56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Well, let me tell you straight up – it’s been a bit of a flat spell around here, and we’re looking at a long stretch of not much to get excited about. But don't go putting the boards away just yet. There are a few windows that could surprise you if you're keen.

The opening days of this stretch look pretty lackluster. We’re talking small, weak surf that’s mostly cross-onshore and just not offering anything clean. For the first few days, the swell is small and the winds aren't doing us any favors. It’s the kind of conditions that have you sitting on the beach wondering why you bothered.

There is a chance of a clean-ish wave on the afternoon of Thursday the 10th, with a bit of south in the wind and a light breeze, but it’s still small and the tide might muck it up. It’s a “maybe” at best, not a “go.”

The next week is much of the same story. Small surf, light winds, but mostly onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things bumpy and messy. Don't expect any real power or shape out of these. The energy in the water starts to build a bit mid-week, but it's still not translating into anything rideable due to the wind directions.

Then, we finally see a bit of life. Around the 20th of September, we start to see the wind ease up and swing around to the southwest. There's a promising morning on the 20th with that SW wind and the swell starting to straighten out, and then into the 21st, we have the best chance of this whole period. The swell is still only around 3ft, but the period is a solid 17 seconds, which means some real groundswell juice. The morning of Monday the 21st looks the cleanest with light winds, and that’s the standout. The energy is moderate, and it all lines up for 56th St to have some semi-decent, rippable waves.

After that, it fades back down and the winds get messy again towards the end of the forecast. So, to give you the summary: it's a long wait for not much. But that morning on the 21st is the one I’d circle on the calendar. Keep your expectations low for everything else, wear a spring suit because the water is a very unusual 72.3°, and keep an eye on the forecast because things can change.

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