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Folly Beach (Washout) Surf Forecast

South Carolina, SC · Charleston's surf town, the Washout is the marquee peak.

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Folly Beach (Washout) Spot Guide

Best swell

SE
window ENE–SSW (70°–200°)

Ideal size

2–8 ft
breaking-wave face height

Best wind

NW
offshore · SE is onshore

Verified against

Buoy 41004
live NOAA readings · our error

The wave

BreakBeachbreak; the Washout is the marquee stretch
BottomSand
WavesThe Lowcountry's most consistent peaks
AbilityYes away from the Washout crowd; the main peak gets competitive.
Best tideMid to high — the flat shelf drains shape at low
CrowdCharleston's whole surf scene funnels here
HazardsPier at the center of town, sweep along the Washout
AccessMetered street parking; the Washout lots off E Ashley Ave fill first

Local knowledge

The Edge of America has carried Charleston surfing since the 1960s. A 1989 Hurricane Hugo washover flattened the dunes mid-island and left the Washout — a stretch where swell hits harder and every surfer in the county knows it. Tropical season is prime; winter cold fronts keep the faithful in 5mm rubber.

Live cams

Folly Beach (SurfChex)

Nearby spots

FAQ

What swell direction works best at Folly Beach (Washout)?

SE swell hits Folly Beach (Washout) straight on. The spot picks up anything arriving from ENE (70°) through SSW (200°); swell from outside that window is blocked by the coastline.

What wind is best at Folly Beach (Washout)?

NW wind blows offshore and grooms the surf. SE wind is straight onshore and chops it up; light wind under ~5 kn is fine from any direction.

When is the best time of year to surf Folly Beach (Washout)?

Late summer through fall is prime: hurricane season (August-October) sends the year's best long-period swell, and fall-winter nor'easters keep it pumping. Summer runs smallest outside of tropical systems.

What's the best tide at Folly Beach (Washout)?

Mid to high — the flat shelf drains shape at low. Tide predictions for the spot's NOAA station are in the forecast above.

Is Folly Beach (Washout) good for beginners?

Yes away from the Washout crowd; the main peak gets competitive.

How warm is the water at Folly Beach (Washout)?

Roughly 50°F at its late-winter coldest to about 84°F in late summer. In practice that means a hooded 4/3 or 5/4 in winter and trunks or a rash guard in summer. The forecast above shows the current water temperature.

How far out is this forecast reliable?

The wave model has real skill to about 10 days, and we cut the chart there instead of padding it with guesses. Days 1-3 are solid, 4-7 useful, 8-10 a trend heads-up - and we publish our measured error against NOAA buoys, updated continuously.

Forecast from TrueSwell's own physics-based wave model (exposure → refraction → breaking, every swell train separately), built on public NOAA and Open-Meteo data and scored daily against NDBC buoy observations. How the model works →