Swimming at Block Island Beach today
New Shoreham, Rhode Island
Updated 4:00 AM EDT
What decides a swimming score
Before you swim
Surf is running 3.5 ft today, which makes shorebreak and currents stronger than usual.
Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower, and check the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for the official rip-current outlook — we report conditions, we don't forecast rip currents.
Block Island Beach is also scored for
About Block Island Beach
Block Island Beach sits on the Rhode Island coast, where the water runs from about 41°F in February to 72°F in July.
The water averages above 70°F in July and August — 2 months of the year — peaking around 72°F in July and dropping to about 41°F in February.
Today it is 64°F. That is 1° above the October average of 63°F here.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Southwest Point, Block Island about 3.1 km away on the open coast.
Frequently asked questions
Is Block Island Beach good for swimming today?
Swimmable, with care — we score it 62 out of 100 today. The limiting factor is surf calmness at 3.5 ft.
What makes a good swimming day?
We weight water temperature (40%), surf calmness (25%), uv exposure (15%) and combine them into one score. Conditions we cannot read are left out rather than guessed.
When is the best time of year to swim at Block Island Beach?
The water averages above 70°F in July and August — 2 months of the year — peaking around 72°F in July and dropping to about 41°F in February.