92nd Street Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s get this straight, folks. I’m looking at the surf outlook for 92nd Street, and truth be told, it’s a quiet stretch ahead. There’s no real swell to get excited about, with the waves staying small and the conditions mostly ordinary. We’ve got a 16-day window here, but for the first week or more, it’s going to be a grind.

Right now, starting Sunday the 16th of August, we’re in for a flat spell. The combined swell energy is weak, sitting at just (13) on Sunday morning, with a tiny 1.0ft wave from the SSE and a short period of 6 seconds. That’s not surf, that’s a ripple. On top of that, the wind is onshore from the south at 12 mph, so it’s messy. The water temp is 76°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, so at least a dip in the water won’t be a shock.

Monday the 17th offers a slight improvement, but we’re still in the “surfable but very ordinary” category. The swell bumps up a touch to 3ft from the SSE, period still short at 6 seconds, and the combined energy is weak at (62). The wind goes cross-offshore from the WNW at 6 mph, which will clean it up a bit, but it’s hardly firing. This theme continues through Tuesday, with similar small 2ft to 3ft waves and light winds – clean, but tiny.

After Tuesday the 18th, things drop off further. From Wednesday the 19th right through to the end of the month, we’re looking at wave heights sticking between 1.0ft and 2ft. Some days, like Thursday morning the 20th, it goes glassy with no wind, which is a positive for sure. You get a clean, smooth surface. But with combined wave energy stuck in the double digits or low triple digits (often between 20 and 80), there’s just no power behind them. Periods are mostly short, around 6-9 seconds, which means weak, crumbly waves.

There’s a small bump around Sunday the 30th and Monday the 31st. On Sunday the 30th morning, the swell hits 2ft from the SE with a 10-second period, and the combined energy pushes to (101) – moderate, but still small. The wind is light from the NE at 9 mph, so it stays clean. Then on Monday the 31st, it’s glassy in the morning, with light winds from the ENE and the same small 2ft swell. It’s surfable, but only just.

Honestly, there’s no standout window here. For a true swell to get hyped about, we need more size and energy. The late month shows a few days of moderate wave energy (100-136) on the 27th and 30th, but the height is still under 3ft, and the period is around 10-12 seconds – a little more push, but the size is letting it down. This area is known for being inconsistent, so a blank run like this isn’t out of the ordinary.

If you’re a kitesurfer, the stronger onshore winds on days like Sunday the 16th or Tuesday the 25th (with 19 mph winds) might look more interesting than what’s on offer for a paddle surfer. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game. Forecasts can change, but right now, the ocean is taking a nap.

- Rusty

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