Folly Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you: this is a brutal stretch of forecasts for Folly Beach Pier. There’s honestly nothing in the 16-day window that I’d call a proper surf day. We’ve got a long, dry run with no real standout windows, so let’s just walk through it.

Looking at the overall pattern, we’re stuck with tiny, weak swell for the entire first week and beyond. The water temp is sitting at 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, but that’s about the only thing that’s slightly interesting. From Saturday, August 1st, through to the end of the period on Sunday, August 16th, every single session is labeled as “poor surf conditions.” There’s not a single recommendation above a zero score. The first few days are especially grim: on the afternoon of August 1st, we’ve got a weak 0.7 ft swell from ESE at 9 seconds, with a cross-on southerly breeze. Combined swell energy is a measly 18. That’s ankle-biters with chop, no fun for anyone.

The gap of decent surf is essentially the entire 16 days. We do see a slight uptick around Thursday, August 6th morning, where we get a 3 ft SE swell at 7 seconds and an onshore wind, but the energy (97) is still weak, and it’s still poor. By Friday, August 7th afternoon, the energy climbs to 120 – that’s moderate energy – but again, it’s the same story: short period (7 sec) and onshore winds. It’s not worth getting excited about. The swell never tops 4 ft at any point in the period, and that only shows up way down the line on Sunday, August 16th, with a 4 ft from ESE at a weak 6 second period, cross-on breeze again. Even then, the conditions are described as gentle cross-onshore and fairly choppy.

Honestly, the cleanest moments are from the 11th to the 14th of August, where we get a cross-offshore wind (W or WSW), but the swell is tiny – 2 ft to 3 ft – and the period is a paltry 5 seconds. You might get a few clean little rollers, but the energy numbers (25 to 42) say it all: barely a ripple. It’s a beach/pier setup, and with these kinds of small, weak swells and frequent cross-onshore wind, this look is more interesting for a paddle board or a kite than a proper surf session.

So, no standout days, no hidden gems. It’s a blank run, and honestly, for an area like this, that’s not totally abnormal in a flat spell. Forecasts can change, but right now, you’re better off taking a break. Stay tuned.

Rusty

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