56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down what’s coming our way for 56th St.

Honestly, the next week and a half is a tough stretch. We’re looking at a long, drawn-out lull with hardly anything worth paddling for. The first real glimmer of hope doesn’t show up until around Tuesday, September 8th. For now, we’re stuck with small, weak energy and mostly cross-onshore winds that are messing up what little is out there. The combined swell energy is weak at best, sitting well under 1000 for most of the early days, so don't bother rushing down.

The water is running much warmer than normal for the time of year at 75°, which is a bit of a trip, but it won’t help the surf.

Things finally start to look interesting on the morning of Tuesday, September 8th. A pulse of swell from the SSW rolls in, reaching about 6 ft with a moderate period of 14 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 1161, signaling a real kick of power. The morning winds are a gentle cross-shore, which is the cleanest we’ve seen in a while. This is the standout window for the whole forecast—it’s not huge, but it’s the only time there's enough oomph and a chance at a decent shape. 6 ft is a solid intermediate size, so it’s too big for beginners but good for the rest of us. The swell direction matches the optimum SW direction for this spot nicely.

The afternoon of the 8th gets a bit messier with the wind turning cross-onshore, so the early session is the one to target. After that, the swell drops back down and gets shorter and choppier again, with the wind staying onshore for most of the following days.

Crowds are listed as “sometimes” here, and with it being the best option in a long dry spell, expect a few others to have the same idea on the 8th morning.

Ride safe, and don’t bother with the earlier days.

Rusty.

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