56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s take a look at what we’ve got. Honestly, for the next 16 days, the picture is pretty grim for 56th St. We’re looking at a long, flat stretch with very little to get excited about.

The first few days, starting Sunday the 26th, offer a hint of something but the conditions are just off. We’ve got a long-period groundswell pushing in from the SSW, with swell heights around 3 ft and a period of 19 seconds. It sounds good, but the energy is only moderate (725), and the wind is blowing onshore or cross-onshore the whole time. It’s a real shame because that long period could make for some nice lines on a point break, but here it’s just going to get chopped up. The water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing wild going on there.

Sunday morning is called "marginal," and after that it’s straight into "poor surf conditions" for days. Monday the 27th and Tuesday the 28th are clear but the wind remains onshore, with swell bumping up to 4 ft but the energy still moderate (878). It’s just not clean. By Wednesday the 29th, the breeze picks up a bit, making it even choppier.

There’s a bit of a push on Friday the 31st, with the swell hitting 5 ft from the south and the energy climbing into the strong range (1027). That’s the biggest swell of the window, but again, the wind is cross-onshore and the period drops to 14 seconds. The morning is called "marginal" but still not worth paddling out for.

From Saturday the 1st of August onward, it’s a slow death. The swell drops steadily, dipping below 2 ft by Monday the 3rd, with energy falling into the weak range. The wind stays light and mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s just flat and messy. The last day with any real note is Sunday the 9th, where we see a little kick back up to 2 ft, but still with poor conditions and light onshore wind.

So, the deal is: there’s no standout session here. The best you could do is maybe Friday the 31st morning, with that 5 ft south swell and moderate energy, but you’re battling a cross-onshore breeze. It’s a tough call. For beginners, anything over 5 ft gets spicy, but with the wind, even the bigger days won’t be user-friendly.

This is a classic case of a long, quiet run. It doesn’t stay this way forever, and forecasts can change, but for now, you might be better off waiting for a shift in the wind. The setup here could even be more interesting for a kite surfer than a paddle surfer on those bigger, choppier days.

Alright, stay patient. This stretch will pass.

Rusty.

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