Folly Beach
64°
THE SURF REPORT
Wed. Feb. 22, 2012 | 2 p.m. (pics. from a.m.)
VIDEO
GENERAL
Good afternoon, this is Bates with your Ocean Surf Shop surf report for Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 1:30 p.m.
Wetsuits, booties and gloves are 25% off, and we have a great women’s selection, so come get warm.
The winds are out of the south-west this afternoon at 10 to 20 knots.
Waves at the Washout are the knee to thigh range, and getting choppy. There is a swell component to the surf now, and there is an occasional waist high closeout set at The Washout as tide drops out. My bet is that it could pick up some to waist high-plus range as the tide comes in around 5 p.m. today.
Tide will be low at 2:04 pm. It’ll be high at 8:14 tonight.
The Edisto Buoy is reading 2.6 t. ft with a average period of 4.7 seconds. We are looking at building south-west wind-swell over the next few days.
The National Weather Service Marine Weather Forecast calls for: ” ATLANTIC HIGH PRESSURE WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION FROM
THE WEST ON FRIDAY…FOLLOWED BY A RETURN OF HIGH PRESSURE THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A TROUGH MAY DEVELOP ALONG THE SOUTHEAST COAST EARLY NEXT WEEK.
We should see building south wind swell starting today and building through Thursday. Should reach the chest high range in choppy conditions by Friday as a cold front approaches. After the frontal passage, surf looks to get small, with offshore winds, becoming more north-easterly for early week, and some wind chop could be around for Sunday into Monday.
Expect a beautiful afternoon, with a high of 71 under sunny skies.
Sunset is at 6:10 p.m..
Water temperature is around 56*.
PHOTOS
Waves » Knee to thigh. Wasit set late day.
SURF CONDITIONS » Getting choppy for p.m.
BIGGEST WAVE » Pushing waist.
WATER TEMPERATURE » 56°
CURRENT NOAA FOLLY BUOY READINGS »
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WIND » South-west at 10 to 20.
TIDES » L 2:04 p.m. / H 8:14 p.m.
WEATHER » Sunny, Expect a high of 71 today under sunny skies.
DANGERS » None.
TRAFFIC » None.
PARKING » Everywhere.
WEEKLY WAVE FORECAST
The National Weather Service Marine Weather Forecast as of Monday, Feb 20 calls for: “HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD NORTH OF THE WATERS THROUGH TONIGHT. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE WESTERN ATLANTIC THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH ON THURSDAY…THEN A COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH ON FRIDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY.”
The wave drought might end this week, with two potential wind swells on tap for Folly Beach. A nice swell showed late Sunday afternoon, with clean, side shore conditions as the tide got high late Sunday as a cold front moved offshore. It was quick. A “one and done,” deal, but really fun.
As high pressure moves offshore to our north early week, we will see residual wind-swell blowing into our beaches on Tuesday as wind goes more easterly. It won’t be epic, but look for surf to average waist to stomach high on Tuesday early morning and late in the day. Tuesday will see small surf mid-day on the low tide.
Wednesday sees a new weather pattern begin to emerge as a warm front sets up to lift over our area late week. Waves should stay pretty small Wednesday not picking up until Thursday afternoon as the tide starts to come in around dark. Look for choppy south wind swell in the waist high range, building.
Friday sees a cold front approaching, as surf getting big and choppy as south wind swell fills in chest high plus, with strong south-west winds.
The weekend looks to be a wash, as a cold front passes the area, and winds go offshore. Pushing swell away from our beaches. If this changes, we’ll update the forecast.
Weather should get milder this week, so it could be a good week to get some surf.
-Bates Hagood. Ocean Surf Shop