North Pier (Narragansett) Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s talk about what’s happening in the water over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta level with you – it’s a bleak stretch ahead at North Pier (Narragansett). The sniff of a pulse tries to show up on Monday morning, August 3rd, with a 7 ft swell rolling in from the south, carrying moderate energy (515). Problem is, that wind is howling out of the SSW at 22 mph, ripping cross-offshore, and the whole thing just looks messy. The period is a short 8 seconds, so it’s just lumpy, onshore slop. Not worth suiting up for that.

Tuesday morning, August 4th, is the closest we get to a window. The swell drops to 3 ft from the south, period still short at 8 seconds, and energy is moderate (125). But the wind flickers to a light offshore breeze out of the west at 3 mph, and that cleans things up. The water temp is about average for this time of year. It’s surfable, but it’s very, very ordinary. You’ll find something to ride, but it’s not going to be a day you remember.

After that morning, it’s a long, slow slide into nothing. From Tuesday afternoon right through to the end of the forecast on August 18th, the swell just dribbles away. Wednesday morning the 5th sees tiny 2 ft south swell with a period of 7 seconds and weak energy (46), and the wind is a messy light cross-shore from the south. It’s poor surf conditions, and the pattern just repeats day after day, with swell heights dropping to 0.3 ft or 1.0 ft, and the energy falling into single digits. There’s a brief moment on the morning of August 11th with a moderate offshore breeze from the west at 12 mph, but the swell is still only 2 ft with a 6-second period and weak energy (31). You’re looking at ankle-high dribble.

The only real standout, if you can call it that, is the one Tuesday morning on August 4th. That’s your best shot. The swell is 3 ft from the south, wind is light offshore, and the break is fairly consistent. It’s a sheltered spot, so it doesn’t need a huge swell to work. Even then, it’s a 3 ft wave – it’s not going to roar. Crowds are possible at North Pier, so you might have company for that small, ordinary surf.

The rest of the two weeks is a blank run. A serious gap of about 14 days with no real options. It’s one of those stretches where the forecast shows a pulse early, then just flatlines. For a sheltered spot like this, a run like this isn’t entirely abnormal, but it’s frustrating. If the wind stays offshore on that Tuesday morning, you might get a clean little wave. That’s your only window.

Stay tuned, forecasts can change.

Rusty.

Read more