Beach

both

Level 4/10

Folly Beach Pier

Folly Beach, USA

👥Crowded🌀Strong rips

Folly Beach Pier is South Carolina's surfing epicenter—the most recognized wave in a state that flies under the East Coast radar but delivers quality surf when conditions align. The pier creates sandbars that focus whatever swell arrives, from late-summer hurricane energy to winter cold fronts pushing down from the northeast. Charleston's proximity brings a unique surf culture that blends Southern hospitality with competitive lineups when it's firing. For anyone exploring East Coast surfing beyond the Florida-to-North-Carolina corridor, Folly Beach Pier proves South Carolina deserves its spot on the map.

10-Day Forecast

Today

Fair

0.6mSE

@10s

12km/h

Wed

Poor

0.8mESE

@9s

7km/h

Thu

Fair

0.8mESE

@10s

8km/h

Fri

Fair

1.0mESE

@10s

7km/h

Sat

Poor

1.9mE

@8s

42km/h

Sun

Fair

1.7mESE

@9s

18km/h

Choppy

Mon

Poor

1.1mESE

@8s

28km/h

Tue

Poor

0.6mESE

@10s

10km/h

Choppy

Wed

Poor

0.6mE

@9s

18km/h

Today

Tue, Jan 20

0.6m @ 10s SE

12 km/h WNW

Wed

Wed, Jan 21

0.8m @ 9s ESE

7 km/h ENE

Thu

Thu, Jan 22

0.8m @ 10s ESE

8 km/h W

Fri

Fri, Jan 23

1.0m @ 10s ESE

7 km/h WSW

Sat

Sat, Jan 24

1.9m @ 8s E

42 km/h NE

Sun

Sun, Jan 25

1.7m @ 9s ESE

18 km/h NW

Choppy

Mon

Mon, Jan 26

1.1m @ 8s ESE

28 km/h NNE

Tue

Tue, Jan 27

0.6m @ 10s ESE

10 km/h WSW

Choppy

Wed

Wed, Jan 28

0.6m @ 9s E

18 km/h W

Today's Conditions

Swell

0.6m

SE(124°)

Score: 8/25

Period

10s

Medium period swell

Score: 20/25

Wind

12km/h

WNW(300°)

Score: 18/25

Weather

6°C

0.0mm75%

Windswell Component

0.1mW@1s

Secondary Swell

0.1mS

Forecast Confidence

100%

Sources: open-meteo-marine, open-meteo-weather

Best Session

morning

Strike Score Breakdown

Fair

Swell Direction

16/25

How well swell angle matches the spot

Swell Size

8/25

Wave height in the ideal range

Swell Period

20/25

Each spot has different period requirements. Points and reefs can handle longer periods than beaches.

Wind

18/25

Offshore/glassy conditions

Total Score62/100

Location & Conditions

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Swell

Wind

View in OpenStreetMap

Showing forecast for today

Spot Details

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: SE (130°)
Direction range: 90° - 170°
Size range: 0.6m - 2.5m
Ideal period: 12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: NW (315°)
Offshore range: 280° - 350°
Best window: morning

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.4m - 1.5m

Water temp

21°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

7/10

Access: Public beach. Parking can be limited.

Getting There

Airport

CHS

Drive time

30 min

Nearby Buoy

Forecasts are validated against real-time buoy data.

41004 (NOAA)

Best Season

Peak: Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Aug

Hurricane swells and cold fronts.

Data Quality

verified

Verified by Surfline spot guide