Folly Beach Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s be real about what’s on offer for the next couple of weeks.

Honestly, we’re looking at a pretty grim stretch. There’s a big fat gap of nothing surfable right from the start. The first hint of anything worthwhile doesn’t show until about a week out, and even then, we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. The consistent message for most of this period is "poor surf conditions," and the models back that up.

Looking at the data, the only spot we’ve got to work with is Folly Beach Pier. It’s a beach/pier setup that’s inconsistent, and crowds are sometimes a problem. The water temp is sitting at a balmy 86°, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – so the water feels good, even if the waves don’t.

For the first several days, from now through the end of August, we’re dealing with tiny, weak swells. Most of the energy readings are in the low double digits or even single digits (like 25, 11, 8), which is basically no energy. Winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, keeping things choppy and messy. Don’t even think about paddling out; it’s flat.

The first time we see any real bump in energy is around Sunday the 30th of August. The afternoon shows a 4 ft swell from the ESE with a period of 9 seconds, and the combined energy hits 259 – that’s moderate energy. But the wind is a cross-onshore at 12 mph, so it’ll be choppy. Still, it’s the best looking window in a bad patch.

Then we go into a gap again until Tuesday, 1st September. That morning is tiny, but the afternoon picks up. A 2 ft SE swell, but the period jumps to 13 seconds. That’s a long-period groundswell. The combined energy is 208 (moderate), but the wind is cross-onshore at 12 mph, so it’ll be lumpy. A long-period swell like this is better suited to points and reefs than a beach break like Folly, meaning it might close out and be hard to manage.

The absolute best look is Saturday, 29th August. No, wait – looking again, the best shot is actually the Sunday, 30th August afternoon. That 4 ft from the ESE with 259 energy is the standout. It’s not perfect, but it’s the biggest push of swell we get. If you’re an experienced surfer who can handle some chop, that’s your window. Beginners should stay away – it’s not huge, but the conditions won't be forgiving.

For the rest of the run, it’s flat or junk. If you like paddling around in a washing machine, you’re in luck. For everyone else, maybe take up golf for a week. The setup at Folly Beach Pier looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing on most of these afternoons with that cross-onshore wind and bumpy water.

Rusty.

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