Depressions Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.41° N 119.85° W

Issued: 4 am 05 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Depressions sea temperature is
17.8° C

1.7°C warmer than normal for this time of year

Depressions surf forecast is for near shore open water. Breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.


Depressions surf forecast from 5 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Wednesday 8 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 18s period, SSW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Thursday 9 Jul, 5AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 10s period, WNW swell with 383 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 5 Jul, 8AM (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 Sunday (Jul 05) at 8AM. 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 0.5m and 4s 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 1.5m 10s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Jul 09) at 5AM. Winds are predicted to be glassy at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.3m 3s period and expected on Friday (Jul 10) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 8AM (Sun 5th Jul)1.5ft (0.4m) 18s
Best Surf 5AM (Wed 8th Jul)2.5ft (0.8m) 18s
Most Powerful 5AM (Thu 9th Jul)5ft (1.5m) 10s

Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.


Updates in  hr  min  s Forecast update imminent

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s break down the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, don’t get too fired up for the next few days. The surf is tiny and messy. Sunday the 5th sees a weak 1.6ft SSW groundswell with a very long 18-second period, but the wind is on it and the overall wave energy is weak (255). It’s a write-off. Monday and Tuesday aren’t much better – still small, still onshore, and the energy is only moderate at best (389 to 687). You’d be fighting chop for nothing.

Wednesday the 8th shows a tiny glimmer of hope on the morning – clean surf around 2.6ft from the SSW with light offshore wind and a long 16-second period – but it’s still pretty weak. The afternoon turns into a junk show with a 5.2ft WNW windswell (8-second period) and onshore wind, so that’s a no-go.

The first real standout, and the best of the whole outlook, falls on Friday the 10th in the afternoon. We get glassy conditions – dead calm – with a 2.0ft SSW groundswell rolling in at a super long 18-second period. The wave energy is moderate (270) but that absolute glassy surface means it’ll be clean as a whistle. Depressions will be the spot to be that afternoon. The swell direction (SSW) lines up nicely with its optimum WSW exposure, and with the crowds being only *sometimes* an issue, you might even get a few waves to yourself. That 18-second period means long lulls between sets, but the shape will be there. Just remember, it’s a small wave – a longboarder’s dream or a grovel session.

The weekend of the 11th and 12th fades back into small, onshore junk. The surf tries to straighten up a bit on Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th with some 3.3ft to 4.6ft WNW windswell, but the period is short (7-8 seconds) and the wind isn't great. Tuesday afternoon actually goes glassy again with that 3.3ft WNW swell, but with such a short period it’s going to be a fat, weak dribble. Nothing to write home about.

The rest of the second week is a slow decline. There’s a little pulse of WNW groundswell on Thursday the 16th (3.6ft, 9-second period, 430 energy) but the wind is mostly onshore or cross-onshore. A few marginal windows pop up on the 17th and 18th with some very long period SW swell (17-18 seconds), but again, it’s tiny – 1.6ft to 2.0ft – and the energy is weak. It’ll be pretty, small, and frustrating.

