Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Gather 'round, surf rats. Rusty here. Let's get straight into it for Block Island. This ain't a classic outlook, not by a long shot. We've got a long, dry spell ahead before any real hope shows up. The forecast is a tough one for the next week and a half, with a lot of junk to sift through.

The first week is a write-off. We're looking at a solid 11 days of mostly poor surf conditions. Wednesday the 29th kicks off with a heavy rain and a cross-onshore 25 mph SE wind, making a mess of things. The swell is a weak 6 ft from the SSE (258 total energy), but with that wind, you don't even want to look at it. It stays rough and choppy right through the end of the first week and into the second. Nothing is clean, nothing is consistent. It's a proper bust.

There's a flicker of hope on Thursday the 30th with a morning cross-off wind from the WNW, giving us a clean 5 ft S swell (303 energy), but the score is low and it's only a brief window. It's not enough to get excited about. The rest of the days through Sunday the 4th are plagued by onshore and cross-onshore winds, with most of the swell being small and short-period. It's a survivalist's game out there, not a surfer's.

Then, just when you're about to give up, the light at the end of the tunnel appears. The standout, the reason to keep your board waxed, is the morning of Sunday, August 9th. The wind switches to a clean offshore from the NW at 15 mph, grooming a 4 ft S swell with a long 11-second period. The combined energy is a solid 516, which is moderate and will hold some shape. The forecast says "expect very good surf conditions." This is the one. It's a point break that rarely breaks, so this is a rare treat. The downside? It's a long way out, so keep your fingers crossed.

The absolute best of the best, though, is the morning of Monday, August 10th. This is a proper pulse. We're looking at a 7 ft S swell with a very long 13-second period, and a clean, offshore NNW wind at only 6 mph. The combined energy is a massive 1275 – that's strong wave energy. The forecast says "excellent surf conditions for experienced surfers." This is a solid, powerful groundswell that will be too big for beginners, but for the experienced crew, it's a dream. The long period will make it a bit straight at the beach breaks, but for a point break like this, it's the perfect setup. The water temp is about 69°F, which is a bit colder than normal for this time of year, so don't forget a spring suit.

The afternoon of the 10th turns to crap with a cross-onshore wind, so it's a morning mission. The 11th and 12th offer some leftover swell (5 ft and 5 ft, SE) but the wind is poor again, so it's a mess. The 13th is a total write-off.

So, the bottom line: suffer through the first 11 days, then get ready for the mornings of August 9th and 10th. The 10th is the real standout. That's the one to circle on the calendar.

Rusty.

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