Swimming at Hilton Head Beach today
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Updated 7:03 AM EDT
What decides a swimming score
Before you swim
Swim near a staffed lifeguard tower, and check the National Weather Service surf-zone forecast for the official rip-current outlook — we report conditions, we don't forecast rip currents.
Hilton Head Beach is also scored for
About Hilton Head Beach
Hilton Head Beach sits on the South Carolina coast, where the water runs from about 53°F in January to 87°F in July.
The water averages above 70°F in April, May, June, July, August, September and October — 7 months of the year — peaking around 87°F in July and dropping to about 53°F in January.
Today it is 86°F. That is right on the August average of 86°F for this beach.
Tide predictions come from NOAA station Calibogue Cay, Broad Creek, Hilton Head Island about 3.9 km away on a river.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hilton Head Beach good for swimming today?
Great for swimming — we score it 99 out of 100 today. No single condition is holding it back today.
What makes a good swimming day?
We weight water temperature (40%), surf calmness (25%), uv exposure (15%) and combine them into one score. Conditions we cannot read are left out rather than guessed.
When is the best time of year to swim at Hilton Head Beach?
The water averages above 70°F in April, May, June, July, August, September and October — 7 months of the year — peaking around 87°F in July and dropping to about 53°F in January.