56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's break it down.

Honestly, mate, it's a bit of a quiet stretch ahead. The good news is 56th St is consistent, but the bad news is the surf quality is just not playing ball for the whole 16-day window. The swell is small, mostly around 1ft to 3ft, and it’s coming from the SW, which is the optimum direction for this spot. But the wind keeps messing it up. Most of the time it’s a cross-onshore breeze, making things choppy and messy.

We start off Sunday the 13th with tiny 2ft SW swell. The morning has a light S breeze that’s technically offshore, but the combined swell energy is only moderate at 142, and the wave comment is "poor surf conditions." That theme sticks around for days. The water is a notable 72°, which is a massive 5° warmer than usual – that's very unusual for the time of year.

Monday the 14th is more of the same, just a bit smaller at 1ft, and the wind is cross-onshore and stronger at 12 mph from the SSE. It's a write-off.

Tuesday the 15th? Still small. The energy bumps up a bit on Wednesday the 16th with a 3ft SSW swell and a light offshore wind in the morning. The combined energy climbs to 374 (moderate), and the period is 18 seconds – that’s a long-period groundswell. That kind of period can make it break a bit straight on a beach setup, but with offshore wind, it might offer the cleanest wave of this whole run. Still, the forecast gives it a score of 0, so don’t get your hopes up.

From Thursday the 17th through the end of the first week, we’re stuck in a rut. Swells hang between 2ft and 3ft, mostly SW, with onshores or cross-onshores. The combined energy fluctuates between 272 and 479 (moderate). There are brief windows of offshore wind on the 21st (Monday) afternoon and the 22nd (Tuesday) morning, but the wave comment stays “poor surf conditions.”

The second week doesn’t offer much relief. From the 23rd of September onward, the swell drops back to 2ft to 3ft, with short periods of 12 to 16 seconds. The combined energy stays moderate (166 to 304). The wind is mostly light cross-onshore. A few mornings like the 27th (Sunday) have an offshore S breeze, but with a weak 2ft SSW swell and a period of just 12 seconds, it’s not going to produce anything worth racing for.

The standout, if there is one, is the morning of Wednesday the 16th. That 3ft SSW groundswell at 18 seconds with a light offshore wind is the only time the stars almost align. It’s a small window of cleaner conditions, but it’s still not firing.

Overall, if you’re keen for a paddle and the consistency appeals to you, the 16th morning is your best bet. Otherwise, it’s a waiting game. This stretch looks more promising for a longboard or a kite if the wind picks up, rather than a proper shortboard session.

Rusty.

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