Folly Beach Surf Forecast and Surf Report

G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with you – the next 16 days for Folly Beach are looking flat, gutless, and honestly pretty frustrating. There’s just nothing on the table that’s worth paddling out for. From now through Monday, 14 September, every single session is rated as poor surf conditions, with combined wave energy barely cracking three digits just once (105 on Thursday, 10 September). You’ll be staring at small, weak dribbles for most of the run.

We kick off on Sunday, 30 August, with a measly 0.7 ft swell from the ESE at 9 seconds – that’s barely a ripple. Combined energy is a low 21, and a cross-onshore breeze from the ENE at 6 mph is doing it no favours. Monday 31 August is more of the same – 1.0 ft to 1 ft, again poor and choppy, energy between 13 and 29. Tuesday 1 September is similar – small cross-shore wind, tiny 1 ft swell, and the period drops to 7 seconds, meaning no push at all. Water temp is about average for this time of year, nothing weird to report.

Wednesday 2 September sees a slight uptick – 2 ft from the SE with a long period of 11 seconds, and energy hits 72. That’s the cleanest-looking combo of the whole stretch, but the swell is still too small to do anything with, and a cross-onshore wind on the afternoon messes it up. Thursday 3 September fades back to 2 ft, energy 41. Friday 4 September has a moderate cross-shore chop and 1 ft – not worth the drive.

Saturday 5 September through Monday 7 September, the mornings turn clean with light cross-offshore breezes, but the swell is pathetic – 2 ft at best and period as short as 4 seconds on some days, meaning absolute dribble. Energy is as low as 4 on Monday morning. If you’re desperate, the cleanest windows are these early sessions, but you’re chasing whitewash.

Thursday 10 September is the only standout in the whole 16 days – but it’s still not good. Swell hits 4 ft from the SSW, period 6 seconds, and combined energy reaches 105 (moderate). The morning is clean with a cross-offshore from the WSW at 16 mph, and the afternoon is clean too with a risk of thunderstorms. However, 4 ft at 6 seconds is short-period, weak windswell – not proper surf. It’s a beach break, so it’ll be a jumbled mess of closeouts. Beginners might find it okay, but there’s no quality to rave about.

After that, 11–14 September drops right back to 0.3 ft to 2 ft, with energy in the teens and twenties. Clear skies or some cloud, but no waves.

Because there are zero good surf options in the whole 16-day window, I’ll tell you straight: this is a blank run. For Folly Beach, that’s not uncommon – the area can go through flat spells like this. Forecasts can change, but right now, leave the board in the car and go for a beach walk.

Rusty.

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