
Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 30 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Thursday 30 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period, SSE swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 30 Jul, 5PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 15s period, SSE swell with 246 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 30 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 14s period with SSE 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 Thursday (Jul 30) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 1.0m and 8s. Another secondary swell of 1.1m 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 0.7m 15s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 30) at 5PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 11PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 14s |
| Most Powerful | 5PM (Thu 30th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 15s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the cards.
Straight up, I’m calling it like I see it: this run is a bit of a bummer. There’s hardly a moment in the next 16 days that’s worth paddling out for. The only spot in the frame is Depressions, and it’s a beginner-friendly wave that’s fairly consistent, but the conditions are just not cooperating. The water is a very unusual 68°F – that’s much warmer than normal for this time of year, which is a weird little detail, but it’s not going to fix the wave quality.
The first sniff of anything on offer starts on Thursday, July 30th. There’s a small 2 ft swell from the SSW with a 15-second period. That’s a long period groundswell, which has decent energy (368) but it’s coming in with a cross-on wind. The wave comment calls it “marginal” and I’m inclined to agree. It’s not a total write-off, but with that wind state, it’s going to be bumpy. The following days, from Friday July 31st through the end of the first week, are a write-off. Swell stays small – between 2 ft and 4 ft, but the wind is all onshore or cross-on, and the “poor surf conditions” tag is consistent. The swell direction swings around from S to WNW, but it doesn’t matter because the wind has it blown out.
We hit a real dead zone from around Sunday, August 3rd, through to nearly the middle of the month. The swell drops to 1 ft and 1.0 ft, and the energy dips into the 50s and 70s – that’s weak, barely a ripple. The long period stuff (14-19 seconds) shows up but the wind is just ruining the party. It’s all onshore and cross-on, so you’re looking at choppy, messy lines.
The best of a bad bunch? Honestly, it’s a tough call. If I had to pick a moment, I’d say the Thursday morning, July 30th session at Depressions. It’s 2 ft from the SSW, 15-second period, with a light 3 mph cross-on wind. It’s not clean, but it’s the least bad. The crowd can be an issue here sometimes, but it’s a beginner wave, so it might be a bit of a circus. The wave energy is moderate (368) and the direction is a mismatch for the optimum WSW swell, which hurts it. For a stand-out, there’s nothing that really pumps. The rest of the run is a write-off until the very tail end of the 16 days, around August 12th, where we see a slight pulse: 2 ft from the SSW with a 17-18 second period and energy up to 337-366. But the wind is still onshore. It’s a tease.
So, bottom line: if you’re desperate for a splash, the 30th of July is your only real shot. After that, it’s mostly flat, weak, and blown out. The forecast can change, so don’t write the whole thing off, but as it stands, this is a quiet spell for Depressions.
- Rusty
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Sat morning, min 21°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Sun afternoon, min 20°C on Tue night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | Saturday 1 | Sunday 2 | Monday 3 | Tuesday 4 | Wednesday 5 | |||||||||||||||
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) | SSW 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 12 | S 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 7 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 14 | SW 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
204 | 246 | 198 | 151 | 108 | 71 | 115 | 140 | 222 | 211 | 243 | 206 | 169 | 110 | 43 | 88 | 32 | 71 | 51 | 32 | 56 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 11:48AM1.56m | 10:37PM2.09m | 12:14PM1.60m | 11:12PM1.97m | 12:40PM1.66m | 11:50PM1.82m | 1:08PM1.72m | 00:33AM1.63m | 1:39PM1.79m | 1:30AM1.44m | 2:17PM1.85m | 2:54AM1.26m | 3:07PM1.92m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 4:33PM1.04m | 5:43AM0.28m | 5:15PM1.01m | 6:08AM0.38m | 6:01PM0.99m | 6:32AM0.50m | 6:55PM0.95m | 6:57AM0.64m | 8:01PM0.90m | 7:23AM0.79m | 9:22PM0.82m | 7:54AM0.94m | 10:54PM0.69m | ||||||||
6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | 6:11 | — | — | |
— | 8:01 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 8:00 | — | — | 7:59 | — | — | 7:58 | — | — | 7:57 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 25 | 26 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 27 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 22 |
Feels °C | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 28 | 23 | 26 | 28 | 22 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | S 12 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | W 9 | WNW 9 | SW 13 | WNW 9 | W 9 | WNW 9 | W 7 | WNW 9 | W 6 | SW 14 | W 8 | SW 14 | W 5 |
63 | 72 | 119 | 90 | 108 | 71 | 115 | 140 | 203 | 211 | 44 | 206 | 169 | 110 | 43 | 88 | 18 | 71 | 33 | 32 | 27 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 15 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | S 12 | SSW 14 | SSE 11 | SSW 13 | S 12 | WNW 6 | SSW 11 | SSW 9 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 13 | WNW 9 | SSW 12 | WNW 9 | NW 9 | SW 14 | WNW 8 | SW 13 |
204 | 246 | 198 | 151 | 81 | 39 | 55 | 72 | 20 | 22 | 8 | 44 | 27 | 26 | 35 | 28 | 32 | 20 | 51 | 13 | 56 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSE 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SW 15 | S 13 | S 10 | SW 14 | S 12 | SW 14 | S 12 | S 12 | WSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 12 | SW 15 | SSW 12 | S 10 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 | WNW 8 |
101 | 142 | 82 | 82 | 33 | 55 | 30 | 30 | 80 | 29 | 11 | 11 | 26 | 41 | 23 | 36 | 29 | 2 | 13 | 13 | 6 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 8 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | — | — | WNW 9 | — | WNW 9 | WNW 6 | — | — | — | — | W 2 | W 6 | W 8 | W 6 | WNW 5 |
— | 61 | 30 | — | 85 | 55 | — | — | 222 | — | 243 | 43 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 26 | 12 | 16 | 30 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 264 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 35 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 54 | 0 | 149 | 35 | 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.











