Folly Beach
United States · North America
Right now
OvercastWind and swell direction
Swell: 0.6m E
Wind: 10 km/h ENE (cross-onshore)
Beach faces: SE
Cross-onshore wind. Wave faces are getting chopped up, conditions are average.
Swell direction is a decent angle for this beach.
Today hour by hour
Updated 08:38Expected crowds
Prediction model v16amDawn patrol territory
7amMidweek quiet
Next 7 days
Forecast via Open-MeteoWhat to pack
- Small waves expected. Longboard or fish to make the most of it.
- Warm 22°C water. Shortie or boardshorts.
- Strong winds on some days. Check the forecast each morning.
Today's briefing
0.7m swell at 6s on a short period. Onshore wind creating some chop. Water temperature 22°C.
AI-generated summary for Folly Beach. Always check local reports before heading out.
Forecast accuracy at Folly Beach
Not enough data yet. Log a session to help build the accuracy score.
Best time to go
No great windows in the next 2 days
Best available option is Today around 10am (score: 7). Conditions are below the Good threshold but may still be surfable.
Crowd report
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Session journal
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Create free accountTide
Approximate modelSwell forecast
7-day forecastDaily score breakdown
This week is looking slightly below average for late April.
Comparing the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Folly Beach.
What's driving it
Recent form
Last 3 days of logged conditions.
About Folly Beach
Folly Beach, heavily centered around the area known as The Washout, is a coastal beach break situated near Charleston, South Carolina. The bathymetry is driven by fine sandbars that are heavily influenced by local stone groynes and the absence of onshore vegetation, which allows wind to blow sand directly into the surf zone. The spot relies on south-easterly wind swells or late-summer hurricane groundswells tracking up the Atlantic coast. A north-westerly wind provides the essential offshore tension to clean the frequently choppy faces. When activated by a moderate swell, the interaction between the groynes and sand produces peaky A-frames that offer fun, workable left and right-hand walls. Due to the generally moderate wave height and forgiving sandy bottom, Folly Beach is well-suited for intermediate surfers. While it lacks the sheer power of open-ocean reef breaks, the punchy sections provide an excellent canvas for practising cutbacks and generating speed down the line in a highly accessible location.
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Create Profile →Frequently asked questions
How often is this page updated?
Current conditions refresh every 6 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
What is the luck factor?
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Folly Beach. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical late April.
How is 'best session' picked?
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Where does the data come from?
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Does the score capture local knowledge?
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
When is the best time to surf Folly Beach?
Check our timing score heatmap above for a week-by-week breakdown combining surf conditions with crowd pressure.