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Physical exchange between estuarine and continental shelf waters impacts flushing dynamics of the estuary and determines rates of ocean inputs of nutrients and plankton. To investigate the occurrence and propagation of shelf water intrusions into the Narragansett Bay estuary, we collected velocity data near the estuarine–shelf interface during three summer periods. These data were compared to environmental forcing factors, including wind velocity, tidal mixing and river discharge. Results suggest a background cyclonic flow within the two passages of the estuary based on mean inflow in the channel on the eastern side of the estuary and mean outflow on the western shoals. Within the lower estuary this background circulation was perturbed by channel-parallel winds. On the shelf outside of the estuary, winds parallel to the coast were associated with cross-shelf flow of deep water. Strong pulses in estuarine …