Isle of Palms Pier
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Hourly Forecast
Timezone: America/New_York
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Wednesday 27
Thursday 28
Friday 29
Saturday 30
Sunday 31
Monday 01
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Isle of Palms Pier surf guide

Isle of Palms Pier is a long, wide sandy beach located in South Carolina. It's more of a hotspot for tourists than serious surfers, but it does attract some wave riders when the conditions are right. The pier serves as a central point for surfing, with some good vibes and decent setups, especially during hurricane swells. If you're around, it's worth checking out, especially if you're looking for a relaxed day in the water.

The surf at Isle of Palms mostly breaks around the pier, with the north side being the go-to spot. The waves here can range from waist to overhead high (about 0.9 to 1.8 meters) and handle swell sizes from 3 to 6 feet (about 0.9 to 1.8 meters). Ideal surf conditions usually come from the south, southeast, east, and northeast. The waves can break left and right over sandy bottoms, making it beginner-friendly while also offering fun for intermediate and expert surfers. A mid to high tide works best, especially when the wind is coming from the northwest. The area does generally cater more to longboarders, thanks to its wide sandbars.

Access to the beach is pretty straightforward, with parking available most of the year, though it can get crowded during summer. The local surfing scene tends to be laid-back, but itโ€™s always good to stay polite, especially around the more popular spots. If you're looking to catch some waves, the best time to visit is in late summer and early fall, or during early spring.

Surf reports and surf forecasts nearby Isle of Palms Pier

Cape Romain
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Bull Island
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Dewees Island
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Wild Dunes
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Isle of Palms Pier
South Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Bert's Bar
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
The Washout
South Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
10th Street
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Folly Beach Pier
South Carolina, United States
Unknown break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Kiawah Island/Seabrook Island
South Carolina, United States
Beach break
Wed 27
Thu 28
Fri 29
Sat 30
Sun 31
Mon 1
Tue 2
Wed 3
Thu 4
Fri 5
Sat 6
Sun 7
Wind certainty

Wind certainty tells you how much the weather models agree on the forecast.

  • High certainty: Models agree closely; forecast is reliable.
  • Medium certainty: Some disagreement; conditions may shift slightly.
  • Low certainty: Models diverge; treat forecast with caution.

We calculate this by comparing wind speed, gust and direction from multiple models (like GFS, ECMWF, Arome, and Harmonie) and seeing how closely they match. They are weighted, meaning that some models count more than others, depending on how good they are for a certain spot.

Readme

Welcome! If youโ€™re new to surf forecasting, check out this quick guide.

Forecast Table

The forecast table (the section on the page with all the numbers) is designed to pack as much information in the screen as possible. Although intimidating at first, it will help you make informed decisions about the waves faster, trust me :D. The table consists of roughly four sections, time and predictions, wind, waves, and tides:

๐Ÿ”ฎ Time and predictions section

Here we show the forecast thour and the overall surf quality prediction. This is determined based on the wave, wind and tide quality prediction. These individual predictions can be found on the forecast map.

๐Ÿ’จ Wind section

The first row on the table (with the ๐Ÿ’จ icon) shows wind speed, direction and gust. The more the wind speed the more aggressive the color (from blue, green, orange to red).

๐ŸŒŠ Wave section

The waves section consists of three rows, one for wave height and direction, one for period and one for wave energy. Our algorithm choices the "dominant wave". This is normally the first swell partition, but with heavy local storms it displays the wind waves. If that's the case, we display the numbers in italic and in gray.

๐ŸŒ’ Tide section

The tide section consists of a row with the actual heights per hour (measured at the half hour) and a table that displays the flow of the tide and the extremes (lows and highs).

Forecast map

The forecast map consists of arrows. These arrows represent all wave partitions (swell partitions and wind wave partition) and the wind. This allows you to see things like: a secondary swell or wind waves messes up the surf, or the wind is just a tick offshore so very surfable. Click a metric label in the bottom left to bring that arrow to the front โ€” handy when arrows overlap.

Forecast Cheat Sheet

Short on time? Focus on wave energy. Itโ€™s the best single metric to gauge how big and powerful the waves will be.

Click any table cell to jump to that forecast hour. The map will update with forecast arrows, so you can see if wind and swell direction are lining up.

Use the table sidebar to switch units for height and speed.

Log your surf sessions to compare forecasts with real sessions and sharpen future predictions.

Models and Updates

Surfnerd blends multiple global and local wind and swell models using advanced interpolation and spatial techniques to create an "ensemble" forecast. Forecasts are refreshed hourly.

Surf Predictions

Our AI-driven algorithm scores surf quality, shown by green, orange, and gray dots. Each forecast hour is rated for wind, swell, and tide quality, then combined into an overall score. Hereโ€™s the scale:

Perfect
Good
Average
Bad or No Data

Session logs also feed the algorithm โ€” the more you log, the smarter your forecasts get.

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