Surf Forecasts:
Block Island surf forecast from 19 Aug 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Monday 24 Aug, 5PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 7s period, SSW swell with 175 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Block Island this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Block Island in the next 16 days are 1.4m 7s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Aug 24) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.4m 3s period and expected on Thursday (Aug 20) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Mon 24th Aug) | 4.5ft (1.4m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Block Island over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight. I’ve given the charts the once-over, and for our stretch of coast, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty bleak for getting a proper wave. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, wind-blown junk, and it’ll test your patience.
The good news is there is a pulse of energy showing up way out there, but it’s a long way off. We’re looking at a solid run of days where the swell is just too weak to do anything with. From the 18th through the 27th, you’re looking at a whole lot of nothing, with waves mostly under 3 ft and a lot of onshore breeze making a mess of things. Tuesday the 20th has some clean conditions, but there’s barely a ripple to ride, so it’s not worth getting excited about.
There is a slight bump in energy around Monday the 24th, with the swell picking up to a bit over 4 ft. It’s still coming from the south, which puts us in a bit of a shadow, and the wind is cross-onshore, so honestly, it’s not going to be pretty. Still a no-go for me.
Now, we gotta look way out to the end of the month. The real swell event lines up for the 29th and 30th of August. We’re talking a proper pulse of south swell with combined energy values jumping up into the 200s and 300s – that’s a solid push of energy. This is the one to keep an eye on. On Saturday the 29th, the swell hits around 4 ft from the south, and with a light cross-onshore wind, it could clean up, especially if the swell direction holds. The water is 70°, which is about average for this time of year. It’s a glimmer of hope, but it’s over a week away, so treat it as promising, not guaranteed.
Our best bet in this whole window is Block Island (point break) on Sunday, August 30th. The swell is a touch smaller, dropping to 3-4 ft, but that’s fine for this spot. The key here is the strong NNE cross-offshore wind, which will make for clean, workable conditions. It’ll be a bit more manageable than the day before. This spot is rarely breaking, so when it does line up, you need to be on it. But there’s a catch: it’s a point break, and the swell direction seems to be from the south, which might not be its absolute optimum (it likes SE), and it can get crowded when it’s good, so expect a few other dedicated souls out there. With a period of 7-8 seconds, it’s a mix of wind and ground swell, not the long-period stuff, so it might not be classic. Still, it’s the only option that looks like it has any real quality, and given how rare that is, I’d be making plans for that last Sunday of the month.
Don’t hold your breath for the days before or after. The run from the 18th to the 27th is a complete write-off. The good news is it tends not to stay this flat for long, and the models are showing that pulse of energy, so there’s reason to be hopeful. Forecasts change, but this is the plan for now.
That’s all from me. Stay patient.
Rusty
Short Range ForecastSome drizzle, heaviest during Tue night. Warm (max 25°C on Wed morning, min 19°C on Fri morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryLight rain (total 5mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 25°C on Mon afternoon, min 17°C on Sat afternoon). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the E on Sat afternoon, calm by Sun afternoon). | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 19 | Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | ||||||||||||||
Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 9 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | E 4 | E 5 | E 6 | S 6 | S 5 | SSW 5 | S 6 | SSW 7 | SSW 6 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
51 | 41 | 24 | 38 | 21 | 13 | 16 | 34 | 33 | 17 | 20 | 51 | 106 | 85 | 37 | 61 | 101 | 175 | 56 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | off | off | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off |
High Tide | 1:02AM0.69m | 1:51PM0.84m | 1:59AM0.63m | 2:56PM0.80m | 3:09AM0.60m | 4:02PM0.79m | 4:20AM0.60m | 5:03PM0.80m | 5:21AM0.64m | 5:53PM0.83m | 6:12AM0.69m | 6:36PM0.86m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:30AM0.19m | 8:37PM0.25m | 7:19AM0.23m | 9:43PM0.27m | 8:42AM0.25m | 10:43PM0.26m | 10:14AM0.24m | 11:34PM0.23m | 11:15AM0.22m | 00:18AM0.20m | 12:06PM0.18m | 00:57AM0.14m | |||||||
— | 5:58 | — | — | 6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
7:40 | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:34 | — | — | 7:31 | — | |
mm | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 21 | 24 | 23 | 25 | 25 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 12 | 14 | 19 | 22 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 7 | SSE 6 | SE 9 | SE 6 | SE 7 | SE 7 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 13 | SE 9 | SE 13 | E 5 | S 5 | ESE 6 | S 6 | SE 11 | SSW 6 |
51 | 41 | 24 | 38 | 21 | 13 | 16 | 34 | 33 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 37 | 8 | 101 | 19 | 56 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 7 | SE 10 | SE 8 | SSE 6 | WSW 3 | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 7 | SE 14 | SSW 5 | S 5 | SE 13 | SE 9 | ESE 7 | ESE 7 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 11 | SE 11 |
23 | 15 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 22 | 21 | 31 | 18 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 11 | — | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | S 6 | — | SE 15 | — | ESE 5 | SW 5 | — | SE 9 | SE 12 | SE 12 | SE 8 | — | — | ESE 6 |
12 | — | 14 | 13 | 12 | 2 | — | 8 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 3 | 23 | 22 | 2 | — | — | 4 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 2 | S 6 | SSW 3 | SSW 3 | — | — | NW 3 | NE 3 | E 4 | E 4 | E 4 | E 5 | E 6 | S 6 | — | SSW 5 | — | SSW 7 | WSW 4 |
1 | 19 | 4 | 7 | — | — | 1 | 2 | 9 | 12 | 20 | 51 | 106 | 85 | — | 61 | — | 175 | 7 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 24 | 34 | 195 | 204 | 159 | 198 | 198 | 207 | 1008 | 198 | 775 | 415 | 426 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Rhode Island | |||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Block Island Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Block Island provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Block Island can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Block Island surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Block Island) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Block Island may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Block Island is 33 km (20 miles) from Westerly. If you plan a vacation in Rhode Island, look for hotels and other accommodation in Westerly. Westerly has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.











