Folly Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's be straight—looking at the charts for our neck of the woods over the next couple of weeks, it’s mostly a snooze-fest. We’ve got a long dry spell at the front end, so don't rush to wax up. But there is a tiny window if you're willing to wait.

The first real chance to get wet isn't until Monday the 21st of September. That morning, we’ve got a little bit of fun-sized swell, around 4ft from the ENE, and it’s dead calm, glassy. That’s the kind of session you’d paddle out for, even if the waves are small. The energy is still weak, sitting at about 75. The water temp is around 83°, which is exactly what you'd expect for this time of year.

That Monday afternoon gets a little bump in energy, jumping to 159. The swell holds at 4ft from the east, but the wind turns onshore, so it’s going to get messy.

Tuesday the 22nd of September shows more energy, hitting 203 in the morning and 249 in the afternoon, with swell heights edging up to 4ft and then 5ft from the east. But the wind is a pain, staying cross-onshore, and it's going to be choppy. Not the clean stuff we want.

Now, here’s the bright spot. Wednesday the 23rd of September morning is the single best call. A clean, cross-offshore wind from the southwest, and a solid 4ft swell from the east. The water will feel normal for late September. The combined energy is moderate at 135. Folly Beach Pier is where I’d be that morning. It’s the only time in this whole forecast where the wind and the swell actually make sense for a good paddle. Just a heads-up—crowds are possible there, so be early.

After that Wednesday morning, the swell drops off fast. Thursday the 24th and Friday the 25th have some clean moments with light offshore winds, but the waves are just too small—around 3ft—to get stoked about. Friday afternoon on the 25th looks glassy with 3ft east swell and an energy reading of 131, which is rideable, but nothing special.

From Saturday the 26th onward, it dies into tiny, weak surf right through the end of the 16-day window. Clean but hopelessly small. If you're into kite surfing, some of those breezy afternoons might be worth a look, but for paddle surfing, it’s a bust.

So there you go. A long, quiet start, one clear winner on Wednesday the 23rd of September morning, and a few ho-hum sessions after. Stay patient—forecasts change, and it never stays flat forever around here.

Rusty.

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