56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. Honestly, looking at the 16-day window for 56th St, it’s a bit of a tough stretch. The forecast is pretty flat and the conditions are just not cooperating. There’s a real gap in quality surf here, with a lot of days where you’re better off leaving the board in the car.

The first real chance to get wet comes on Monday morning, September 7th. We’ve got a modest 5 ft SSW swell rolling in with a period of 13 seconds. The combined energy sits at 955 (moderate energy), so there’s some push there. Water temp is a notable 74°F, which is a whopping 6°F warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you can leave the wetsuit at home. The wind is a light cross-shore from the WNW at 6 mph, which will keep things pretty clean. The problem is, the forecast calls it “marginal” with questionable tide, so it’s not a standout. The afternoon sees the wind pick up and go cross-shore from the west at 12 mph, putting a chop on it – I’d skip that session.

Tuesday, September 8th, the swell drops significantly. Morning is 3 ft from the SSW, light cross-wind, but again, it’s marginal. The energy is down to 441 (moderate). The afternoon is a no-go with stronger cross-shore winds.

From Wednesday, September 9th, right through to Wednesday, September 16th, it’s a long, bleak stretch. Swell heights are tiny, mostly between 1 ft and 3 ft, and the winds are either cross-onshore, onshore, or just plain messy. The wave comment for every single session in that block is “poor surf conditions.” This includes a few days with a long period groundswell (16-18 seconds), but the swell is so small it doesn’t matter. The best I can say is the morning of the 16th has a little pulse of 3 ft at 18 seconds, but with cross-onshore wind, it’s still not worth a paddle.

The second week doesn’t offer much relief. Thursday, September 17th, to Monday, September 21st, the heights are still stuck in the 2 ft to 3 ft range. There’s a bit more energy on the 21st – 561 (moderate) – with a 3 ft SW swell at 18 seconds, but it’s onshore and still rated “marginal.” It’s the closest thing to a window, but I wouldn’t call it a standout.

Honestly, this is one of those stretches where the ocean just isn’t giving us anything. 56th St is a sheltered spot, and the swell isn’t wrapping in properly. With the small, weak swell and persistent cross/onshore flow, it might actually look more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer. Keep an eye on things, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

Read more