56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, grab your wettie, let’s talk about it. Honestly, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and sad for any real surf. We’ve got a solid stretch of nothing on the horizon, and when I say nothing, I mean it. The swell is just not showing up.

The first few days are a total write-off. Sunday and Monday are looking at weak, short-period leftovers with onshore wind messing up whatever tiny bumps are out there. You’re looking at maybe 2.6ft of slop at 56th St, with a cross-onshore breeze. It’s not worth paddling out for. The energy is weak, in the 200-300 range, and it’s not going to do anything. The water is a balmy 73.2°, which is a good 6.5° warmer than usual – that’s really unusual for this time of year, and honestly, that’s about the only highlight right now.

The rest of the first week doesn’t get any better. The swell stays tiny, around 1.6ft to 2.3ft, with those short, weak periods. The wind is mostly light, but it’s coming from the wrong direction, so it’s just making for a bumpy surface. There’s a bit more energy showing up from the 14th onwards, climbing from the 300s into the 500s, but it’s all still small stuff. By the 15th and 16th, we might see the swell nudge up to 3.3ft, but it’s still coming from the SSW with a short period, and the wind is still cross-onshore. It’s going to be a mess.

We do get a slight bump in energy, and the swell period gets a little longer, around 16 seconds, which is nice, but the size just doesn’t follow. The whole second week is a continuation of the same story. The swell stays below 3.3ft, mostly in the 1.3ft to 2.6ft range. The period does get long, up to 19-21 seconds by the 22nd and 23rd, which is telling us there’s some groundswell energy out there, but it’s just not enough. It’s too small and the winds are still not favoring us. It’s like the ocean is teasing us with a longer period but no power behind it.

The most promising couple of days might be the 22nd and 23rd of August. The period is up at 19-21 seconds, a real long-period groundswell. But the size is only 1.3ft to 1.6ft. That’s not even rideable. It’s a long wait between sets, and when they do come, they’ll be tiny and lining up too straight for a beach break. You’d be better off with a longboard and a lot of patience, but even then, it’s a stretch.

So, here’s the deal: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. Frankly, it’s a blank run. The swell is just not there. The good news is that this spot is usually pretty consistent, so this kind of flat spell isn't the norm. The longer period swells later in the week hint that things are trying to move, but the energy is just too weak. Forecasts can change, and this one needs to. I’d keep the board in the car, but I wouldn’t be driving anywhere special for a wave.

Keep your head up, and check back in a few days. This kind of flat spell doesn't usually last long here.

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