56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what the next couple of weeks have in store for us.

Honestly, it’s a pretty flat and frustrating stretch. We’ve got a solid 16-day window ahead, but there isn't a single standout session in the lot. The surf is just too small and the wind is mostly working against us. You’re looking at a long run of days with minimal wave energy and a persistent cross-onshore wind that’s going to keep things choppy and uninviting.

56th St is the only game in town, but it’s a tough sell. The water is a balmy 73°F, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s over 6°F warmer than average, so it’s very unusual. You might not even need a wetsuit.

The first few days, Tuesday and Wednesday (15th & 16th September), are tiny. We’re talking swell heights around 1ft to 3ft from the SW, with periods that are actually quite long – 16 to 20 seconds. That long-period groundswell means the waves have plenty of energy for their size, but here at a sheltered beach break, it’s likely to be too straight and won’t form proper peaks. The wave energy is moderate (172 to 369), but it's all for nothing as the wind is either onshore or cross-onshore at 6 to 9 mph, blowing out what little shape there is. The reports are all "poor surf conditions" with scores of 0 out of 10.

Thursday (17th) through to the end of the first week is more of the same. Swell sticks around 2ft to 3ft from the SW, with periods dropping a bit to 15-19 seconds. Combined energy climbs a little, hitting a peak of 481 on Sunday morning (20th September), but it's still just moderate. There’s no let-up in that cross-onshore wind from the WSW or SW, at 6 to 9 mph. The only glimmer is Sunday afternoon (20th) and Monday afternoon (21st) when the wind turns a bit more onshore, and the report upgrades to "marginal," scoring 1 out of 10 – but that’s still not something to get excited about. It’s just not clean.

The second week doesn’t offer any hope. From Monday the 22nd right through to Wednesday the 30th of September, it’s the same story. Swell stays stubbornly between 2ft and 3ft from the SW, periods drop further into the 12 to 16-second range, and the wind remains mostly a cross-onshore or cross-shore breeze. The combined energy dips into the weakly moderate zone (167 to 332). Light wind days do pop up, like the 27th and some mornings, but the swell is just too small and weak to make anything of it.

This is a full-on dry spell. There are no good options. The only positive is that this area is very consistent, meaning it doesn’t stay this poor for long, and forecasts can change. But for now, leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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