55th Street Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m Rusty, and I’ve been staring at the charts for 55th Street Pier. I gotta be straight with you—this stretch of the forecast is a tough one. There’s barely a ripple worth paddling for, and nothing that’s going to get your heart pumping. The water’s sitting at 76°, which is a bit warmer than usual for this time of year, so at least you won’t be freezing if you’re just floating around.

The 16-day window starts now, and honestly, there’s a big fat gap of poor to non-existent surf right through the first week. From Wednesday afternoon, August 19, all the way through to the end of August, it’s a write-off. Swell heights are tiny, barely scraping 1.0 ft to 1 ft most days, and when the wind does go glassy or offshore—like Thursday morning, August 20—the energy is so weak (combined energy of all swells directed here sitting at just 13) that you’re just waiting for nothing. The swell is short-period, mostly around 4 to 9 seconds, so there’s no push. A few afternoons have a clean look, like Saturday, August 22, with a light cross-off breeze, but the waves are totally flat. It’s a frustrating stretch of small, weak, and often onshore wind slop.

Now, we do eventually see a slight lift as we move into the first days of September. On Wednesday morning, September 2, the combined energy of all swells directed here bumps up to 129, which is moderate but still nothing exciting. The swell is 2 ft from the southeast with a period of 11 seconds—a bit more groundswell character, but the wind is onshore from the east, messing up the surface. The best chance in this whole 16-day window comes on Thursday morning, September 3. The wind swings light from the southwest, cross-offshore, and things look clean. Swell is 2 ft from the east, period 8 seconds—still small, but at least the combined energy is 80, and it’s surfable. The wave comment says “surfable waves but very ordinary conditions,” which is the best we’ll see. That’s your standout, but it’s a real low bar. 55th Street Pier is a beach/jetty break, consistent, and exposed to the northeast, but with this tiny swell, it won’t be doing much. Crowds are sometimes an issue here, but honestly, I doubt anyone will be out.

This is a long, quiet period. The area just isn’t firing. If you’re desperate, Thursday morning, September 3, is your window—but keep your expectations tiny. For the rest, it’s a blank run, which is normal for this area when the swell goes missing.

Rusty.

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