56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let's call it like it is for the next couple of weeks.

We’re looking at a real flat spell. The whole 16-day window is a slow one, with a big gap of several days at the start where there’s just nothing worth paddling out for. The first week is a total bust – tiny, weak, and messy.

The only break we’ve got to talk about is 56th St, and it’s not exactly pumping. The water temp is sitting at 71°F, which is a solid 4°F above average for this time of year – that’s noticeably warmer than usual.

Going through it day by day: from Tuesday, August 18th right through to Monday, August 31st, the swell is tiny. We’re talking 1ft to 3ft. The swell direction is a consistent SSW, with periods mostly in the 13 to 16 second range. That long period hints at some energy, but the size is just too small to matter. The wind is a problem, too. It’s almost always a cross-onshore or onshore breeze from the SW or SSW, blowing at 6 to 9 mph. That’s going to keep the surface all chopped up. The combined wave energy is weak, sitting in the low to mid hundreds (e.g., 118 to 361). Every session is marked as poor surf conditions.

There is one tiny glimmer on Wednesday, September 2nd. The morning shows a swell height of only 2ft, but the period jumps to a very long 19 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, and the energy reading hits 472 (moderate), which is the best we see. But, the wind is still a cross-on 9 mph from the SSE, so it won’t be clean. That afternoon, the period drops back down. It’s a promising blip, but it’s over a week away, so keep your expectations in check.

Honestly, there are no standout days here. If you absolutely have to get wet, the morning of September 2nd is your best bet for a few long-period lines, but that cross-on wind will be a buzzkill. A quiet run like this is pretty normal for this area when the swell goes on holiday.

- Rusty

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