Block Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s on offer for Block Island.

Honestly, right now, it’s a pretty flat spell. The first few days are looking like a total write-off for any decent waves. We’ve got a long stretch of tiny, weak, and messy surf from the 19th right through to the 26th of August. The swell is barely a shadow of itself, mostly around 1 ft to 2 ft, with short periods under 8 seconds, and the combined energy is weak, sitting in the doldrums (between 21 and 83). The winds are all over the place, mostly cross or onshore, leaving the surface choppy or just flat. It's a real bust for paddle surfing.

The one standout in this whole forecast comes later, around the 27th of August: a Thursday morning with a pulse of energy. We’ll see a 6 ft swell from the south, with a period of 7 seconds. The combined energy kicks up to a moderate 472, which is the strongest we’ll see. But here’s the catch—the wind is a strong 25 mph from the SSW, blowing cross-onshore, making it a messy, strong cross-onshore and messy scene. The setup at Block Island is a point break, but with that much wind and a short-period swell, it’s going to be a battle. Honestly, that setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing. Not the day for a clean line.

The 28th of August Friday morning shows a similar 6 ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is a fresh 19 mph from the WSW, blowing cross-shore with a lumpy cross-chop. The energy is strong at 409, but again, it’s rough. The water temp is about 70°, which is 0.9° cooler than average for this time of year, so pretty normal for August.

The week after that, from the 29th of August to the 3rd of September, we see things drop back down. The swell sizes are back to 2 ft to 4 ft, with moderate energy levels (between 70 and 235). The winds are a bit better, with some clean, cross-off conditions on the 29th and 2nd of September, but the swell is just too small and weak to get excited about. The 1st of September Tuesday morning has a 3 ft swell with a 12-second period, but the wind is a fresh 22 mph cross-onshore, so it’s lumpy again.

So, for the best bet, if you’re desperate, aim for the 29th of August Saturday morning. It’s not a standout by any means, but it’s the cleanest we get. The swell is 3 ft from the SE, period 8 seconds, with a moderate combined energy of 147. The wind is a fresh 19 mph from the west, blowing cross-offshore, keeping the surface clean. The break is Block Island, a point, and it’s a rare-breaking spot. It’s intermediate-level, and crowds are often a thing here. It’s not a day for beginners, but for a local who knows the lineup, it’s the only window with a chance at a clean, rideable wave.

Rusty.

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