South Carolina
Midday is the call — 2-3ft waves with moderate SE wind around 7mph and poor - fair conditions.
Midday is the call — 2-3ft waves with moderate SE wind around 7mph and poor - fair conditions.
Best window·Friday 7AM–10AM·2-3ft·Fair
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.
Thu, Sep 3: 2–3ft, 9s period, rated Fair - Good. Early morning is your best window — 1-2ft waves on SE swell at 9s with moderate SE wind around 7mph. Conditions go downhill through the afternoon.
Fri, Sep 4: 2–3ft, 7s period, rated Very Poor. The sweet spot is around midday — 2-3ft waves, light winds out of the SSW, fair conditions. It's a bit wonky first thing but settles down. Afternoon wind picks back up so try to get wet before 2pm.
Sat, Sep 5: 2–3ft, 5s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on S swell at 5s with 11mph WSW winds. Wind fills in through the day, pushing up to 21mph from the S and dropping conditions to very poor.
Sun, Sep 6: 1–2ft, 5s period, rated Poor. First light looks cleanest — 1-2ft on S swell at 5s with moderate N wind around 8mph. The E wind kicks in by afternoon — 15mph and very poor by then.
Mon, Sep 7: 2–3+ft, 6s period, rated Very Poor. A slow one — 2-3+ft waves and very poor conditions with strong NE wind at 18mph.
Two days at a glance. Swipe for later hours.Five days at a glance. Drag for later hours.
Poor - Fair today — get one free email when Surfside Beach turns Good.
Check Surfside Beach from the lineup
Forecasts, surf alerts, and live conditions in the Swell Intel iPhone app.
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 2-3ft with a 8.8s swell period. Wind is SSE at 7mph. Conditions are rated Poor - Fair. The forecast updates hourly so you can plan your session around the cleanest windows.
The current breaking wave height at Surfside Beach is 2-3ft, produced by a 2ft SE primary swell at 9s. 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 Friday from 7 AM to 10 AM with 2ft waves, a 6.2s swell period, and conditions rated 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. We also verify our offshore swell predictions against NOAA buoy measurements daily — see our accuracy page for those swell-verification metrics (buoys measure open-water swell, not breaking surf size).
