Why Myrtle Beach Became South Carolina's UFO Hotspot

Introduction

Myrtle Beach consistently records more UFO reports than any other South Carolina city, but that does not necessarily mean it experiences more genuinely unexplained aerial phenomena. A better explanation is that the Grand Strand combines ideal viewing conditions with an unusually large number of potential observers. Millions of residents and visitors spend evenings outdoors facing an unobstructed Atlantic horizon, while the area also lies beneath busy civilian and military air routes. Those factors increase both the number of unusual-looking lights people notice and the likelihood that someone will report them.

For South Carolina’s modern UFO history, Myrtle Beach is therefore best understood as a reporting hotspot rather than proven evidence of an anomaly hotspot. The area’s high totals reflect a combination of geography, tourism, human behaviour and complex night-time viewing conditions, alongside a smaller number of reports that remain unidentified because the available evidence is insufficient to determine what was seen.

How visitor numbers and beach viewing raise report totals

Myrtle Beach differs from most South Carolina communities because its population changes dramatically throughout the year. Although the permanent population is modest, the wider Grand Strand attracts tens of millions of visitors annually. Visit Myrtle Beach reported approximately 18.2 million visitors during 2024, many of whom spend evenings on beaches, hotel balconies, boardwalks and piers looking east across the Atlantic.

That matters because UFO reporting depends heavily on how many people are actually watching the sky. A place where thousands of people are outdoors after sunset will naturally generate more observations than an inland town where relatively few people are looking upward. Even if unusual lights occur at the same frequency everywhere, Myrtle Beach is statistically more likely to produce eyewitness reports simply because there are more observers.

The reporting process also becomes easier in a tourist destination:

These factors increase report numbers without necessarily increasing the number of genuinely unexplained events.

Why lights over the ocean are difficult to judge

Looking out over the Atlantic creates some of the most challenging conditions for estimating distance, speed and altitude.

Unlike objects seen above buildings, trees or hills, lights over open water have almost no visual reference points. A distant aircraft approaching almost directly towards an observer may appear stationary for several minutes before suddenly changing direction. Navigation lights can seem to brighten, fade or disappear as the aircraft turns or enters haze.

Humidity also plays a role. Warm coastal air frequently produces haze that scatters light, making bright objects appear larger or more diffuse than they really are. Reflections over water can further complicate perception, particularly shortly after sunset when atmospheric conditions are changing rapidly.

As a result, witnesses often struggle to estimate whether an object is:

These uncertainties appear repeatedly in Myrtle Beach sighting reports, especially those describing orange or white lights apparently hovering over the ocean.[National UFO Reporting Center]nuforc.orgNational UFO Reporting CenterNUFORC UFO Sighting 110121June 13, 2014…Published: June 13, 2014

Repeated reports do not necessarily indicate repeated unknown objects

NUFORC contains numerous Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach reports describing orange lights, glowing spheres or groups of lights appearing offshore before fading away. Several accounts from different years share similar descriptions, including lights that brighten, remain visible briefly and then disappear.[National UFO Reporting Center]nuforc.orgNational UFO Reporting CenterNUFORC UFO Sighting 157179July 3, 2020…Published: July 3, 2020

That consistency can be interpreted in two very different ways.

Supporters of an unexplained phenomenon argue that recurring descriptions suggest observers are witnessing the same unusual activity over many years.

Sceptics point out that recurring descriptions are exactly what would be expected if observers repeatedly encountered the same identifiable sources under similar viewing conditions. A light that appears stationary above the Atlantic because of perspective will produce similar witness descriptions regardless of who reports it.

Because most reports lack calibrated photographs, radar data, multiple precisely documented viewing locations or independent instrumental measurements, it is usually impossible to distinguish confidently between these possibilities.

Aircraft, flares, satellites and other plausible explanations

Most investigators examining Myrtle Beach reports begin with conventional possibilities before considering anything more unusual.

