Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 4 Sep 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 8 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, S swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 7 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.3m), 14s period, S swell with 622 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Friday 4 Sep, 5AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 17s 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 Friday (Sep 04) at 5AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 17s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 11s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s 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 3s period and expected on Thursday (Sep 10) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 5AM (Fri 4th Sep) | 2ft (0.6m) 17s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 8th Sep) | 4.5ft (1.3m) 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
G’day, Rusty here. Let’s be straight with it – we’ve got a long, flat stretch ahead. The surf window is more of a pinhole. For the next week or more, the swell is small and mixed with cross-onshore winds most days, so don't get your hopes up.
The only break on the cards is Depressions, a fairly exposed beginner spot. It’s fairly consistent, but the swell is coming from the south-west to south, which isn’t its optimum. The water temp is about average for this time of year.
The first chance at anything is Friday morning, 4 September. A clean, 3ft SSW groundswell with a period of 17 seconds rolls in with light offshore wind. That’s a proper long-period groundswell, so the energy is moderate (524 combined energy) and sets will be clean but spread out. The tide could be a factor though. Friday afternoon turns messy with a cross-onshore breeze and poor conditions.
Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th are much the same – small swell around 2ft to 4ft, with light cross-onshore wind leaving the surface a bit rippled and average. Monday the 7th and Tuesday the 8th see a weak pulse of 4ft to 4ft S swell, but the wind stays on or cross-on, and the combined energy barely hits 600s. It’s not worth rushing for.
Wednesday the 9th drops back to 3ft to 3ft but with light onshore wind. Still marginal.
Thursday the 10th wobbles with a messy 4ft SW windswell (9 seconds) and cross-shore wind. Not your friend.
From Friday the 11th onward, it gets ugly – the swell drops to 1ft to 2ft, wind stays cross-on or on, and the combined energy falls into the low hundreds. A few long-period pulses appear around 18 to 22 seconds on the 17th and 18th, but with heights of 1ft to 2ft, they’re just gutless. The only slight glimmer is Friday morning 18 September: a 2ft SW groundswell (20 seconds) with light offshore wind and a combined energy of 377. It’s marginal, but clean. Then Saturday 19 September morning repeats the pattern – 3ft WNW groundswell (10 seconds) and light offshore, but still only marginal.
Look, there are no standouts here. It’s a long gap of mostly flat, choppy, or marginal conditions. The best of a bad bunch is that first Friday morning – 4 September, early – with clean 3ft SSW groundswell and light offshore. If you’re desperate, paddle out at dawn. Otherwise, give it a miss.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Sun morning, min 17°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||
Friday 4 | Saturday 5 | Sunday 6 | Monday 7 | Tuesday 8 | Wednesday 9 | ||||||||||||||
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 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
Wave Graph  | |||||||||||||||||||
 kJ | 246 | 325 | 240 | 255 | 242 | 201 | 198 | 423 | 460 | 440 | 561 | 613 | 581 | 591 | 499 | 379 | 221 | 269 | 239 |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | on | on | glassy |
High Tide | 6:25AM1.24m | 3:43PM1.97m | 7:35AM1.36m | 5:08PM2.02m | 8:08AM1.47m | 6:21PM2.11m | 8:37AM1.57m | 7:22PM2.19m | 9:07AM1.68m | 8:15PM2.22m | 9:36AM1.79m | 9:03PM2.19m | |||||||
Low Tide | 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 | 2:11PM0.93m | 3:11AM0.12m | 3:00PM0.78m | 3:45AM0.19m | ||||||
 |  | | | | | | | | | | | |  |  |  | | | | |
 | — | 6:33 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:35 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — | 6:37 | — | — |
 | — | — | 7:21 | — | — | 7:20 | — | — | 7:19 | — | — | 7:16 | — | — | 7:15 | — | — | 7:14 | — |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 20 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 21 | 26 | 27 | 23 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 25 |
Feels °C | 19 | 23 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 24 | 24 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 21 | 24 | 25 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 18 | SSW 17 | SSW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSE 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | SSW 13 | SSW 12 | SSW 11 | SSW 12 | SSW 12 |
| kJ | 246 | 325 | 240 | 255 | 242 | 201 | 198 | 423 | 460 | 440 | 561 | 613 | 581 | 591 | 499 | 379 | 221 | 269 | 239 |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 11 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSE 12 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | WNW 7 | SW 9 | SW 18 | WNW 6 | SW 12 | SW 16 | SW 19 | SW 17 | SSW 17 |
| kJ | 73 | 121 | 113 | 99 | 110 | 102 | 191 | 144 | 140 | 144 | 26 | 3 | 50 | 14 | 6 | 67 | 94 | 137 | 197 |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 19 | SSW 11 | WNW 10 | SSW 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 11 | SSE 16 | WNW 5 | SW 11 | SW 10 | SW 19 | — | NW 10 | SW 18 | NW 12 | SW 12 | SW 16 | W 4 | WNW 10 |
| kJ | 112 | 69 | 38 | 51 | 71 | 68 | 87 | 13 | 18 | 15 | 15 | — | 4 | 49 | 6 | 6 | 40 | 2 | 10 |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 4 | NW 4 | W 3 | WNW 4 | WNW 3 | WNW 6 | WNW 4 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | — |
| kJ | 32 | 9 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 6 | — | 13 | 17 | — | 25 | 10 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 5 | — | — |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 136 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 1 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 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.
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