55th Street Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’ve had a good look at what’s coming up for 55th Street Pier. Honestly, it’s a tough run. We’re looking at a long stretch of tiny, weak surf with hardly any energy to speak of. The first recommendation doesn’t come in until Friday the 10th of July, and even then, it’s a real struggle. Let me walk you through it.

The Overall Picture

For the next couple of weeks, the swell is flat to ankle-high at best. The water temperature is sitting at a warm 75°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so it’s pleasant for a paddle, but there’s just no push in the water. The combined swell energy is mostly in the single digits, right down to zero for days at a time – that’s about as weak as it gets. We’ve got a solid 10-day gap from the start of the forecast with nothing worth chasing. It’s a proper lull.

Looking at the Options

The only spot on the cards is 55th Street Pier. It’s a beach and jetty setup, fairly exposed, and it can handle a swell, but there’s just nothing on the way.

- Friday 10th July (Morning): We start with a tiny 1.0 ft swell from the east, with a period of 8 seconds. The wind is light offshore from the WNW at 6 mph. While that offshore wind would be a dream for clean conditions, the swell energy is a pathetic 21. It’s clean but gutless. The afternoon stays poor.

- Saturday 11th July: A slight bump to 2 ft, but the period drops to a dreadful 3 seconds, and we’ve got cross-onshore wind. That’s a choppy, messy mess. Avoid.

- Sunday 12th July through to the end: The swell barely flickers. We see similar tiny heights, sometimes hitting 2 ft on the afternoon of the 19th, but the winds are onshore or cross-on. The periods are often below 8 seconds, meaning weak, short-interval slop. Even when the wind goes glassy or offshore, like on Thursday the 16th with a glassy morning, the swell is only 0.3 ft – not rideable.

The Standout (If You Can Call It That)

If you’re absolutely desperate for a surf, the best the whole period offers is very slim. I wouldn’t pick a standout. The only fleeting moment with half-decent shape might be late on Friday the 10th morning, when it’s clean and offshore. But at 1.0 ft and 21 energy units, you’ll be fighting for any kind of ride. It’s a true beginner-only, longboard-or-foamie morning, and even then, it’s a grind.

For the rest of the window, it’s a case of checking the buoys and hoping for a change. With the swell energy so consistently low, this setup looks more interesting for a stand-up paddle or a quiet beach walk than paddle surfing. Forecasts can change, but right now, this is a pretty blank run for the area.

Stay patient, keep an eye on the skies.

Rusty.

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