Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the outlook for Block Island. To be straight with you, it’s a tough stretch ahead. The first week and a half is pretty much a write-off, with only a couple of windows that might get you excited, but I’ll walk you through it all.

The main standout is a clean, punchy run of swell on Friday, September 11th. That’s the real highlight. The run starts on the Thursday afternoon before, with a big, lumpy 7ft swell from the SW that’s too messy for a paddle, but it’s setting the stage. Then Friday morning brings a clean 5ft swell from the SSW, with a period of 8 seconds, and light offshore winds from the NNE at 9 mph. The combined energy is a solid 292 (moderate), and it’s clean. The afternoon even steps it up a notch: same 5ft SSW swell, but the wind drops to a light 6 mph breeze from the NNE, keeping it glassy. Combined energy hits 310 (moderate). This is the best on offer—a solid, clean intermediate wave. The swell direction from the SSW matches the optimum SE direction reasonably well, and with it being a point break, that longer-period groundswell (8 seconds) will wrap in nicely. Just be aware, Block Island is described as a spot that rarely breaks, so this window is a genuine treat. Crowds are often there, so you won’t be alone.

Before that, it’s a long, dry spell. From Tuesday, September 1st through to Thursday, September 10th, there’s nothing worth paddling out for. The first week is plagued by tiny, weak swell (mostly under 2ft) and poor wind conditions—cross-onshore, cross-shore, or just messy. The combined energy values are low, often below 100 (weak). The only real blip is a 5ft ESE swell on Wednesday, September 2nd, but with a short period of 6 seconds and a strong cross-shore wind, it’s chopped and blown out. Not worth it.

After the Friday highlight, things drop off again. Saturday, September 12th sees a small, onshore 3ft swell from the SSW with a southerly wind blowing straight onshore—poor quality. The rest of the second week is a mix of tiny, clean conditions but no real swell to work with. The consistent pattern is very small waves (1.0ft to 2ft) with clean offshore winds, but the energy is too weak to form a rideable wave. The combined energy rarely breaks 100. It’s a surf-starved stretch.

Water temperature is about 70°F, which is 0.5°F above normal—essentially average for the time of year, nothing to worry about.

So, to sum it up: if you can wait, aim for Friday, September 11th on Block Island. It’s the only real standout. The rest of the 16 days is a long gap of poor or tiny surf. It’s a tough period, but forecasts can change, so keep an eye on the sky.

Rusty.

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