48th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get stuck into this one.

Honestly, if you’re looking to paddle out at 48th Street , you’re gonna be waiting a good long while. We’ve got a rough stretch ahead. From Wednesday the 29th of July all the way through to the morning of Monday the 3rd of August, it’s basically a write-off. The swell is tiny, the wind is all over the shop, and there’s just no energy to speak of. The combined wave energy is barely cracking 70 (61) on the best of those days, and that’s just not enough to get excited about. You’ll be bobbing around on crumbly, weak lines.

Now, things start to get a little interesting on Monday the 3rd of August. We get a bit of a bump in the forecast, with a 3 ft SSE swell rolling in, and the period stretches out to a reasonable 7 seconds. The real highlight of that day is the Monday afternoon session. The wind goes completely glassy at 0 mph, and the water is a warm 75° – that’s bang on average for this time of year. The combined energy hits 108 (moderate), so there’s some push. It’s not going to be pumping, but it’ll be a clean little window for a log or a funboard. The break is rated as ‘intermediate’ and consistent, so you shouldn’t be fighting for scraps.

The next sniff of something worthwhile comes on Thursday the 6th of August. The morning session sees the swell height jump to 4 ft from the SSE, and the combined energy rockets up to 227 (moderate). It’s a bit of a stark reminder that it’s still a short period swell at 6 seconds, so it’ll be a bit lumpy and lack that real punch. The wind is light and cross-shore, so it’ll be rideable, but I wouldn’t call it a standout.

Now, hold onto your board, because the real standout is tucked away at the end of the forecast. Sunday the 9th of August is the day to circle. The morning kicks off with a solid 5 ft SE groundswell, and a very long period of 12 seconds. The combined energy is a whopping 751 (strong). The wind is a clean cross-off from the north at 16 mph, so it’ll be a bit breezy but still offering clean faces. But the Sunday afternoon session is the absolute gem. The swell holds at 5 ft, the period stretches to 13 seconds, and the combined energy hits 870 (strong). The wind backs off to a gentle 9 mph from the NNW, still cross-off, and the report says to expect very good surf conditions. This is the one. 48th Street is a beach/jetty break, so a long-period groundswell like this might make it a bit straight and fast, but with that much energy and clean wind, it’s going to be a proper session for the more experienced crew. This swell is too big for beginners, but for the intermediates and up, it’s a go.

The following week is a bit of a mixed bag. The swell hangs around, but the wind swings onshore. Monday the 10th through to Wednesday the 12th of August sees the wind go cross-on or onshore, making conditions choppy and messy, despite the decent swell (4 ft to 5 ft) and long periods. The energy is still strong (530 to 662), but it’s not going to be pretty. There’s a small window on Wednesday afternoon the 12th with a cross-off breeze and a 3 ft swell, but it’s a step down in size.

So, to sum it up: the first week is a bust. The best bet is the Sunday the 9th of August afternoon at 48th Street. That’s the one with the energy, the period, and the clean wind. The Monday the 3rd of August glass-off is a nice little consolation prize for the patient ones.

Catch you in the lineup.
Rusty.

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