
Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 19 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 21s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 19s period, SSW swell with 480 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s period with SW swell.
Best Forecast Surf Conditions for Depressions this week:
The surf forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days: The first swell (rated 1 star or higher) is forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be glassy as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Depressions in the next 16 days are 0.8m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look at what's coming our way.
Alright, to be straight up with you, the next couple of weeks are looking pretty flat and messy. We’ve got a real lull on the way. For the first chunk of the outlook, the surf really isn't offering much that's worth getting wet for. The energy is weak, the wind is mostly on or cross-onshore, and the conditions are just not cooperating. I'm talking about a long run of poor surf that starts from the get-go.
The first time we see anything that even hints at being rideable is much later in the period. The whole first week and a half is a write-off. There’s a gap of about seven days here with no real recommendations, just small, choppy slop.
Depressions (Sunday, July 27)
Now, after that long stretch of nothing, we finally have something to look at. The morning of Sunday, July 27, brings the first real standout. We’ve got a 3ft swell rolling in from the SSW with a long period of 18 seconds, giving the combined wave energy a solid reading of 762. That’s a groundswell, and the light offshore wind from the WSW should be keeping the surface clean. This spot is fairly exposed to the swell, and the direction from the SSW is right in its wheelhouse.
Depressions (Tuesday, July 28)
The morning of Tuesday, July 28, looks like the pick of the whole run. We have a 3ft SSW groundswell at 17 seconds, and the wind is light and offshore from the WSW. The conditions look clean and the combined energy is 725. With a light offshore breeze like that, it should be an awesome session. This spot is a fairly consistent beginner break, so it’s a solid option for everyone, but keep in mind that crowds are sometimes an issue here.
Depressions (Thursday, July 30 & Friday, July 31)
As we head towards the end of the month and into August, the swell starts to push up a bit. Thursday, July 30, sees a 3ft to 4ft SSE swell with a period of 16 seconds and light winds, pushing combined energy to over 800. That’s a moderate energy and a bit more size. Friday, July 31, brings the biggest swell of the outlook at 4ft from the SSE with 16-second periods. The energy is strong at 922, but the cross-onshore wind will introduce some chop. It’s still well within the beginner range though. The water here is much warmer than normal for this time of year, sitting at 67°F.
A quick note on the long period swells we're seeing: with that 18 to 20-second period, the waves will have longer gaps between sets and a good shape, but it can run a bit too straight at the beachbreaks. Keep that in mind.
So, to wrap it up, don’t bother paddling out for at least a week. Mark your calendar for that Tuesday morning, July 28, at Depressions. That’s your window. Beyond that, the swell picks up in size for the end of the month, but the wind isn’t perfect. It’s a waiting game, lads.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Tue afternoon, min 21°C on Sun morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 31°C on Wed afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sunday 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | |||||||||||||||
AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | AM | PM | Night | |
Swell Height Map | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wave Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 17 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SSW 24 | SW 24 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
238 | 238 | 180 | 163 | 166 | 129 | 160 | 392 | 160 | 218 | 215 | 210 | 123 | 139 | 126 | 368 | 145 | 368 | 404 | 288 | 480 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 2:53PM1.83m | 2:44AM1.43m | 3:39PM1.86m | 4:21AM1.26m | 4:27PM1.87m | 6:26AM1.22m | 5:17PM1.89m | 8:06AM1.27m | 6:06PM1.92m | 9:02AM1.34m | 6:53PM1.97m | 9:37AM1.39m | 7:36PM2.03m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 8:04AM0.57m | 9:18PM0.91m | 8:40AM0.77m | 10:46PM0.83m | 9:19AM0.96m | 00:07AM0.71m | 10:07AM1.11m | 1:11AM0.58m | 11:12AM1.20m | 1:59AM0.47m | 12:20PM1.24m | 2:39AM0.37m | 1:15PM1.23m | 3:14AM0.29m | |||||||
6:00 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
— | 8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 24 | 25 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 30 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 28 |
Feels °C | 25 | 25 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 23 | 26 | 29 | 23 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 13 | S 13 | WNW 7 | S 12 | SW 21 | WNW 7 | S 12 | SSW 19 |
238 | 141 | 180 | 163 | 116 | 98 | 160 | 392 | 160 | 218 | 215 | 210 | 99 | 139 | 126 | 63 | 145 | 368 | 58 | 134 | 480 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | S 10 | WNW 5 | WNW 13 | S 15 | S 8 | S 8 | SW 19 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | S 12 | SW 24 | S 13 | S 12 | SSW 21 | SSW 12 |
69 | 238 | 125 | 118 | 166 | 49 | 17 | 34 | 112 | 5 | 5 | 58 | 123 | 70 | 68 | 108 | 141 | 123 | 138 | 288 | 147 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WNW 15 | WNW 15 | WNW 4 | WNW 14 | SW 16 | S 10 | SE 12 | SSW 9 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSE 12 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 18 | SSW 24 | SW 16 | SSE 11 | SSW 21 | W 11 | SW 20 |
19 | 91 | 73 | 7 | 69 | 129 | 48 | 6 | 26 | 6 | 6 | 27 | 13 | 105 | 49 | 368 | 41 | 39 | 404 | 2 | 388 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 6 | W 4 | WNW 5 | — | W 4 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | — | W 6 | WNW 6 |
15 | 11 | 22 | — | 17 | 25 | — | 29 | 50 | 23 | 117 | 95 | 24 | 110 | 124 | — | 62 | 84 | — | 64 | 87 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 149 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 76 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara | |||||||||||||||||||||
Best forecast wave conditions in United States | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Information about the Depressions Surf forecast
The above surf forecast table for Depressions provides essential information for determining whether the surfing conditions will be good over the next 16 days. A general guide to surfing at Depressions can be found by selecting the local surf guide option on the grey menu. Our Depressions surf forecast is unique since it includes wave energy (power) that defines the real feel of the surf rather than just the height or the period. If you surf the same spot (Depressions) regularly then make a mental note of the wave energy from the surf forecast table each time you go. Very soon you may start to choose your surf days based on the wave energy alone combined with our forecast of favourable offshore wind conditions. Our star ratings will help here and of course you will also find the usual wave height and period predictions on our surf forecasts as well as a full break down of the swell components under our advanced users option (to reveal that, click the little Einstein character under the tide times).
Further information to help with frequently asked questions about our surf forecast for Depressions may be found under the help tab on the top menu and also by moving your mouse over the question marks on the surf forecast table itself. Please always bear in mind that the forecast is for near-shore open water and local factors at each surf break influence the actual breaking wave height, such as the beach / reef profile, water depths offshore and shelter.
Depressions is 1 km (1 miles) from Isla Vista. If you plan a vacation in Santa Barbara, look for hotels and other accommodation in Isla Vista. Isla Vista has rooms for a wide range of budgets as well as car hire and transport links.










