Lighthouse Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let’s talk surf for the Point Judith Lighthouse area over the next sixteen days. I’m Rusty, and I’ll keep it real.

First thing’s first: it’s a rough start. From Monday, August 10th through Saturday, August 16th, we’ve got a solid week of nothing. Poor surf, tiny waves, and messy winds. Swell heights are barely 2 feet to 2 feet, all from the south or south-southwest, with short periods of 4 to 8 seconds. That’s just weak windswell. The winds are all over the place, but it doesn’t matter because there’s no energy. The combined swell energy is weak, mostly in the teens to low sixties. Don’t even bother.

We finally get a pulse on Monday, August 17th. The morning is the best we’ll see. A 5 foot swell from the south-southwest with a 7-second period. The combined energy hits 223 (moderate), which is the strongest of the whole run. The wind is light from the north, making for clean, offshore conditions. That’s your window. The break at Lighthouse (Point Judith) is a reef and point, and with that swell direction (optimum is SSE) and light offshore wind, it’s going to be clean. The water temp is 73°, which is about 1° warmer than normal – pretty average for this time of year. The session won’t be huge, but it’s the only decent one. The afternoon drops off, with the swell down to 4 feet and energy at 176.

After that, it’s back to the doldrums. Tuesday, August 18th brings a tiny 1 foot swell with a very long 15-second period from the southeast. That’s a groundswell, but it’s way too small to do anything useful, and the wind is onshore. The energy is moderate (111 to 155) but the waves are poor.

From the 19th through the 25th of August, it’s all poor surf. Swell heights are mostly under 3 feet, periods are all over the place, and the winds are generally cross-shore or onshore. There’s a bump on Friday the 21st with a 3 foot swell and fresh offshore winds, but the conditions are still rated poor. Saturday the 22nd sees a 4 foot swell from the southeast, but it’s onshore and only 6 seconds – that’s just choppy junk. The energy hits 211, but it’s not worth paddling out.

So, the only real standout is the morning of Monday, August 17th. That’s your one shot. Everything else is a long gap of poor conditions. The crowds at Lighthouse can show up sometimes, so keep an eye out. For beginners, the 5 foot swell might be a bit much, but for the experienced crew, it’s a solid little session.

To keep it short: a long, disappointing stretch from the 10th to the 16th, one decent morning on the 17th, then another long, quiet spell. Not great, but that’s the way it is. Forecasts can change, but for now, the 17th is your best bet.

Rusty.

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