Aircraft

Commercial aircraft approaching coastal airports can appear almost motionless when flying directly towards an observer. Their landing lights are considerably brighter than their navigation lights and may remain visible for many miles before disappearing as the aircraft changes heading.

The Myrtle Beach area also experiences regular helicopter activity and other aviation traffic associated with tourism and regional transport.

Military activity

South Carolina hosts numerous military facilities, while offshore airspace is regularly used for military operations. Training flights, unusual lighting configurations and exercises can all produce unfamiliar sights for civilians.

Some witnesses have reported seeing lights they believed were accompanied by military aircraft. Such observations are genuine reports, but they do not by themselves establish the identity of the original object.[National UFO Reporting Center]nuforc.orgNational UFO Reporting CenterNUFORC UFO Sighting 81707June 12, 2011…Published: June 12, 2011

Illumination flares

Military illumination flares can remain suspended beneath parachutes for several minutes while producing an intense orange or yellow glow. Seen from many kilometres away over open water, they may appear almost stationary before fading as they burn out.

This explanation has often been proposed for reports describing multiple orange lights appearing one after another offshore, although individual cases cannot always be verified without military exercise records.

Satellites and space objects

Modern satellite constellations have become increasingly visible during twilight. Bright satellites may suddenly appear or disappear as they enter or leave sunlight, while groups of satellites can produce unfamiliar patterns for observers who have never seen them before.

Although satellites cannot explain every Myrtle Beach report, they provide a well-established explanation for some moving lights reported shortly after sunset.

What the reporting hotspot really tells us

The evidence suggests Myrtle Beach is primarily a hotspot for observations rather than a uniquely mysterious location.

Several factors combine to elevate reporting rates:

None of these factors proves that every report has a conventional explanation. Some cases remain unidentified simply because too little information exists to reach a reliable conclusion. Equally, the high volume of reports should not be interpreted as evidence that extraordinary aerial phenomena occur more frequently over Myrtle Beach than elsewhere.

Within South Carolina’s wider UFO history, Myrtle Beach is therefore best viewed as an example of how geography, tourism and observation conditions can shape reporting patterns. Its prominence in civilian databases reflects where large numbers of people spend time watching the sky, rather than providing clear evidence that the Grand Strand is home to an unusual concentration of genuinely unexplained aerial events.

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Endnotes

1. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=110121

Published: June 13, 2014

2. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=110709

3. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=157179

Published: July 3, 2020

4. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=81707

Published: June 12, 2011

5. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=197433

Published: May 3, 2026

6. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=186681

Published: January 9, 2025

7. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=186515

Published: January 6, 2025

8. Source: nuforc.org
Link:https://nuforc.org/sighting/?id=69885

Additional References

9. Source: visitmyrtlebeach.com
Title: Myrtle Beach Area Wildfire Update and Visitor Information | Visit Myrtle Beach
Link:https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/myrtle-beach-area-wildfire-update-and-visitor-information

Published: May 21, 2025

10. Source: visitmyrtlebeach.com
Title: BOTTOMLINE: MYRTLE BEACH AREA BEACHES ARE SAFE AND OPEN The testing of ou
Link:https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/article/myrtle-beach-area-water-quality-swim-advisories

Published: May 13, 2026

11. Source: youtube.com
Title: Experience the Encounters: UFO Experience at Myrtle Beach
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwdDVg9ZuR8

12. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCKvKuorwhc

13. Source: visitmyrtlebeach.com
Link:https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/media/media-resources/fact-sheet

14. Source: visitmyrtlebeach.com
Link:https://www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/list/ufos-in-myrtle-beach-10-space-themed-activities-to-try-on-your-next-trip

15. Source: youtube.com
Title: Charles Spots a UFO in Myrtle Beach
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91qw8u4CuY

16. Source: youtube.com
Title: Time-lapse video catches mysterious lights over Myrtle Beach
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY2kqK9Sh_k

17. Source: youtube.com
Title: Viewer video of UFO in Cherry Grove
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kO7xNcEdGY