56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it. We’ve got a quiet spell ahead for 56th St, so don’t go clearing your calendar just yet. The water’s sitting at a touch warmer than normal for the time of year at 70°, nothing wild but a little extra comfort if you’re paddling out.

Friday, August 21st through Monday, August 24th – Honestly, there’s nothing doing. We’ve got tiny 1ft to 2ft SSW swells with a light cross-onshore breeze, and the combined energy is weak to moderate (193 to 290). The wave comment says it all: poor surf conditions. You’d be fighting wind ripples and choppy water for nothing. Save the energy.

Tuesday, August 25th – We start to see a bit of life. Morning brings a 3ft S swell with a period of 16 seconds – that’s a proper groundswell, but it’s still small. Combined energy jumps to 589 (moderate). Wind is light cross-onshore, but the wave comment calls it marginal. Afternoon sees a bump to 3ft from the S, period dropping to 14 seconds, but the cross-onshore wind picks up to 15 km/h and it’s choppy. Not the day to get excited, but there’s a pulse coming.

Wednesday, August 26th – This is the most interesting day of the whole outlook. Morning swell is 4ft from the S, period 13 seconds, combined energy at 790 (moderate-strong). The wind swings light out of the S, and by afternoon it goes glassy onshore – the wind state flips to “on” which is about as good as it gets here. Combined energy holds at 733. The wave comment is still “poor” for the afternoon, but with that wind and a solid 5ft S swell, it could clean up nicely for the more experienced crew. The swell direction is a good match for the optimum SW direction, so the break should handle it well. This is the standout, but don’t expect perfection. Crowds are possible – it’s a consistent spot and word travels.

Thursday, August 27th through Tuesday, September 1st – Back to small, messy surf. Swells hover around 2ft to 4ft but the wind is mostly cross-onshore or onshore, and the wave comments are all “poor” or “marginal.” Combined energy drops from 646 down to 243. Not worth the paddle.

Wednesday, September 2nd through Saturday, September 5th – A bit more pulse but still not clean. Swells stay around 2ft to 3ft from the SSW to S, with periods hitting 15-18 seconds at times – nice groundswell potential, but the wind is consistently cross or cross-onshore, and the wave comments remain “poor.” The combined energy spikes to 743 on the 5th afternoon, but with a moderate cross-shore wind at 20 km/h, it’s just a choppy mess. If you’re a kite surfer, the setup might look interesting with that wind and swell combination, but for a paddle surfer? Not your day.

Bottom line: If you’ve got to pick a time, Wednesday, August 26th morning into early afternoon is your best bet. It’s not world-class, but with light wind and a solid S swell, it could offer the cleanest waves in a long dry spell. Everything else is either too small, too choppy, or just plain poor.

Rusty.

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