56th St Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s break down what’s happening at 56th St.

Right now, the surf is a bit of a mixed bag. The first real window we’ve got is on the afternoon of Sunday, September 6th. We’re looking at a solid 5ft swell out of the south, with a period of 14 seconds. That’s a nice long-period groundswell with decent energy – the combined energy reading is sitting at 982 (moderate). The wind is coming from the NNE at 16 mph, which is blowing straight offshore, keeping the waves clean. The water temperature is a very warm 74°F, which is a whopping 6° warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s a proper anomaly – expect bathwater temps.

Sunday afternoon is the standout for the whole 16-day window. The wave comment says “expect good surf conditions,” and with offshore wind and a solid 5ft from the south, it’s going to be fun. The break is very consistent, so you won’t be waiting long. It’s a sheltered spot, so it won’t be taking the full brunt of the swell, but that 5ft with a 14-second period should give you some nice, lined-up waves. Just be aware – crowds are sometimes there, so you might have some company.

After that, the swell hangs around on Monday morning, September 7th – still 5ft from the SSW, period of 13 seconds, but the wind switches to a cross-offshore from the NW at 9 mph. It’s still clean, but that’s the last of the real quality. By Monday afternoon, the wind swings onshore and the quality drops fast.

From Tuesday the 8th onward, things get small and messy. The swell drops below 4ft, the periods either go short or long, and the wind is almost always onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy drops into the 200-400 range, which is weak. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions from Tuesday, September 8th, all the way through to the end of the outlook on Monday, September 21st. There are a couple of marginal days in there – like Thursday the 10th morning, and Friday the 18th morning – but nothing that’s going to get the heart racing. The wave energy stays low, the wind is unfriendly, and the swell is tiny.

To be honest, after that initial Sunday and Monday, the rest of the 16 days is a write-off. If you’re a beginner, the 5ft on Sunday might be a touch big, but it’s clean, so it’s doable. If you’re an expert, you’ll want to get on it Sunday afternoon before it all goes pear-shaped.

Rusty.

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