Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for Block Island over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this is a tough one. The whole 16-day window is looking pretty grim. There are no good surf options on the table at all. We’re looking at a blank run that stretches from the end of August all the way through to mid-September. Every single session is flagged as poor surf conditions, with scores of zero. It’s the kind of run that’s more normal for this area when the summer pattern just won't let go.

The only break on the radar is Block Island (Block Island). This is a point break that’s exposed to the swell but rarely breaks, and it's often crowded when it does. Over the next two weeks, that won't be an issue.

Let’s walk through the dates. Sunday the 30th of August starts off with a tiny 1 ft swell from the SE, period of 8 seconds, and a cross-shore wind. The combined energy is a weak 35. By the afternoon, the swell swaps to the SW at 3 ft but with a miserable 4-second period – that's just wind slop.

Monday the 31st is more of the same: tiny 1 ft SE swell with a light cross-shore, offering a combined energy of just 38. Tuesday the 1st of September brings light rain and a 1 ft SE swell with an onshore wind. The energy drops to 18. Pathetic.

We get a little bump mid-week. On Wednesday the 2nd of September, the swell picks up to 6 ft from the ESE, but the period is a short 6 seconds and the wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph. The combined energy jumps to 325, but it’s lumpy and messy. That size, with those winds, you’d be better off looking at it for a kite session than a paddle. Thursday the 3rd is similar, around 4 ft from the SE, but with risk of thunderstorms and a choppy cross-onshore.

Friday the 4th of September finally shows a clean window. The wind goes light offshore from the N at 9 mph, and the swell is a tiny 2 ft from the ESE. It’s clean, but there’s just no power. The energy is only 58.

Saturday the 5th of September morning is clear with a light offshore breeze and a 2 ft ESE swell. Clean, but again, tiny. Afternoon goes to crap with a strong cross-onshore.

The second week doesn't get any better. From Sunday the 6th through to Monday the 14th of September, we see a mix of tiny swells, short periods, and onshore or cross-shore winds. There’s a moment on Wednesday the 9th where a longer-period groundswell (12 seconds) from the SSE shows up with a combined energy of 146, but the wind is onshore and the swell is only 2 ft. Useless. On Sunday the 13th, the swell builds to 7 ft from the SSW with a 6-second period and a cross-shore wind, giving a combined energy of 360. That’s a lot of water moving, but with that short period and cross-shore, it’s going to be a washing machine. For experts only, and even then, it’s not looking good.

The water temp is about average for the time of year, nothing weird going on there.

Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this outlook is a dud. The forecasts can change, and it tends not to stay this poor for long, so keep an eye on it. But for now, leave the boards in the van.

Rusty.

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