47th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Right then, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what 47th Street has on offer for the next couple of weeks.

To be straight with you, the start of this forecast is a flat spell. We’re looking at over a week of tiny, weak, and mostly poor surf. From Monday the 17th through to Friday the 28th of August, the swell is barely a ripple, with heights stuck under three feet and combined energy readings mostly in the low teens to twenties (e.g. 0–28). You’d be wasting your time paddling out for those knee-high, weak waves, even with some clean or glassy mornings like Thursday the 20th and Saturday the 22nd. There’s just no push.

Things finally start to show a pulse around the end of the month. On the morning of Sunday, the 30th of August, we get a spike in energy with the combined swell reading hitting 351. The swell is coming from the east at a head-high 5ft, but with a short period of 8 seconds – so it’s a bit of a junky windswell, not a groundswell. The wind is light and cross-off from the SSW, keeping conditions tidy. It’s not a classic day, but it’s the only window where the size gets over three feet and the surf is rated as “good” by the numbers. That morning is the standout, though the afternoon gets a bit messy as the wind picks up onshore. This spot is a beach/jetty setup, and with that short-period swell, expect it to be a bit walled and dumpy rather than offering long walls.

After that, the swell fades again quickly into the first couple of days of September, dropping back to knee-high and weak.

So there you go: one promising morning on the 30th, but don’t expect much else. The water here is a touch warmer than normal at about 78°F. Crowds are often an issue at 47th Street, so even on that Sunday morning, expect company. It’s been a lean run, but these flat spells don’t last forever, and a few more degrees of swell direction or a longer period could change everything.

Rusty.

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