Surf Forecasts:
Folly Beach surf forecast from 12 Sep 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 17 Sep, 8AM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 7s period, ENE swell with 131 kJ wave energy.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Folly Beach this week:
The most powerful waves expected at Folly Beach in the next 16 days are 1.2m 7s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 17) at 8AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 5s period and expected on Sunday (Sep 13) at 2PM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 8AM (Thu 17th Sep) | 4ft (1.2m) 7s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Folly Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s look at what Folly Beach has going on for the next couple of weeks. I gotta be honest with you—this stretch is a tough one. The swell is basically flat or weak, and the wind doesn’t do us many favors. There’s no standout day to get amped about. The best you can hope for is a small, clean window if everything lines up.
We start on Saturday, September 12th. It’s small and messy, with a cross-on wind from the south. The combined energy is only 71—that’s weak. Water temp is about 82°F, which is normal for this time of year. Not much happening.
Sunday the 13th morning gives a quick glassy moment with a light west wind making it clean, but the swell is tiny—only 2ft from the SSE with a period of just 5 seconds. That’s short-period junk. The combined energy is a measly 28. Then the afternoon brings risk of thunderstorms and more wind.
Monday the 14th morning is dead flat but glassy—wind is zero, with 1ft of SE swell. Energy is 27. If you have a longboard, you might find a soft little roller. Afternoon gets choppy again.
The only real pulse arrives on Tuesday, September 15th. We get a bit of energy pushing 4ft from the east, with combined energy up to 106—moderate. But the wind is howling from the ENE at 19 mph, cross-shore in the morning and cross-on in the afternoon. It’s lumpy and rough. This is more of a kite-surfing afternoon than a paddle session. The period is a poor 6 seconds, so the waves will be crumbly and lack power.
From Wednesday the 16th onward, it’s all downhill. Swell drops below 3ft, wind stays onshore or cross, and the energy readings stay weak for days. We bounce around 1ft to 3ft with periods mostly 6-8 seconds. Nothing that will get your heart beating.
By the time we hit the second week—September 20th through the 27th—it’s a sad story. Swell is tiny, under 2ft, and the combined energy often stays below 30. There are a couple of glassy mornings (like Monday the 21st and Tuesday the 22nd) where the wind drops and you could paddle out on a log, but the waves will be barely there.
So, folks, the honest truth: there are no good surf options in this 16-day window for Folly Beach. It’s a flat spell. The break is fairly consistent normally, so this won’t last forever—forecasts can change. But for now? Leave the board at home and go find something else to do.
Stay tuned, and let’s hope the ocean wakes up.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 8mm), mostly falling on Sat night. Warm (max 31°C on Mon afternoon, min 25°C on Tue morning). Winds increasing (calm on Mon morning, fresh winds from the ENE by Tue morning). | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryModerate rain (total 17mm), heaviest on Wed night. Warm (max 26°C on Tue afternoon, min 21°C on Wed morning). Winds decreasing (fresh winds from the ENE on Tue afternoon, light winds from the NE by Fri morning). | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 12 | Sunday 13 | Monday 14 | Tuesday 15 | Wednesday 16 | Thursday 17 | Friday 18 | ||||||||||||||
PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | |||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 9 | SE 10 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 7 | ENE 6 | E 6 | ESE 7 | E 6 | ESE 6 | SE 5 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 38 | 13 | 14 | 23 | 29 | 27 | 19 | 12 | 102 | 103 | 85 | 61 | 81 | 85 | 95 | 30 | 15 | 6 | 12 | 7 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross-on | cross-off | glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on |
High Tide | 9:36PM1.82m | 10:11AM1.87m | 10:17PM1.73m | 10:55AM1.84m | 10:58PM1.64m | 11:39AM1.78m | 11:41PM1.56m | 12:24PM1.73m | 00:26AM1.49m | 1:12PM1.68m | 1:15AM1.44m | 2:03PM1.64m | 2:07AM1.41m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:28PM0.04m | 3:44AM0.07m | 4:14PM0.12m | 4:23AM0.13m | 4:59PM0.22m | 5:01AM0.21m | 5:46PM0.32m | 5:39AM0.29m | 6:34PM0.42m | 6:21AM0.37m | 7:26PM0.49m | 7:08AM0.42m | 8:21PM0.53m | |||||||
 |  | | |  |  |  | | | |  | | | | | |  | | | | |
 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:01 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — | 7:03 | — | — |
 | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:25 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:22 | — |
mm | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 3 | — | 1 |
Temp °C | 29 | 28 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 30 | 25 | 26 | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 26 |
Feels °C | 30 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 31 | 33 | 32 | 33 | 24 | 22 | 22 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SE 8 | SE 9 | SSE 5 | SE 10 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | SE 9 | E 15 | E 15 | — | SE 14 | SE 14 | SE 14 | E 6 | SE 13 | ESE 7 | E 6 | SE 8 | SE 5 |
| kJ | 33 | 13 | 14 | 23 | 29 | 27 | 19 | 12 | 4 | 4 | — | 8 | 7 | 7 | 53 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 7 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SE 10 | — | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 13 | SE 13 | SE 9 | SSE 4 | SE 12 | SE 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 14 | — | 5 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 3 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SW 5 | — | — | S 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE 9 | SE 13 | SE 8 | E 7 | SE 12 |
| kJ | — | — | 10 | — | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 8 | S 4 | — | S 4 | — | — | — | ENE 2 | E 6 | E 7 | E 7 | E 7 | E 6 | E 7 | ENE 6 | E 6 | — | — | ESE 6 | — |
| kJ | 38 | 9 | — | 9 | — | — | — | 1 | 102 | 103 | 85 | 61 | 81 | 85 | 95 | 30 | — | — | 12 | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1417 | 285 | 61 | 543 | 241 | 102 | 861 | 296 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 830 | 105 | 105 | 367 | 854 | 538 | 879 | 717 | 336 |
Best forecast wave conditions in South Carolina | ||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Folly Beach Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Folly Beach provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Folly Beach can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Folly Beach surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Folly Beach) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Folly Beach may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Folly Beach is 8 km (5 miles) from the city of Mount Pleasant. If you plan a vacation in South Carolina, look for hotels and other accommodation in Mount Pleasant. Mount Pleasant has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.
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