Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, crew, Rusty here. Let’s cut to the chase. This 16-day forecast for Block Island is mostly a bummer. We’ve got a long dry spell of weak, messy surf before one solid window shows up. Don't get too excited, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

For the next week and a half, we’re looking at mostly small, weak swell from the SSW, with onshore and cross-shore winds making a mess of things. The energy is weak, mostly under 100 (like 68, 80, 99) and only briefly touching the low 100s (106, 120). The period is short, 6 to 7 seconds, so it’s all wind-slop. The water is a bit colder than usual for this time of year, running about 2°F colder at 69°F.

There’s a couple of mornings on the 13th and 14th where it goes glassy, but the swell is just too small (about 3ft) to be worth the paddle out. Then the wind swings around and messes it up again.

The one and only standout is the morning of Saturday, August 15th. That’s over a week away, so take it with a grain of salt, but it’s the one to circle on the calendar. The swell jumps to a solid 7ft from the SSW, with an 8-second period. The energy reading jumps to 595 – that’s a huge spike and means there’s some serious power behind it. The wind is forecast to be glassy, which is exactly what you want.

With 7ft, that’s a proper size, and it’s not for beginners. It’s going to be too big for anyone just starting out. The period is still short, so it won’t be the cleanest, most powerful groundswell, but with that much energy and clean conditions, Block Island point should be firing. The good window is likely to be short, as the afternoon forecast calls for the wind to turn onshore.

Saturday afternoon the swell drops slightly to 7ft but the wind gets messy, so be on it early. The following morning, Sunday the 16th, still has some size (5ft) but the wind is cross-shore and it’s looking marginal.

After that, it’s all over. The swell backs right down to under 3ft and the winds are all over the place. It’s a dead end.

So there you have it. A whole lot of nothing, with one potentially epic morning on Saturday the 15th. It’s a one-shot deal, so hope the forecast holds. Otherwise, it looks like a good time to catch up on sleep.

Rusty out.

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