesting for a kite than a surfboard. The onshore and cross-shore winds will keep the surface messy, and with that little swell, you’re not going to get a ride. It’s a waiting game.

Rusty.

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