56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the cards for 56th St.

First thing I gotta tell you, the water is sitting at 70°F right now, which is a solid 4°F warmer than what we usually get this time of year. That’s a real treat, makes the whole session feel a bit more tropical.

Right now, we’re looking at a slow start. The surf is small and the conditions are messy. The first real chance to get wet isn't until Monday afternoon, July 20th. We’ve got a 2ft swell from the SW, with a very long 16-second period, so there’s some deepwater energy in the mix. The combined energy reads at 464 (moderate), but the wind is a light cross-onshore breeze, so it’s going to be a bit bumpy. The report calls it marginal, so it’s a session for the patient, not the picky.

The following days look pretty bleak. Tuesday through Thursday are all carrying a score of zero, with poor surf conditions. The wind is mostly cross-onshore and the wave quality just isn’t there. You’re fighting bumps and chop.

Now, Friday morning July 24th is a weird one. We get a 2ft swell from the SW, but with a crazy long 24-second period. The energy is 908 (moderate), but it’s also marked as poor. That long period at a beach break will likely make it break too straight, so it’s probably not what you’re hoping for.

The weekend of July 25th and 26th is a bit of a tease. The swell is small, around 2ft to 3ft, but the period is still very long, 18 to 21 seconds. The wind is light and onshore, and the reports say marginal. You might get a few clean ones if you’re in the right spot, but it’s not something to set your alarm for.

The following week is more of the same; small, choppy, and poor. There’s a consistent pattern of SW and SSW swells, but the wind keeps ruining the party.

The standout in this whole forecast happens on Friday, August 31st and into Saturday, August 1st. That’s over a week away, so keep that in mind. On Friday afternoon, we’ve got a 5ft swell from the S, with a 15-second period. The energy jumps right up to 1595 (strong). The wind is a light cross-onshore breeze. The report says it’s marginal, but this is the biggest, most powerful swell in the window. Saturday morning follows up with a 5ft swell from the S, and the energy is still high at 1239. Saturday afternoon sees a 6ft swell from the S, with energy at 1016. This is the biggest wave height we’ll see. It’s getting a bit of size, so it’s not for beginners, but for the experienced crew, this is the best chance for some proper waves. The wind is light, which is a big plus.

After that, the energy drops off quickly into August 2nd and 3rd, with small, weak swells and choppy conditions.

To be honest, for the next couple of weeks, don’t expect much. The first week is a write-off, and the second week has a promising window around the end of July/start of August, but it’s a long way off. The consistency is there, but the quality isn’t. I’d be checking the forecasts closer to the time for that end-of-July pulse.

- Rusty

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