Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, I’m looking at the next 16 days here, and I gotta be straight with you – it’s a tough stretch for Block Island. This spot is a point break that rarely breaks, and unfortunately, the next couple of weeks are living up to that reputation. The water temp is sitting at 72°, which is bang on average for this time of year, so at least the water’s nice if you’re just floating.

We’re starting off now, and for the first week, it’s pretty much a write-off. The swell is tiny, with heights barely scraping 2 ft, and the energy is weak – you’re looking at readings in the teens and twenties (19-53). The winds are mostly cross or onshore, and the guidance is calling it “poor surf conditions” every single day. There’s a glimmer of hope on the morning of Tuesday, August 18th, with a bit of clean cross-off wind and some 3 ft swell from the SE, period around 8 seconds, and energy hitting 171 – but it’s still considered “surfable but very ordinary.” Not exactly a call to action.

Then it gets worse. From the 19th through the 24th, we’re in a proper flat spell. Swell drops to 0.7 ft to 1 ft, energy is in the gutter (22-54), and the winds are all over the place. Even a glassy period on the afternoon of August 20th can’t save it – there’s just no wave to work with.

The second week shows a bit of a pulse, but it’s not for the faint-hearted. Around Tuesday, August 25th, the swell bumps up to 6 ft from the SSW, with a short, weak period of 6 seconds and energy jumping to 242. But the wind is a moderate cross-onshore, and the conditions are still described as “poor.” That’s a lot of lumpy, choppy water for not much reward. August 26th sees a drop in size to 3 ft and cleaner offshore wind from the NW, but it’s still a far cry from good.

August 27th brings a long-period groundswell from the SE, period hitting 12 seconds and energy at 114, but the swell is only 2 ft. That long period would look great at a point, but there’s no power behind it. August 31st has a little more size – 3 ft to 4 ft from the SW, period still short at 6 seconds, energy up to 183, but the wind is onshore or cross-shore.

Honestly, mate, there’s no standout session here. The best you could hope for is the morning of Tuesday, August 18th, for a tiny, clean wave that’s barely surfable. Everything else is a flat, blown-out, or weak mess. If you’ve got a kite, August 25th might be more interesting for you than a paddle.

Rusty.

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