47th Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards for the next couple of weeks.

Well, I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough one for the foreseeable future. The surf forecast isn't giving us much to work with. We're looking at a long stretch of pretty flat conditions, and the few times there’s a bump of energy, the wind and quality aren't playing ball. It’s a case of patience being a virtue, and honestly, a lot of you might be better off doing something else for a while.

Let’s start with the next few days. The water is running at a very warm 77°F, which is a solid 4°F above the norm for this time of year. That’s notably warmer than usual, so if you’re just having a swim, you’re in luck. For surfing? Not so much.

Through Sunday the 19th and Monday the 20th, we’ve got almost nothing. Swell is a pathetic 0.3 ft from the SE, with energy readings so low (7 to 14) they’re barely a ripple. The wind is cross-offshore on Sunday, which is clean, but it’s just not enough to push a wave. Monday, the wind shifts cross-onshore, making it choppy on top of the flatness. Not a single wave worth paddling for.

Tuesday the 21st sees a small jump in swell to about 3 ft to 3 ft from the SSE/S, but the period is a terrible 5 seconds. That’s just windswell with no power. The combined energy is still weak (51-52), and the wind is a cross-shore mess, turning into a fresh breeze in the afternoon with lumpy chop. The surf quality is poor. Don’t bother.

Wednesday the 22nd and Thursday the 23rd morning are completely flat – zero swell energy. The wind is offshore, which is a tease, but there’s nothing to ride. Thursday afternoon, we get a tiny whisper of 2 ft SE swell at 8 seconds, with a glassy wind. Energy is weak (31). It’s clean, but it’s so small you’ll be fighting for a knee-high dribble.

Friday the 24th and Saturday the 25th offer a slight improvement in consistency, but the swell is still tiny, peaking at 2 ft from the SE with a short period of 7 seconds. The energy is crawling up to 44, which is still weak. The wind is light or glassy in the mornings, so the surface will be clean, but the waves are just too small for a proper ride. Saturday afternoon gets cross-onshore and choppy again.

From Sunday the 26th all the way through to the end of the period on Monday the 3rd of August, it’s a grim read. The swell stays mostly below 2 ft, with the exception of a pulse on Tuesday the 28th afternoon. That’s the only real standout, but it comes with a big caveat.

Tuesday the 28th afternoon: We see a swell of 5 ft from the S with a period of just 6 seconds. The combined energy jumps to 142, which is moderate. But the wind is a fresh 22 mph from the S, creating a fresh cross-shore and lumpy cross-chop. The wave quality is poor. For a beach/jetty setup like 47th Street (Virginia Beach), that’s a messy, blown-out, short-period mess. It’s the biggest swell of the forecast, but it’s not a surfer’s swell. Honestly, with that much wind on a beach break, it’s looking more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The rest of the week is tiny, weak, and often cross-onshore or choppy. The water temp stays warm, but the surf is a no-go.

So, to sum it up: there is no standout session. The best on offer is a clean, glassy morning on Thursday the 23rd or Friday the 24th for a tiny, gentle wave, but it’s not worth a special trip. The only moderate energy day (Tuesday the 28th) is a write-off due to wind. The entire 16-day window is a write-off for anything decent. Gaps of several days with no recommendations are the norm here. Keep your gear in the car, but don’t hold your breath.

Rusty.

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