Rock Island Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Rock Island over the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, the first week and a half is a write-off. We’re lookin’ at a real flat spell with tiny, gutless slop and onshore winds messin’ up any chance of a wave. From Sunday the 19th through to Monday the 27th of July, it’s a total desert. You’ll see a few knee-high bumps, but the combined energy is tanked – mostly well under 100 (18 to 32) – and the wind is either howlin’ onshore or just wrong. There’s a few glassy moments on the 22nd, 23rd, and 25th, but with swell heights at 0.3 ft to 1 ft, it’s not even worth paddlin’ out. It’s a frustrating stretch, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.

Now, Tuesday the 28th of July is where things finally wake up. The morning session is the real standout here. We’ve got a solid 4 ft S swell rollin’ in, with a lovely 14-second period – that’s proper groundswell, folks. The wind is a light ENE breeze, so it’s clean off the beach, and the combined energy punches up to 517. Good energy, good shape. The water’s sittin’ at 79°, which is bang on average for this time of year.

Wednesday the 29th of July morning has a bit more size – 4 ft from the SSW, same long 14-second period, and the energy is even higher at 702. But the wind is SSW, straight onshore, so it’s gonna be bumpy and messy. That’s a tough one to get excited about. The afternoon gets even worse with the wind crankin’ to 19 mph onshore.

The early part of the second week, from Thursday the 30th through Friday the 31st, the swell hangs around but the wind is just too strong onshore for it to be any good. The energy drops from 349 down to 111, and it’s all choppy, lumpy, and blown out.

Saturday the 1st of August sees a bump in size – 5 ft from the SSW in the morning – but it’s a short-period 8-second wind swell and the wind is cross-onshore at 16 mph. That’s a messy, lumpy combo, not a clean paddle. The energy is 432, but with that wind, it’s a kite surfer’s playground, not a surfer’s.

Sunday the 2nd of August and Monday the 3rd of August bring a shift to SE swell with a long 17 to 18-second period, and the energy really ramps up – 272 on Sunday, and a whopping 838 on Monday morning. But the wind stays cross-onshore, which keeps the surface choppy and makes it hard to enjoy. Monday morning could be a look, with 4 ft and 838 energy, but you’ll be dealin’ with wind ripples.

The single best window is the morning of Tuesday the 28th of July. That’s your pick of the entire 16-day span. The rest of the fortnight is either flat, blown out, or a battle with the wind. Keep your eyes on the forecast, though – it’s a long way out and things can change.

Rusty.

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