
Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 26 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 19s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Monday 27 Jul, 11AM (local time) - 3ft (0.9m), 18s period, SSW swell with 559 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Saturday 25 Jul, 8PM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.7m), 20s 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 Saturday (Jul 25) at 8PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.7m and 20s period with a secondary swell of 0.3m and 10s. Another secondary swell of 1.0m and 6s 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 18s and forecast to arrive on Monday (Jul 27) at 11AM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives. The largest open ocean swell (not directed at the beach) is 0.1m 9s period and expected on Wednesday (Jul 29) at 8AM.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 8PM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.7m) 20s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 19s |
| Most Powerful | 11AM (Mon 27th Jul) | 3ft (0.9m) 18s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cookin’ for Depressions over the next couple of weeks.
Straight up, I gotta be honest with ya – the next 16 days are looking pretty flat and uninspiring. There’s a trickle of swell, but the wave comment across the board is either “marginal” or “poor,” so we’re not talking about anything that’ll get your heart racing. The combined swell energy starts off moderate (533), but it’s all tied to a very long-period groundswell of 21 seconds, which is great for reefs and points, but Depressions is a beginner-friendly spot that’s fairly exposed to a WSW swell direction. That long period stuff can make a beach break close out straight, and with a swell height of just 2ft, it’s not doing much. The water temp is sitting at 69°, which is a whopping 6° warmer than normal for this time of year – that’s very unusual, so you’ll be in for a warm paddle if you’re keen.
The first few days (Saturday 25th through Monday 27th July) are the best of a bad bunch. On Saturday morning, we’ve got a clean 2ft SSW swell with a light offshore wind. It’s small, but it’s glassy. The combined energy reads 533 – moderate. The wind stays light and offshore or onshore through the weekend, so the surface will be clean, but the swell is tiny and the period drops from 21 seconds down to 18 seconds by Sunday. It’s still marginal, but if you’re a beginner or just want to get wet, Saturday morning is your window. The water is much warmer than normal, so no wetsuit drama.
By Tuesday 28th July, the surf quality goes completely south. The wave comments switch to “poor surf conditions” and the energy drops (600 in the morning, 661 in the afternoon), but the swell is still only 3ft with a 17-second period. It’s just not holding together. The wind stays light and offshore, but that doesn’t matter when there’s no real push.
The rest of the first week follows the same pattern – tiny, weak, and poor. The swell height stays between 2ft and 4ft through Friday 31st July, but the period drops to 14 seconds, and the wind is mostly cross-onshore or offshore. The combined energy stays moderate (three-digit numbers), but it’s all just a tease. Nothing worth calling a standout.
Then we hit a dead zone. From Saturday 1st August right through to Sunday 9th August, the swell doesn’t get above 3ft and the energy plummets. By Tuesday 4th August, the combined energy is down to 77 – that’s weak. The swell direction shifts to WNW and then SW, but the period is short (9 seconds) or moderate (13-16 seconds). The wave comments are all “poor surf conditions.” Winds are light, but the swell is just too small and weak to do anything. There’s a gap of over a week with no decent surf on offer.
The only flicker of hope is on Sunday 9th August, when the SSW swell is 2ft with a 15-second period and the combined energy climbs back to 163 (still weak). The wind is light and offshore in the morning. But honestly, it’s still a marginal call.
So, bottom line: there’s no standout session here. The closest thing to a window is Saturday 25th July morning, with a clean 2ft groundswell and light offshore wind. The water is weirdly warm. After that, it’s a long, flat, poor stretch. This blank run is pretty normal for the area when the swell windows don’t line up. Forecasts can change, but right now, I’d be checking the kite surfers if you’re desperate – the beach setup with light wind and small swell might be more their game than ours.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 30°C on Mon afternoon, min 22°C on Sat night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Tue afternoon, min 20°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sat 25 | Sunday 26 | Monday 27 | Tuesday 28 | Wednesday 29 | Thursday 30 | Friday 31 | ||||||||||||||
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 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SSE 14 | SSE 15 | SSE 15 | SSW 15 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
288 | 546 | 384 | 327 | 399 | 559 | 325 | 377 | 358 | 377 | 274 | 206 | 261 | 309 | 207 | 250 | 350 | 372 | 472 | 342 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | on | cross-off | on | cross-on | glassy | on | on | glassy | on | on | glassy | cross-on | on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy |
High Tide | 7:36PM2.03m | 10:04AM1.43m | 8:16PM2.10m | 10:30AM1.46m | 8:53PM2.15m | 10:56AM1.49m | 9:29PM2.17m | 11:22AM1.52m | 10:03PM2.15m | 11:48AM1.56m | 10:37PM2.09m | 12:14PM1.60m | 11:12PM1.97m | |||||||
Low Tide | 3:14AM0.29m | 2:00PM1.20m | 3:47AM0.23m | 2:39PM1.15m | 4:18AM0.20m | 3:16PM1.11m | 4:48AM0.19m | 3:54PM1.07m | 5:16AM0.22m | 4:33PM1.04m | 5:43AM0.28m | 5:15PM1.01m | ||||||||
— | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:05 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:07 | — | — | 6:09 | — | — | |
8:06 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:05 | — | — | 8:04 | — | — | 8:02 | — | — | 8:01 | — | — | 8:01 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 29 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 25 | 28 | 30 | 25 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 23 | 26 | 26 | 23 | 27 | 28 | 27 |
Feels °C | 29 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 23 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 28 | 24 | 28 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 27 | 26 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 18 | SSW 19 | WNW 7 | W 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 9 | SSE 15 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | SSE 14 | SSE 14 | S 14 | S 14 | S 13 |
101 | 168 | 107 | 327 | 399 | 559 | 325 | 168 | 144 | 176 | 216 | 126 | 242 | 119 | 94 | 250 | 350 | 372 | 472 | 342 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SSW 21 | SW 19 | SW 19 | SSE 10 | SSW 11 | S 10 | SW 16 | SSW 17 | SW 17 | SSW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | WNW 8 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | WNW 8 | W 8 | — |
288 | 546 | 384 | 11 | 12 | 8 | 129 | 377 | 358 | 377 | 274 | 206 | 85 | 309 | 198 | 73 | 119 | 87 | 43 | — | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 10 | S 12 | S 12 | SSW 11 | S 10 | S 11 | SSW 12 | S 9 | S 18 | SSE 17 | SSE 15 | SSE 14 | SW 16 | SSW 16 | SSW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 14 | SSW 15 | — | SW 15 |
18 | 43 | 23 | 12 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 2 | 98 | 111 | 146 | 178 | 261 | 164 | 207 | 144 | 120 | 84 | — | 8 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | — | WNW 5 | — | WNW 8 | WNW 6 | WNW 8 | WNW 7 | WNW 6 | — | — | WNW 8 | — | — | — | — | WNW 8 | — | — | — | WNW 5 |
— | 97 | — | 123 | 156 | 137 | 167 | 154 | — | — | 202 | — | — | — | — | 62 | — | — | — | 78 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 146 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 25 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 148 | 1 | 0 | 55 | 1 |
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.