Honestly, if you’re not already planning for Friday afternoon the 10th, you’re missing the only real chance in this 16-day stretch. The rest is a long slog of small, choppy, or marginal stuff.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Wed afternoon, min 19°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Sunday
5
Monday
6
Tuesday
7
Wednesday
8
Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
0
0
2
0
0
1
1
0
3
0
2
3
1
2
1
0
0
2
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SSW
18
0.4
SSW
18
0.6
SSW
17
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
20
0.7
SW
18
0.8
SSW
18
0.7
SSW
18
0.8
SSW
16
1.6
WNW
8
1.6
WNW
8
1.2
WNW
9
1.6
WNW
9
1.4
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.5
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
176
121
229
171
171
298
319
356
276
339
291
368
259
381
300
173
144
167
172
118
154
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
15
WSW
10
NW
15
WSW
20
W
10
NW
10
WSW
20
W
10
NW
10
SW
15
W
5
NNW
10
SW
10
SW
5
ESE
10
SSE
5
S
10
ESE
10
SE
10
SSE
5
E
Wind State
on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
cross-on
cross-on
cross
on
cross-on
glassy
on
on
cross-off
cross
glassy
cross-off
cross
cross-on
cross-off
High Tide
2:54PM1.63m
1:36AM1.55m
3:28PM1.73m
2:52AM1.37m
4:07PM1.84m
4:39AM1.25m
4:52PM1.97m
6:32AM1.23m
5:42PM2.10m
8:00AM1.30m
6:35PM2.24m
9:03AM1.38m
7:29PM2.37m
Low Tide
8:24PM1.15m
8:23AM0.65m
9:50PM1.04m
8:57AM0.78m
11:15PM0.85m
9:41AM0.91m
00:27AM0.62m
10:37AM1.03m
1:26AM0.38m
11:44AM1.10m
2:19AM0.16m
12:52PM1.13m
3:08AM-0.01m
cloud
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:52
5:52
5:52
5:54
5:54
5:54
5:54
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:15
8:15
8:14
8:14
8:14
8:14
8:13
 mm
Temp °C
22
24
22
24
27
23
25
29
24
27
30
24
27
27
23
25
26
21
25
25
21
Feels °C
22
23
21
23
25
20
23
26
21
25
28
22
25
27
24
26
27
23
26
25
22
Swell 1
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.5
SSW
18
0.4
SSW
18
0.6
SSW
17
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.7
SSW
16
0.7
SW
18
0.8
SSW
18
0.7
SSW
18
1.1
WNW
9
0.7
SSW
16
1.2
WNW
6
1.2
WNW
9
1.5
WNW
9
1.4
WNW
9
1
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
9
0.7
WNW
9
0.7
WNW
8
0.6
WNW
9
0.6
SSW
14
Energy kJ
176
121
229
171
171
223
319
356
276
202
232
97
259
344
300
173
101
79
73
59
154
Swell 2
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
SSW
13
0.4
SSW
13
0.3
SSW
22
0.4
SSW
21
0.4
SSW
20
0.6
SSW
20
0.4
S
18
0.4
SSW
15
0.4
SW
14
0.8
SSW
16
0.3
S
19
1.2
WNW
9
0.6
SSW
16
0.6
SSW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.5
SW
16
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.6
SSW
15
0.5
SSW
14
0.6
W
8
Energy kJ
58
58
91
153
154
298
103
84
54
339
66
227
173
169
121
118
144
167
172
118
51
Swell 3
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.3
S
9
0.3
S
9
0.2
WNW
12
0.3
SSW
12
0.3
SSW
12
0.3
WNW
12
0.3
WNW
12
0.1
S
10
0.2
WNW
11
0.3
S
19
0.1
S
9
0.6
SSW
16
0.4
S
17
0.3
S
16
0.4
S
16
0.3
S
15
0.2
S
18
0.1
S
18
0.1
S
19
0.2
S
16
0.2
S
18
Energy kJ
15
14
15
28
28
28
27
2
12
66
2
175
91
46
79
41
25
6
7
21
24
Wind waves
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
0.4
WNW
4
0.8
W
5
1.1
WNW
5
0.9
WNW
5
1.4
WNW
6
1.5
WNW
6
1
WNW
7
1.8
WNW
6
1.7
WNW
6
1.1
WNW
8
1.6
WNW
8
1.6
WNW
8
0.2
WNW
2
1.6
WNW
9
1.3
WNW
9
0.3
ESE
3
0.5
WNW
8
Energy kJ
6
27
57
37
110
153
111
245
220
173
291
368
1
381
270
2
41
Nearest Offshore or Glassy
Rating
(10 max)
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
3
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
2
Distance (km)
35
1
1
1
35
1
1
35
1
1
1
0
35
35
0
142
0
0
3
149
0
Best forecast wave conditions in Santa Barbara
Rating
(10 max)
1
2
2
3
2
3
3
2
4
4
3
4
3
2
1
2
Best forecast wave conditions in United States
Rating
(10 max)
2
2
3
2
3
3
2
2
4
3
2
4
2
3
4
2
3
3
3
2
3
Header Global
Rating
(10 max)
7
6
5
8
7
5
5
9
8
9
6
7
8
8
6
9
6
4
9
7
7
  • Map Icons:
  • Break
  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
Map placeholder
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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.

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