Depressions Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.41° N 119.85° W

Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 08 Jul 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Depressions sea temperature is
17.9° C
1.6° 

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


Depressions surf forecast from 9 Jul 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Thursday 9 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 4.5ft (1.4m), 9s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Wednesday 15 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 6ft (1.9m), 9s period, WNW swell with 606 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Wednesday 8 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 5ft (1.6m), 9s period with WNW 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 (Jul 08) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.6m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 16s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 17s 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 1.9m 9s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Jul 15) at 8PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.2m 2s period and expected on Monday (Jul 13) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Wed 8th Jul)5ft (1.6m) 9s
Best Surf 8PM (Thu 9th Jul)4.5ft (1.4m) 9s
Most Powerful 8PM (Wed 15th Jul)6ft (1.9m) 9s

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


Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on offer at Depressions over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – this stretch is looking pretty flat and tricky. The water’s sitting at 64° with a touch warmer than normal anomaly, so it’s a bit on the mild side for this time of year, but that’s about the only notable thing. We’ve got a long gap of mostly poor surf and marginal conditions, so don’t get your hopes up for the early days.

We pick up on Wednesday, July 8th, with a 5 ft swell from the WNW, but the period’s a short 7 seconds and the wind is cross-on. Combined energy is moderate at 547, but honestly, the surf quality is just poor. That’s the story for the next few days – small, weak, and onshore. Thursday the 9th morning sees a WSW wind straight onshore, with a 4 ft WNW swell and a 9-second period – marginal at best. The afternoons are just as disappointing.

By Friday the 10th morning, we’re down to a 3 ft swell, and while the period holds at 9 seconds, the wind is still onshore. The afternoon sees a tiny 2 ft SSW swell but with a long 15-second period – that’s a groundswell, but it’s so small and the wind is on it, it’s barely surfable. The combined energy drops to 301 (weak). This pattern of small, poor surf continues right through the weekend.

Now, there is a glimmer on Sunday the 12th morning. The wind goes glassy, which is a major positive for clean conditions, but the swell is only 2 ft from the SSW with a 14-second period. Combined energy is a weak 246. It’s surfable but very ordinary – you’ll be on a longboard, scratching for little waist-high lines. The afternoon clouds up and the wind goes cross-on, so that window is tight.

The following week, from Monday the 13th through to Wednesday the 22nd, it’s a real struggle. We see a few pulses of 4 ft WNW swell on the 14th and 15th, but the wind is always onshore or cross-on, and the period never gets above 9 seconds. That 6 ft WNW on the afternoon of July 15th looks promising on paper, but with a 9-second period and cross-on wind, it’s just a messy, lumpy wave. Combined energy is 485 (moderate) but the quality is poor. Not worth paddling out for.

Around the 18th, the swell direction shifts to SW and then SSE, but the heights stay tiny – 2 ft to 3 ft. The one standout in this whole period is the afternoon of July 19th. We get a 3 ft SSE swell with a 16-second period, and combined energy jumps to 737 (moderate to strong). The wind is onshore from the SW, so it’s not clean, but the long period means there’s real energy in the water. The score is a 2 out of 10, which is the best of the run. If you’re desperate, this is your best bet, but it’s still only marginal.

The rest of the final week is more of the same – small, onshore, and poor. By the 23rd, we’re back to 2 ft SSW swells with 14-second periods, but the wind is onshore and it’s just not doing anything.

Bottom line: Depressions is going through a flat, windy spell. There’s no real standout session here. The best chance for a surf is that glassy Sunday morning the 12th, or the long-period SSE swell on the 19th, but both are very ordinary. Keep your expectations low, and maybe bring a kite if you’ve got one – the beach setup with these onshore winds and moderate energy might be more interesting for the kites than the paddle crew.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Wed afternoon, min 18°C on Thu night). Wind will be generally light.

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 26°C on Sun afternoon, min 19°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light.

Wed
8
Thursday
9
Friday
10
Saturday
11
Sunday
12
Monday
13
Tuesday
14
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
0
1
2
0
1
2
1
0
1
1
0
2
0
1
1
1
1
3
0
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.6
WNW
7
1.5
WNW
9
1.1
WNW
9
1.3
WNW
9
1.1
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
0.6
SSW
14
0.5
SSW
14
0.5
SSW
14
0.6
SSW
13
0.6
SSW
13
0.9
WNW
8
0.9
WNW
8
1.2
WNW
8
1.5
WNW
8
1.2
WNW
9
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
247
351
216
243
206
169
169
167
172
118
152
134
116
104
139
141
122
120
202
330
248
Wind (km/h)
10
W
5
NNW
15
WSW
5
SSW
0
N
10
SW
10
SW
10
ESE
10
SE
5
S
0
S
5
S
10
WSW
0
SE
5
SSW
10
WSW
0
NE
10
SW
10
WSW
5
N
10
WSW
Wind State
cross-on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
on
cross-off
cross
cross-on
glassy
glassy
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
High Tide
4:52PM1.97m
6:32AM1.23m
5:42PM2.10m
8:00AM1.30m
6:35PM2.24m
9:03AM1.38m
7:29PM2.37m
9:53AM1.46m
8:23PM2.47m
10:38AM1.52m
9:15PM2.51m
11:20AM1.58m
10:06PM2.48m
12:03PM1.64m
Low Tide
00:27AM0.62m
10:37AM1.03m
1:26AM0.38m
11:44AM1.10m
2:19AM0.16m
12:52PM1.13m
3:08AM-0.01m
1:54PM1.11m
3:56AM-0.12m
2:53PM1.07m
4:42AM-0.16m
3:49PM1.03m
5:26AM-0.12m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
part cloud
clear
part cloud
clear
clear
clear
part cloud
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
5:54
5:54
5:54
5:56
5:56
5:56
5:58
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
8:14
8:14
8:14
8:13
8:13
8:13
8:12
8:12
 mm
Temp °C
27
23
27
26
22
25
24
22
24
25
24
25
26
21
25
25
23
26
27
25
28
Feels °C
26
22
25
25
22
24
24
23
24
25
26
26
26
22
25
25
23
26
26
24
26
  • Map Icons:
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  • Live Wave Height (m)
  • Live Wind Speed (km/h)
  • Surf Rating (10 Max)
  • Ocean Swells (m)
  • Wind Speed (km/h)
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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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