Beach Guide

Beach Conditions

Hilton Head Island · loading live data…

green

12 ft

surf

Sunny, high near 90°. Rain chance peaks at 45% around 2 PM. Best beach window: 8 AM to 2 PM.

estimate

Slide Through the Day

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12 PM

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88°

Air

84°

Water

11 mph

Wind

10

UV

10%

Rain

Hour by Hour

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Rain Outlook

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6 AM10 AM2 PM6 PM9 PM

Peak rain chance 45% around 2 PM — plan beach time outside that window.

Tide

0.3 ft · falling ↘

12A6A12P6P12A
High 7:54 AM
Low 12:24 PM
High 8:18 PM
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Wind

NESW

11 mph

from the E

UV Index

10

Very High

reapply every 80 min

Time to Burn

UV 10 · incl. sand glare
14min

for unprotected fair skin (burns easily, tans a little). SPF 50, reapply every 80 minutes and after every swim.

Strongest 9 AM to 6 PM · peaks at UV 10

An estimate from the standard erythemal dose model, not a medical limit. Darker skin burns more slowly than this, people vary either way, and sunscreen only helps if you use enough of it and reapply.

Rip Current Riskestimated

today
ESCAPE: SWIM PARALLEL
Low
Moderate
High

Calm pattern today. Currents can still surprise — keep kids within reach.

Caught in one? Don’t fight it. Swim parallel to the beach until you’re free, then angle back in.

Beach Flag

Green Flag

calm, swim easy

estimated · trust the lifeguard

Water by Monthtypical

avg 2021–2024
54
J
57
F
63
M
69
A
76
M
81
J
87
J
86
A
82
S
73
O
67
N
57
D

Warmest around July (87°), coolest around January (54°).

surf’s up (gently)

Tides are NOAA predictions (Hilton Head Island station 8670870); temps, wind, UV, waves and water temp are live from Open-Meteo; rip current risk from the NWS surf-zone forecast. Flag status is estimated from wave height and wind, so always trust the lifeguard’s actual flag over this app.

Right now at Hilton Head, the water is 85°F, surf is running 1–2 ft and the air is 84°F but feels like 95°F. Wind is 5 mph from the W and the UV index peaks at 7 (high) today. Unprotected fair skin burns in about 31 minutes right now, and the strongest stretch runs 12 PM to 4 PM. Today’s tides: Low 4:14 AM, High 10:24 AM, Low 4:45 PM, High 10:35 PM. Rip current risk is low (NWS). No-see-ums: likely today. Light 7 mph wind and humid air around sunset. 3,204 acres of marsh and mangrove sit behind this beach. Dogs are allowed right now. Allowed until May 28.