South Carolina
Conditions stay similar this week — check the hourly forecast at Surfside Beach for the cleanest windows.
Here's how the next 5 days are shaping up at Surfside Beach, South Carolina. Each day is rated based on breaking wave height, swell period, and wind — updated hourly from the latest NOAA GFS run.
Tue, Jun 30: 1–1ft, 8s period, rated Poor. A slow one — 1ft waves and poor conditions with calm winds. Afternoon breeze fills in to 13mph.
Wed, Jul 1: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with light winds out of the ENE. Expect the wind to bump up to around 11mph by PM.
Thu, Jul 2: 1–2ft, 8s period, rated Poor - Fair. Get out early for the best of it — 1-2ft waves on ESE swell at 8s and light N winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 12mph from the ESE and dropping conditions to poor.
Fri, Jul 3: 1–2ft, 7s period, rated Poor. Not the most exciting day — 1-2ft and poor conditions with glassy conditions. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 11mph.
Sat, Jul 4: 1–1ft, 9s period, rated Poor. Pretty quiet out there — 1ft and mostly poor with light winds out of the WSW. Winds do pick up a bit by the afternoon to 14mph.
Surfside Beach offers accessible, mellow beach breaks along South Carolina's Grand Strand, making it an ideal spot for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to build their skills. The sandy bottom provides soft landings and consistent peeling waves that work best during fall and winter swells, with the break facing northwest and responding well to northeastern Atlantic swells. This family-friendly destination features a wide beach with good amenities, though crowds can build during peak summer tourist season and holiday weekends.
Wave heights shown are breaking wave heights — the actual rideable wave size at this spot.
The current wave height at Surfside Beach is 1ft with a 7.8s swell period. Wind is NNE at 9mph and conditions are rated Poor. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Surfside Beach is 1ft, produced by a 1ft SE primary swell at 9s, a 0.7ft E secondary swell at 6s, a 1.7ft ENE wind swell swell at 4s. Breaking wave height is the actual rideable wave size at the shore — calculated from offshore swell data using this spot's coastal bathymetry — not the raw buoy reading.
Based on the current 5-day forecast, the best window to surf Surfside Beach is Thursday from 6 AM to 9 AM with 2ft waves, a 7.8s swell period, and conditions rated Poor - Fair. Check the hourly forecast for updates as conditions can shift.
Surfside Beach works best with a NE swell and NW winds. Offshore winds groom the face of the wave, while onshore winds turn it sloppy. Cross-offshore conditions usually produce the cleanest shape.
Tide plays a big role at Surfside Beach. Mid tide works for most beach breaks, while reef and point breaks often prefer higher or lower stages. Use the tide chart above to line up your session with the swell peak.
Surfside Beach is a beach with a sand bottom, suited to beginner surfers. Surfside Beach offers accessible, mellow beach breaks along South Carolina's Grand Strand, making it an ideal spot for beginners and intermediate surfers looking to build their skills. The sandy bottom provides soft landings and consistent peeling waves that work best during fall and winter swells, with the break facing northwest and responding well to northeastern Atlantic swells. This family-friendly destination features a wide beach with good amenities, though crowds can build during peak summer tourist season and holiday weekends.
The prime season at Surfside Beach is fall, when swell direction, wind patterns, and water temps line up most consistently. Outside the peak season you can still score, but you'll need to watch the forecast closely for the right windows.
Common hazards at Surfside Beach include swimmers in peak season, rip currents in heavy swells. Always check conditions before paddling out, respect local etiquette, and never surf alone if you're unfamiliar with the break.
Our Surfside Beach forecast uses NOAA GFS and other weather models combined with spot-specific bathymetry to calculate breaking wave heights. Short-range (1-3 day) forecasts are most reliable. Extended forecasts show general trends. Visit /public/accuracy for per-spot and regional performance metrics.
