Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 27 Aug 2026:
- Best quality surf: Friday 28 Aug, 5AM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 8s period, WNW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Thursday 3 Sep, 2PM (local time) - 3.5ft (1.1m), 13s period, SSW swell with 424 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Thursday 27 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 14s 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 Thursday (Aug 27) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.5m and 14s period with a secondary swell of 0.6m and 6s. Another secondary swell of 0.6m and 11s is also forecast. 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 1.1m 13s and forecast to arrive on Thursday (Sep 03) at 2PM. 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 27th Aug) | 1.5ft (0.5m) 14s |
| Best Surf | 5AM (Fri 28th Aug) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 8s |
| Most Powerful | 2PM (Thu 3rd Sep) | 3.5ft (1.1m) 13s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
G’day, Rusty here, and I’ve got the long-range outlook for Depressions. Honestly, it’s a pretty quiet run ahead. We’re looking at a solid two-week stretch where the surf is mostly small and the conditions are battling a persistent cross-onshore wind, so don’t expect much to get excited about.
Let’s start with this Thursday, August 27th. Thursday morning is actually the pick of the whole 16-day window. We’ve got a tiny 2ft south swell rolling in with a nice 12-second period, and the wind is glassy out of the NNE. That’s clean, that’s rideable, and the water temperature is a very unusual 71°, which is 7° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s seriously warm. The combined wave energy is moderate at 187, so it’s not pumping, but for a beginner-friendly spot like Depressions with that glassy surface, it’s a solid morning. Crowds can show up sometimes, so you might have some company on those clean little lines. The afternoon goes wonky with a 2ft south swell but a cross-shore WNW breeze at 6 mph, turning it messy.
Friday the 28th is a write-off. The swell jumps to 4ft and then 5ft, but the period drops to a weak 6 seconds and the wind is cross-onshore all day. That’s choppy, unshapely, and no fun.
Saturday the 29th sees a long-period groundswell arrive – 2ft from the SW with 17 seconds in the morning, building the energy to a strong 599. Sounds good, right? Wrong. The wind is cross-onshore again, and that long period is going to make the beach break here fat and straight. It’s a kite-surfing kind of day, not a paddle day.
Sunday the 30th has a tiny 3ft SSW swell with a 15-second period, and we finally get some offshore wind in the morning – WSW at 6 mph. The energy is strong at 450, but the height is tiny. It’s a marginal session at best, and the afternoon goes back to cross-onshore.
From Monday the 31st right through to September 11th, it’s just day after day of small surf – 1ft to 4ft – with poor conditions. The wind is almost always cross-onshore or onshore, and the swell direction bounces between S and SSW. There are a couple of mornings with offshore wind (like the 3rd and 4th of September), but the wave quality is still rated poor or marginal. The energy levels are moderate to strong in the second week, but with those onshore breezes, it’s just messy. Avoid September 11th afternoon – a 6ft WNW windswell with 6 seconds and 16 mph cross-onshore winds is ugly.
So, the one true standout is Thursday morning, August 27th. Get out there for that glassy window, because after that, we’re staring down a long, poor run. It doesn’t stay this flat and messy forever, but this stretch is a test of patience.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Thu afternoon, min 21°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 4-6 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Sun afternoon, min 18°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | ||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday 27 | Friday 28 | Saturday 29 | Sunday 30 | Monday 31 | Tuesday 1 | Wednesday 2 | |||||||||||||||
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) | S 12 | S 11 | S 10 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SW 18 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | |||||||||||||||||||||
75 | 121 | 77 | 94 | 138 | 312 | 302 | 261 | 255 | 249 | 218 | 276 | 116 | 123 | 117 | 88 | 59 | 79 | 129 | 129 | 219 | |
Wind (km/h) | |||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | glassy | cross | glassy | cross-on | cross-on | cross | cross-on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 10:30AM1.66m | 9:45PM2.07m | 10:51AM1.73m | 10:22PM1.99m | 11:14AM1.81m | 11:01PM1.86m | 11:39AM1.87m | 11:45PM1.70m | 12:07PM1.93m | 00:36AM1.51m | 12:42PM1.96m | 1:45AM1.33m | 1:25PM1.97m | 3:36AM1.21m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:43PM0.89m | 4:32AM0.32m | 4:22PM0.81m | 4:56AM0.41m | 5:03PM0.74m | 5:19AM0.53m | 5:49PM0.69m | 5:43AM0.68m | 6:42PM0.65m | 6:08AM0.82m | 7:45PM0.63m | 6:34AM0.97m | 9:06PM0.60m | ||||||||
6:28 | — | — | 6:28 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:30 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:31 | — | — | 6:33 | — | — | |
— | 7:31 | — | — | 7:30 | — | — | 7:29 | — | — | 7:28 | — | — | 7:27 | — | — | 7:24 | — | — | 7:23 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 33 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 19 | 24 | 25 | 21 |
Feels °C | 31 | 33 | 32 | 31 | 33 | 25 | 29 | 29 | 20 | 25 | 25 | 20 | 23 | 24 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 19 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | S 9 | S 9 | SW 18 | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 12 | SSE 12 | S 11 | S 11 | SSE 10 | S 12 | S 12 | S 13 |
62 | 83 | 40 | 43 | 26 | 312 | 302 | 261 | 255 | 249 | 218 | 276 | 116 | 123 | 117 | 88 | 59 | 32 | 129 | 129 | 219 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 11 | S 10 | SW 16 | SW 16 | S 18 | W 9 | S 16 | S 16 | S 10 | S 9 | W 11 | SSE 13 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | W 4 | W 4 | S 12 | WNW 4 | SW 16 | SW 18 |
50 | 121 | 77 | 66 | 68 | 152 | 43 | 127 | 124 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 99 | 71 | 68 | 9 | 9 | 47 | 6 | 68 | 157 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | SW 14 | SW 14 | W 10 | S 19 | S 8 | S 17 | S 9 | S 9 | W 20 | SW 21 | S 13 | SSE 10 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | SW 13 | SW 13 | SW 18 | SW 16 | W 10 | WNW 10 |
75 | 73 | 65 | 31 | 66 | 13 | 91 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 17 | 81 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 44 | 44 | 79 | 69 | 7 | 10 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | — | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | W 5 | WNW 4 | WNW 4 | — | WNW 4 | — | WNW 4 | WNW 4 |
— | — | 25 | 94 | 138 | 143 | 163 | 220 | 215 | 192 | 184 | 90 | 27 | 28 | 15 | 7 | — | 6 | — | 4 | 16 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | |||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 54 | 35 | 0 | 53 | 35 | 0 | 54 | 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.











