Surf Forecasts:
Folly Beach surf forecast from 21 Jul 2026:
- Most powerful swell: Tuesday 21 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 4ft (1.2m), 6s period, S swell with 102 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 6s and forecast to arrive on Tuesday (Jul 21) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 1.2m 6s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 22) at 2AM.
| Wave Type | Time (EDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | - | - |
| Best Surf | - | - |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Tue 21st Jul) | 4ft (1.2m) 6s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Folly Beach over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – this stretch is a flat spell. We’re looking at 16 days of nothing worth paddling out for. The whole window is a write-off for surfers. There’s no standouts, no hope spots, just a long run of small, junky, wind-affected slop.
Starting from Tuesday, July 21st, it’s all poor. The water’s a touch warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 86°, but that’s the only thing that’s got any energy. The swell is tiny, maxing out around 4 ft from the south, but that’s a short-period windswell of just 5 seconds, and the combined energy is weak (67). The wind is a fresh cross-onshore at 19 mph, making it lumpy and messy. Not for surfing.
The next morning, Wednesday July 22nd, is more of the same – cross-shore moderate breeze, swell dropping to 3 ft. Thursday and Friday are a write-off too, with storm risks and even smaller waves. Saturday the 25th has a moment of calm with a light offshore wind, but the swell is only 3 ft from the SSW; the energy is barely there (40). It’s clean, but there’s nothing to ride.
The following week into early August gets even worse. Waves are mostly under 3 ft, period is short, and the wind is either onshore or cross. The combined energy readings are all in the double digits – weak, weak, weak. We get a few glimpses of clean conditions on July 28th morning and 29th morning, but with swell heights of 2 ft and 0.7 ft, you’re just floating.
This is a blank run. It’s typical for the area in summer when the trade winds don’t line up. Folly Beach is a fairly exposed beach break that needs a good push from the east-northeast to work. We’re not getting it. The best I can say is that forecasts change, and it doesn’t tend to stay this dead for long, but for now, keep the board in the car.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastLight rain (total 4mm), mostly falling on Tue night. Warm (max 31°C on Thu afternoon, min 27°C on Thu morning). Mainly fresh winds. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryHeavy rain (total 41mm), heaviest during Sat night. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 24°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Tue 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | ||||||||||||||
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) | S 5 | S 6 | SSE 6 | S 5 | S 5 | S 6 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
Wave Graph  | ||||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 67 | 0 | 53 | 46 | 57 | 60 | 31 | 28 | 22 | 16 | 17 | 25 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-off | cross | cross-off | off | cross-on | glassy | cross | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 2:40PM1.60m | 2:34AM1.38m | 3:30PM1.59m | 3:24AM1.33m | 4:21PM1.60m | 4:15AM1.30m | 5:10PM1.62m | 5:07AM1.30m | 5:59PM1.64m | 5:58AM1.32m | 6:45PM1.67m | 6:47AM1.35m | 7:28PM1.70m | |||||||
Low Tide | 8:44PM0.26m | 8:46AM0.14m | 9:41PM0.29m | 9:34AM0.16m | 10:34PM0.30m | 10:22AM0.17m | 11:25PM0.28m | 11:10AM0.17m | 00:14AM0.25m | 11:58AM0.16m | 00:59AM0.22m | 12:44PM0.13m | 1:42AM0.18m | |||||||
 |  |  | |  | | |  |  | | | | | | | | | |  | | |
 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — |
 | 8:24 | — | — | 8:24 | — | — | 8:23 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:22 | — | — | 8:21 | — |
mm | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 31 | 28 | 28 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 32 | 31 |
Feels °C | 30 | 28 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 34 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | SSE 6 | SE 7 | SE 8 | S 6 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | S 5 | S 5 | SE 8 | SE 8 | SE 8 | ESE 8 | S 4 | ESE 8 | ESE 8 |
| kJ | — | — | 53 | 8 | 11 | 31 | 10 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 16 | 11 | 7 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | SE 9 | — | SE 8 | — | — | — | — | — | SE 8 | SE 8 | SSW 5 | SSW 4 | NE 5 | NE 4 | ESE 8 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | 3 | — | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | 15 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E 5 | — | — | SE 6 | — | — |
| kJ | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 5 | S 6 | S 6 | S 5 | S 5 | S 6 | S 5 | S 5 | S 5 | S 4 | S 4 | SSW 5 | — | — | — | SSW 4 | SSW 4 | — | S 3 | S 3 |
| kJ | 67 | 116 | 89 | 46 | 57 | 60 | 31 | 28 | 22 | 15 | 17 | 25 | — | — | — | 3 | 6 | — | 4 | 6 |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1417 | 215 | 296 | 584 | 215 | 61 | 258 | 258 | 260 | 521 | 102 | 3 | 114 | 102 | 295 | 213 | 540 | 525 | 861 | 775 |
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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