Surf spot

Folly Beach Pier

Forecast conditions and map view for Folly Beach Pier in USA, South East, South Carolina. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: USA, South East, South Carolina
Coordinates: 32.6540, -79.9390

Metric
Metric	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00
Wave height (m)	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.4	0.4	0.5	0.6	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.3	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.6	0.4	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3	0.3
Wave direction	SSW	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SSE	SSE	S	SSE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SSW	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	SE	ESE	E	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	ESE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E
Wave period (s)	2.8	5.8	5.8	5.9	6.6	7.3	4	3.4	3.4	3.3	3.7	7.5	7.4	6.4	6.9	6.8	6.3	3.4	6	6.7	6.5	6.2	6.2	6	5.8	6	3.7	4.8	6.2	6.2	6.8	6.8	5.8	4.8	4.8	5.2	6.7	6.2	6.5	6.5	6	5.7	5.8	6	6.7	5.8	5.5	5.3	4.4	4.3	4	4.7	5	4.8	3.8	4
Wave energy (kJ)	3	6	6	6	8	7	3	4	4	5	3	10	11	7	11	9	9	3	8	9	10	8	8	7	7	6	1	2	8	7	7	11	24	27	24	24	13	12	18	35	33	45	45	42	10	30	21	19	15	12	5	5	3	3	3	2
Wind speed (km/h)	15.1	10	9.5	3.9	10.8	22.1	19.5	19.7	23.7	18.1	12.3	14.2	18.6	19.2	14	19.2	20.1	16.5	11.2	4.6	12.2	13.1	5.4	7.6	32.7	32.1	34.5	34.3	30.3	29.2	26.8	22.7	26.1	23.7	23.5	24	24.7	23	21.3	21.3	27.5	20.2	23.2	27.5	20.3	18.5	17.2	17.3	12.9	11.7	10	8.9	10.2	7.6	8.4	9.8
Wind direction	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross	SWGlassy	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WSWCross-on	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SSWOnshore	SWCross-on	WSWCross-on	WCross	WSWGlassy	SSEOnshore	SOnshore	SSEOnshore	ECross	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NNEOffshore	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NECross-off	NNECross-off	NECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ENECross-off	ECross	ESECross-on	NECross-off	NNEOffshore	NNEOffshore	SECross-on	SOnshore	SSWCross-on	SSWOnshore

Folly Beach Pier is one of the best-known surf spots in South Carolina, located on Folly Island near Charleston. It’s a classic East Coast beachbreak with sandbars that shift often, so the waves can change a lot depending on the swell, tide, and recent weather.

Spot character

Type: Beachbreak
Wave quality: Can be fun to very good when conditions line up
Consistency: Fairly consistent by South Carolina standards, especially during swell events
Crowd: Often busy, especially on weekends and during summer
Local vibe: Friendly but competitive when it’s good

Waves

Folly Beach Pier tends to produce: - Fast, punchy waves on stronger swells - Peaky rights and lefts depending on sandbar setup - Short to medium-length rides - Best shape when there’s a solid southeast or east swell with favorable offshore winds

Best conditions

Swells: East, southeast, or south swell
Wind: Offshore from the northwest or west
Tide: Can work at different stages, but many surfers prefer mid to lower tide for shape
Size: Usually best in knee-to-overhead range, though bigger swells can make it heavier and less user-friendly

Hazards

Strong currents can develop, especially near the pier
Shifting sandbars can create closeouts or shallow sections
Crowds and competition for peaks
After storms, there can be debris and rough water conditions

Overall

Folly Beach Pier is a go-to surf destination in the Charleston area with a laid-back beach town setting and the possibility of very fun beachbreak waves. It’s not always perfect, but when a good swell and wind combo arrives, it can be one of the more reliable and enjoyable surf spots in the region.