Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 21 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Tuesday 25 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, SW swell with cross-offshore winds.
- Most powerful swell: Wednesday 26 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 13s period, S swell with 268 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 20 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s period with SSW 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 (Aug 20) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.9m 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 0.9m 13s and forecast to arrive on Wednesday (Aug 26) at 11PM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Thu 20th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Tue 25th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 16s |
| Most Powerful | 11PM (Wed 26th Aug) | 3ft (0.9m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, let’s talk about Depressions. To be straight up with you, this stretch is a real struggle. The whole 16-day window is pretty much a write-off for any proper surfing. The swell is tiny, the wind is constantly messing things up, and the forecasts just keep serving up poor conditions day after day.
We’re looking at a long gap of nothing but small, weak, and messy surf. From Thursday the 20th of August right through to the end of the month, it’s a continuous run of poor surf. The swell never gets above 3ft and is mostly sitting around 1ft to 2ft, with a short period of around 6 to 14 seconds, so there’s just no power or shape. The wind is almost always cross-on or onshore, leaving the surface choppy and bumpy. There is one afternoon on Saturday the 22nd of August that shows a 3ft swell from the WNW, but the period is a super short 6 seconds and the wind is cross-on, so it’s just a weak, lumpy mushburger. Not worth getting wet for.
As we roll into the first week of September, things get a little bigger but not any better. We see some swells bumping up to 5ft or even 5ft from the WNW, but the period is still a dreadful 6 to 8 seconds. The wind is stubbornly cross-on or onshore, so that’s just going to be a choppy, difficult mess. There’s a brief moment on the morning of Thursday the 3rd of September where the wind looks like it might be straight onshore from the SW, and we get a 5ft WNW swell... but the period is only 7 seconds and the score is just marginal. Not a stand-out.
The best of a bad bunch, if you can even call it that, would be the morning of Friday the 4th of September. The wind swings light onshore from the SSW, the swell is only 2ft but it’s got a proper 18-second period, which is a long groundswell. That’s a lot of energy for such a small wave. The combined energy is 412, which is moderate. For a beach break like Depressions, a long-period swell like that will likely break too straight and close out, but if you’re a beginner, it might be one of the cleanest, weakest days you’ll see. The water temperature is a very unusual 69°, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year, so at least you won't be cold while you sit there.
Honestly, this is a blank run. There’s nothing to get excited about. For an area where the consistency is only “fairly consistent,” this kind of stretch is more normal than you’d hope. Keep an eye on it, but for now, I’d leave the board in the car and maybe go for a swim.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Sat afternoon, min 22°C on Thu morning). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Tue afternoon, min 24°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 20 | Friday 21 | Saturday 22 | Sunday 23 | Monday 24 | Tuesday 25 | Wednesday 26 | |||||||||||||||
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 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 5 | SW 18 | WNW 6 | SSW 15 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | WNW 6 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 14 | S 12 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
118 | 120 | 79 | 59 | 58 | 66 | 56 | 65 | 78 | 90 | 80 | 112 | 109 | 98 | 135 | 132 | 136 | 125 | 158 | 236 | 244 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross-off | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross-off |
High Tide | 4:21PM1.79m | 8:37AM1.33m | 5:31PM1.81m | 8:55AM1.39m | 6:29PM1.88m | 9:13AM1.44m | 7:17PM1.97m | 9:31AM1.49m | 7:57PM2.04m | 9:50AM1.54m | 8:34PM2.09m | 10:09AM1.59m | 9:10PM2.11m | ||||||||
Low Tide | 00:43AM0.59m | 10:39AM1.31m | 1:34AM0.49m | 12:14PM1.30m | 2:13AM0.40m | 1:10PM1.24m | 2:46AM0.33m | 1:52PM1.16m | 3:15AM0.27m | 2:29PM1.07m | 3:42AM0.25m | 3:05PM0.98m | 4:07AM0.27m | ||||||||
6:22 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:24 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:26 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | |
— | 7:40 | — | — | 7:39 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:37 | — | — | 7:36 | — | — | 7:35 | — | — | 7:32 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 27 | 28 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 30 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 28 | 32 | 34 | 28 |
Feels °C | 27 | 28 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 29 | 31 | 24 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 14 | WNW 5 | SSW 14 | WNW 7 | SSW 13 | SSW 13 | WNW 10 | WNW 8 | SSW 15 | WNW 7 | SSW 13 | SW 18 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 13 | S 13 | S 14 | S 12 |
118 | 27 | 79 | 35 | 58 | 57 | 35 | 24 | 71 | 71 | 57 | 112 | 109 | 98 | 135 | 132 | 91 | 125 | 158 | 236 | 244 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 13 | SSW 14 | WNW 12 | SSW 13 | WNW 11 | WNW 11 | SSW 13 | SSW 14 | WNW 9 | WNW 9 | SW 18 | SSW 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 15 |
31 | 120 | 46 | 59 | 40 | 23 | 56 | 41 | 17 | 16 | 80 | 65 | 37 | 36 | 55 | 54 | 55 | 124 | 124 | 88 | 76 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 19 | WNW 12 | S 10 | WNW 11 | WSW 18 | WSW 18 | SW 18 | SSW 12 | WSW 16 | SW 19 | S 16 | S 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 12 | SSE 10 | SSE 11 | W 16 | W 15 | W 14 | W 13 | W 13 |
34 | 46 | 2 | 40 | 30 | 30 | 50 | 14 | 26 | 90 | 20 | 38 | 41 | 14 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 39 | 37 | 55 | 29 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | — | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 |
22 | 35 | 37 | — | 47 | 66 | 34 | 65 | 78 | — | 43 | 57 | 46 | 69 | 64 | 80 | 136 | 103 | 81 | 140 | 131 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 310 | 1 | 1 | 76 | 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.











