Folly Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here, and I’m gonna level with ya. Right now, we’re looking at a real flat spell along the Folly Beach (Folly-Beach) stretch. I don’t have a single standout to shout about across the whole 16-day window. Every single forecast slot labels the surf “poor,” and the scores back that up—there’s just no wave energy to get excited about.

The first record kicks off Thursday 13 August morning. You’ve got 0.6 ft of swell coming from the ESE with a period of 8 seconds. That’s tiny, weak energy (6). The water is sitting at 86°F, which is a touch warmer than normal for this time of year – about a degree and a half above average, so it’s pleasant for a swim, not for surfing.

For the next couple of days, it’s more of the same: 0.6 ft to 2 ft, short-period windswell, energy readings barely cracking double digits. The wind shifts around, but mostly cross-on or cross-off, nothing that would make these ankle-biters rideable. Friday and Saturday mornings offer a clean surface with light offshore flow, but there’s just nothing underneath to push a board.

There’s a slight bump on Tuesday 18 August morning. Swell ticks up to 1 ft from the SE, but the period stretches to 13 seconds—that’s a long-period groundswell. Energy jumps to 54. Still, 1 ft is barely a ripple. By Wednesday 19 August, energy pushes into the 70s, but again, with 1 ft and a 10-second period out of the SE, it’s not going to break cleanly on Folly’s beach break. That long-period swell wants a point or reef, not a straight beach.

From there, through the rest of the forecast, it’s a desert. The wind picks up on several afternoons, especially Wednesday 26 August afternoon with 18 mph cross-onshore winds making it lumpy and choppy. The gauge never shows any swell over 3 ft, and that one (Friday 21 August morning) comes with a 5-second period and energy of just 37—basically a wind puff. That kind of setup looks more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing if you happen to have a kite handy.

So here’s the straight truth: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window. For an area like Folly, a stretch like this isn’t unusual. It’s a fairly consistent spot on a good year, but right now, it’s just flat. Forecasts can change, so keep an eye on it, but don’t plan a trip around this window.

Stay tuned, check back later.

Rusty.

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