Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 2 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 6 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, SSE swell with 714 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 2 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 18s 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 Wednesday (Sep 02) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.4m and 18s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m and 5s is also forecast. The wind is predicted to be cross-offshore as the swell arrives.
The most powerful waves expected at Depressions in the next 16 days are 1.3m 14s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Sep 07) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.5m 4s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 08) at 8PM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Wed 2nd Sep) | 1.5ft (0.4m) 18s |
| Best Surf | 8PM (Sun 6th Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Mon 7th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 14s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a good look at what’s cooking for Depressions over the next couple of weeks. It’s gonna be a bit of a mixed bag, so keep your expectations in check.
We’re starting off with a pretty flat and messy run. The first few days of September are looking poor. Wednesday 2nd kicks off with a tiny 1ft SW groundswell, but it’s got a nasty cross-onshore wind (6 mph) creating wind ripples. That energy is weak (157), and it’s just not worth paddling out. There is a very long period (16 seconds) for such a tiny wave, which usually means clean lines at the right spot, but with the wind all wrong, it’s a no-go. Thursday and Friday aren't much better, though we see the combined energy climb into the moderate range (376 to 507) by Friday morning. Still, the winds stay cross-onshore or onshore, keeping the surface chopped and messy.
The first real glimmer of hope shows up on Sunday 6th. We’ve got a small 3ft to 3ft SSE swell building. The combined energy (466 to 577) is moderate. Winds are light cross-onshore, which is okay. But the real standout window is Monday 7th September. That morning we see 4ft S swell (863 combined energy – nice moderate to strong energy) with light, clean onshore winds that’ll actually groom the face. This is the best on offer by a long shot. The swell period is a solid 14 seconds, giving it some proper push. For a beginner-friendly break that’s fairly consistent, this morning session is where it’s at. It’s small enough for all levels but has enough grunt for a fun ride. The crowds are *sometimes* there, so you might have some company.
You need to be aware of the water. The anomaly is negligible, so it's about average for this time of year.
From Tuesday 8th onward, things drop off again. The swell size backs off, the combined energy plummets back into the weak range, and the wind stays uncooperative through the 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th. It’s all poor to marginal surf. There’s a tiny flare-up on Monday 14th with a 3ft WNW swell, but the period is short (9 seconds) and the energy is weak to moderate (267). Not enough to get excited about, and the wind is still light cross-onshore.
The last week of the outlook is a write-off. We see a 1ft SW swell on Wednesday 17th with an extremely long period of 22 seconds. That’s a proper groundswell, but it’s barely a ripple. The combined energy is a paltry 127. It’s a teaser, nothing more.
To sum it up: Monday 7th September is your only real standout. Get it while it’s there. The rest of the two weeks is a long stretch of small, messy surf. If you’re desperate, the light winds on Friday 4th and Saturday 5th mornings might give you a knee-high ride, but don’t hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Wed afternoon, min 16°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sat afternoon, min 18°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Wednesday 2 | Thursday 3 | Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | ||||||||||||||
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 18 | SW 16 | S 13 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSE 14 | SSW 15 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||
79 | 68 | 121 | 148 | 113 | 190 | 204 | 325 | 240 | 255 | 209 | 217 | 199 | 308 | 394 | 467 | 703 | 665 | 563 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | on | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 1:45AM1.33m | 1:25PM1.97m | 3:36AM1.21m | 2:24PM1.96m | 6:25AM1.24m | 3:43PM1.97m | 7:35AM1.36m | 5:08PM2.02m | 8:08AM1.47m | 6:21PM2.11m | 8:37AM1.57m | 7:22PM2.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 6:34AM0.97m | 9:06PM0.60m | 7:03AM1.11m | 10:40PM0.53m | 7:59AM1.23m | 00:02AM0.40m | 10:25AM1.29m | 1:04AM0.26m | 12:07PM1.22m | 1:52AM0.16m | 1:16PM1.09m | 2:34AM0.11m | |||||||
— | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | |
— | — | 7:23 | — | — | 7:22 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:16 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 19 | 24 | 26 | 20 | 23 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 22 |
Feels °C | 16 | 21 | 23 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 26 | 26 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 10 | SSW 13 | S 13 | S 12 | S 11 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 17 | SSE 13 | SW 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 |
33 | 56 | 121 | 103 | 62 | 190 | 204 | 325 | 154 | 255 | 149 | 217 | 198 | 308 | 394 | 467 | 703 | 665 | 563 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 17 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSE 14 | SSW 16 | SSE 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | WNW 10 |
79 | 68 | 67 | 148 | 113 | 50 | 71 | 127 | 240 | 142 | 209 | 158 | 199 | 142 | 142 | 140 | 120 | 82 | 19 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 13 | SSE 9 | S 8 | W 12 | SSW 21 | SW 15 | S 19 | SSW 11 | SW 13 | SSE 15 | SSE 11 | SSE 10 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 11 | WNW 7 | SSW 18 |
34 | 16 | 1 | 3 | 42 | 58 | 112 | 47 | 83 | 131 | 47 | 43 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 40 | 9 | 31 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | W 4 | W 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 11 | W 4 | NW 10 | WNW 5 | WNW 9 | WNW 5 | — | — | — |
44 | 17 | 105 | 69 | 25 | 78 | 44 | 8 | 25 | 17 | 75 | 10 | 47 | 9 | 34 | 9 | — | — | — | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 82 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 171 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 42 | 0 | 63 | 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.











