New Jersey
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.
Sat, May 16: 2–3ft, 10s period, rated Poor. Midday is the call — 2-3ft waves with 15mph out of the S and poor conditions.
Sun, May 17: 2–3ft, 8s period, rated Fair. Early morning is your best window — 2-3ft waves on SSE swell at 6s with gentle W breeze. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 14mph from the S and dropping conditions to poor.
Mon, May 18: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Slim pickings today — 1-2ft and poor with glassy conditions. Expect the wind to bump up to around 11mph by PM.
Tue, May 19: 1–2ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1-2ft and mostly poor with 8mph SW winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 14mph.
Wed, May 20: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with 10mph from the SSW. Afternoon breeze fills in to 16mph.
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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 9.55s swell period. Wind is S at 8mph and conditions are rated Fair. 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 primary swell at 10s, a 1.2ft SE secondary swell at 8s, a 0.7ft SSW wind swell swell at 3s. 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 Sunday from 10 AM to 1 PM with 2ft waves, a 8s swell period, and conditions rated Fair. 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. See the forecast accuracy card above for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
