New Jersey
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 9mph WSW winds.
Late morning into early afternoon looks best — 2-3ft with 9mph WSW winds.
Best window·Monday 9AM–12PM·3-4ft·Good
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at 56th St., New Jersey. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 6s period, rated Fair. Midday is the call — 2-3ft waves with 10mph WSW winds and fair - good conditions. Morning is a bit bumpy but things clean up by late morning.
Fri, Sep 4: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on ESE swell at 7s with moderate WNW wind around 7mph. Things get a bit scrappier as the day goes on.
Sat, Sep 5: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor - Fair. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on N swell at 3s with 13mph from the NNW. It gets a bit messier later in the day.
Sun, Sep 6: 2–3+ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. Dawn patrol is the move — 1-2ft on NE swell at 4s with 17mph NNE winds. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Mon, Sep 7: 3–4ft, 10s period, rated Good. Dawn patrol is the move — 3-4ft on E swell at 8s with moderate NNW wind around 9mph. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 13mph from the SSE and dropping conditions to very poor.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
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Check 56th St. from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
56th Street is a quality beach break in Sea Isle City on the southern New Jersey coast, where the coastline angles to pick up SE swells particularly well from tropical systems and coastal storms. The shifting sandbars produce punchy, hollow peaks that reward experienced surfers, especially during fall hurricane season when powerful groundswells combine with NW offshore winds for clean, well-shaped conditions. A step up in consistency from the surrounding beaches.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at 56th St. is 2-3ft with a 5.8s swell period. Wind is WSW at 10mph. Conditions are rated Fair - Good. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at 56th St. is 2-3ft, produced by a 1.9ft E wind swell swell at 6s, a 1.7ft SE secondary swell at 9s, a 0.9ft SW wind swell swell at 2s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf 56th St. is Monday from 9 AM to 12 PM with 3ft waves, a 8.2s swell period, and conditions rated Good. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
56th St. works best with a SE swell and NW winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at 56th St.. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
56th St. is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to intermediate surfers. 56th Street is a quality beach break in Sea Isle City on the southern New Jersey coast, where the coastline angles to pick up SE swells particularly well from tropical systems and coastal storms. The shifting sandbars produce punchy, hollow peaks that reward experienced surfers, especially during fall hurricane season when powerful groundswells combine with NW offshore winds for clean, well-shaped conditions. A step up in consistency from the surrounding beaches.
The prime season at 56th St. is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at 56th St. include rip currents, shifting sandbars, crowded lineups in summer, cold water in winter, strong longshore drift. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our 56th St. forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable; extended forecasts show general trends. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
