Isle of Palms Pier Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, let me have a look at what we've got coming up for Isle of Palms Pier. I gotta be straight with you, it's looking pretty grim for a solid stretch there. We've got a long gap of nothing special to kick things off.

For the first week, from Tuesday the 18th of August all the way through to the end of that week, it's a write-off. Tiny little swells, mostly under 2ft, with junk periods and a lot of wind messing it up. The combined swell energy is weak, barely cracking 50 or so. You're looking at choppy, cross-onshore conditions most days. Not worth paddling out for.

We finally get a little something brewing on Monday the 24th of August, but it's nothing to get excited about. The morning has surfable waves but very ordinary conditions with a 3ft S swell and light cross-offshore wind. The combined energy is weak at 82. Not a standout, just a slight improvement from the total flatness before.

Then on Tuesday the 25th of August, the early morning glass-off could be your best bet in this whole outlook. The wind is dead calm, making it glassy, with a 2ft S swell. The energy is still weak (74), but that clean surface is a major positive. Don't expect much size, but if you want a quiet, clean session for a beginner, that's your window. The crowds are sometimes an issue at the pier, so you might have company.

Moving into the end of August and start of September, the swell stays tiny and we get a lot of lousy onshore winds. A few pulses of longer period energy pop up around the 26th and 27th, like a 16-second period swell from the SE hitting a combined energy of 122, but with a fresh cross-onshore breeze, it’s just lumpy and messy. That long period groundswell needs a clean pocket, and it isn’t getting one.

The last little flicker is on Friday the 28th of August. The morning has a clean 3ft SSW swell with a light offshore NW wind. Combined energy is moderate at 156. Again, it’s ordinary quality, but it's the most size on offer across the whole run. For an expert, the 3ft is child's play, but it's something.

So, the long and short of it: there's no true standout. If I had to pick one, it's the glassy Tuesday morning the 25th of August for a clean but knee-high session. The water temp is about average for this time of year. Save the energy for another week, because forecasts can always change.

Rusty

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