48th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get straight into it. The next 16 days are looking pretty grim for 48th Street. I’ve got to be honest with you, there’s not a whole lot to get excited about. We’re looking at a long stretch of poor surf conditions, with a few small windows of what I’d call "ordinary" waves at best.

Right from the start, Thursday morning has a 3ft SSE swell with a short 8-second period, but it’s coming with a 16 mph cross-shore wind from the NNE. That’s a mess. The combined wave energy is just 129 (moderate), but the wind is ruining any chance of a clean wave. The rest of July and into early August is much the same story: small, weak swells, often under 3ft, and onshore or cross-shore winds. The 23rd and 24th are a write-off.

There’s a bit of a pulse on Tuesday the 28th. The swell jumps to 6ft from the SSW with a 7-second period, and the combined energy hits 440 (strong). But the wind is a light cross-onshore from the SSE, so it’s only considered marginal. The surf will be there, but it’ll be lumpy and hard to ride. Not the day for a log, and definitely not for beginners.

Things start to get interesting around Wednesday the 29th. The swell drops back to 3ft, but a light offshore flow from the NW and a glassy morning on Thursday the 30th make for clean conditions. The combined energy is 113 (moderate) on the 30th. These are surfable, but very ordinary waves. The period is still short, around 7-9 seconds, so the waves will be a bit weak and crumbly. It’s a good session for a longboard or a funboard, but if you’re looking for a barrel, you’ll be disappointed.

The end of the first week and into the second week is a desert. The swell stays tiny, often below 2ft, and the wind is all over the place. There’s a glimmer on Sunday, August 2nd, with a clean 3ft SSE swell and a light offshore wind from the WSW in the morning. The combined energy is 111 (moderate). That’s the best of the second week, but still just ordinary.

The standout? Honestly, there isn’t a true standout in this 16-day window. The best on offer is probably the morning of Thursday, July 30th. It’s a 3ft SSE swell, 9-second period, glassy calm wind, and the combined energy is 113 (moderate). The waves will be super clean, but small and gutless. After that, the morning of Sunday, August 2nd, is the next best bet, with a similar setup but a little more wind. These are the only two sessions I’d even bother checking.

For the rest of the time, the water temp is about average for the time of year, so no need to worry about a wetsuit, but you’ll be spending more time sitting on your board than riding waves. The forecast is reliable for the near-term, but the long-range looks just as poor. It’s a blank run, and that’s just how it goes sometimes. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d be finding something else to do.

Rusty.

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