Marine forecast
Rhode Island Sound, MA
- current wind
- 7 kt SSE
- Gusts
- 7 kt
- Seas
- 3.0 ft
- Period
- 8 sec
- 72-hr peak
- 22 kt
Observed Tue 3:00 PM | ANZ235
- Gusts now
- 7 kt
- Seas now
- 3.0 ft · 8 sec
- 72-hr peak
- 22 kt
- Peak seas
- 5 ft
In brief
At 3:00 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026, NDBC station BUZM3 (Buzzards Bay, MA, 6 miles away) measured wind from the SSE at 7 kt; buoy 44085 measured seas of 3.0 ft. The NWS forecast for Rhode Island Sound, MA issued at 1:04 pm EDT on Oct 13, 2026 reads, for this afternoon: “SE winds around 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft.” A Small Craft Advisory is in effect until Wed 12:00 PM.
Source: National Weather Service Boston/Norton MA forecast; NDBC observations
Wind forecast · ktPeak 22 kt
Seas forecast · ftPeak 5 ft
Marine advisory
Small Craft Advisory in effect for Rhode Island Sound until Wed 12:00 PM.
Full text of this small craft advisory
* WHAT...Southwest winds 15 to 25 kt and seas 3 to 5 feet expected. * WHERE...Portions of Massachusetts coastal waters and Rhode Island coastal waters. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to noon EDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
NWS marine forecast
| Period | Forecast |
|---|---|
| This Afternoon | SE winds around 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 8 seconds and NE 1 foot at 3 seconds. Patchy drizzle. |
| Tonight | SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: S 5 ft at 7 seconds and E 1 foot at 4 seconds. |
| Wed | SW winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SW 5 ft at 7 seconds and SE 4 ft at 14 seconds. |
| Wed Night | NW winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 2 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SW 4 ft at 7 seconds and SE 3 ft at 8 seconds. |
| Thu | N winds 15 to 20 kt, becoming NE 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: N 3 ft at 5 seconds and SE 2 ft at 10 seconds. |
| Thu Night | E winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming SE 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas around 2 ft. Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at 3 seconds and S 2 ft at 6 seconds. |
| Fri | S winds 20 to 25 kt with gusts up to 30 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Showers. |
| Fri Night | W winds 25 to 30 kt with gusts up to 35 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Showers likely. |
| Sat | NW winds 25 to 35 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. |
| Sat Night | NW winds 25 to 30 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Seas are reported as significant wave height, which is the average of the highest third of the waves. Individual wave heights may be more than twice the significant wave height. |
Issued Tue 1:04 PM by Boston/Norton MA (product CWFBOX).
Recent buoy conditions
| Time | Wind | Gust | Seas | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3:00 PM | 7 kt SSE | 7 kt | — | — |
| Tue 2:00 PM | 7 kt SSE | 8 kt | — | — |
| Tue 1:00 PM | 11 kt SE | 12 kt | — | — |
| Tue 12:00 PM | 13 kt ESE | 14 kt | — | — |
| Tue 11:00 AM | 10 kt E | 11 kt | — | — |
| Tue 10:00 AM | 12 kt E | 13 kt | — | — |
| Tue 9:00 AM | 14 kt ENE | 16 kt | — | — |
| Tue 8:00 AM | 13 kt E | 15 kt | — | — |
| Tue 7:00 AM | 17 kt ENE | 18 kt | — | — |
| Tue 6:00 AM | 15 kt E | 16 kt | — | — |
| Tue 5:00 AM | 15 kt ENE | 16 kt | — | — |
| Tue 4:00 AM | 15 kt NE | 16 kt | — | — |
Observed Tue 3:00 PM at NDBC buoy BUZM3 (Buzzards Bay, MA), 5.7 miles away. Seas from buoy 44085 (Buzzards Bay, MA (260)), 6.3 miles away, at Tue 3:00 PM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the marine forecast for Rhode Island Sound today?
This Afternoon: SE winds around 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 8 seconds and NE 1 foot at 3 seconds. Patchy drizzle.
Is there a small craft advisory for Rhode Island Sound?
Yes — small craft advisory in effect until Wed 12:00 PM.
How high are the waves at Rhode Island Sound right now?
Seas are running 3.0 ft at a 8-second period, measured at NDBC buoy BUZM3 Tue 3:00 PM, 5.7 miles from this zone. The forecast peaks at 5.0 ft Fri 1 PM.
What do the wind speeds in knots mean?
One knot is 1.15 mph. The National Weather Service issues a small craft advisory for sustained winds of roughly 22–33 knots or hazardous seas, a gale warning at 34–47 knots, and a storm warning at 48 knots and above. Exact advisory thresholds vary by forecast office and by water body — a bay reaches dangerous chop at a lower wind speed than open ocean.
Where does this forecast come from?
The forecast text is the National Weather Service's own marine bulletin for zone ANZ235, issued by Boston/Norton MA, reproduced in full. The wind and seas charts are drawn from the NWS gridded forecast for a point inside the zone. Observations come from the nearest reporting NDBC buoy. We are not affiliated with NOAA or the National Weather Service.
Forecast: NOAA/NWS product CWFBOX, issued Tue 1:04 PM. Observations: NOAA National Data Buoy Center station BUZM3, read Tue 3:00 PM. Retrieved Oct 13, 3:42 PM. Conditions offshore change faster than any page can be rebuilt, so check the current NWS bulletin and your own instruments before going out.