Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let's talk about Block Island. I’ve been staring at the charts and the outlook is lean. This is a 16-day window, and the first solid two weeks are a total write-off for any decent paddle session. You’re looking at a long gap of nothing until the very end.

Right now, and for the next several days, the wave energy is just pathetic. We’re talking combined energies barely scratching 19 to 36 (weak). The wind is mostly cross or cross-on, and the swell is tiny, often under 3 feet and short period. Don’t even bother paddling out this week. It’s a total flat spell.

The first real bump in the road comes on Thursday, September 10th. The swell lifts to 7 feet from the SW, with a combined energy of 499 (moderate). But here’s the kicker – the wind is howling from the WSW at 19 mph, cross-shore, making it a lumpy, choppy mess. That’s not surf, that’s a washing machine. That might be interesting for the kite surfers, but for a paddle surfer, it’s a hard pass.

There’s a brief moment on Friday, September 11th morning where the wind goes offshore from the NNW at 12 mph, and the swell is 3 feet, but the energy is only 76 (weak). The period is short at 7 seconds. It would be clean, but there’s just no push. You’d be bobbing around more than riding.

The pattern continues with small, weak surf until we get to September 20th. Sunday the 20th brings a bump in swell from the E and ENE, hitting 6 to 6 feet, with combined energy jumping to 204 and 225 (moderate). But the wind is onshore or cross-onshore, so it’s going to be choppy and messy. Not a standout.

The best chance, and I mean the only chance, comes on the very last day of the forecast – Thursday, September 24th. This is the one to watch, but it’s long-range, so keep your expectations in check. The morning session shows a 3 feet swell from the S, but the period is a very long 18 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell. The combined energy is 427 (moderate), and the wind is cross-offshore from the NNE at 12 mph, which will keep the surface clean. Because that long period swell will be breaking straight at a beach setup, the quality might be a bit walled-off, but it’s the only window with a real chance of a clean, lined-up wave. For Block Island, a point break, that long period groundswell is actually a good thing.

Bottom line: there’s nothing to get excited about for the first two weeks. The true standout, if it holds, is the morning of Thursday, September 24th. That’s your best bet for a clean, offshore session. Be patient.

- Rusty

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