Depressions Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.41° N 119.85° W

Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 4 pm 13 Sep 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Depressions sea temperature is
21.8°C
4.5° 

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


Depressions surf forecast from 14 Sep 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 9s period, WNW swell with cross-offshore winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Sunday 13 Sep, 8PM (local time) - 7ft (2.2m), 7s period, WNW swell with 423 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 14 Sep, 2AM (local time) - 5ft (1.5m), 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 Monday (Sep 14) at 2AM. The primary swell is predicted to be 1.5m and 9s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 13s. Another secondary swell of 1.7m and 6s 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 2.2m 7s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Sep 13) 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 0.4m 3s period and expected on Tuesday (Sep 15) at 11AM.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+) 2AM (Mon 14th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Best Surf 2AM (Mon 14th Sep)5ft (1.5m) 9s
Most Powerful 8PM (Sun 13th Sep)7ft (2.2m) 7s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, this is Rusty. Let's have a look what we've got brewing at Depressions over the next couple of weeks.

Straight up, it's a tough run. We're looking at a long, drawn-out period of small, messy surf with tricky winds. The first real standout... well, honestly, there isn't a proper one. The best we get is a brief window on Tuesday the 22nd of September in the afternoon when the wind goes glassy, but the swell is tiny at 2ft from the SW.

The overall pattern is dominated by a weak, inconsistent swell, mostly from the SW and SSW, with periods ranging from a snappy 6 seconds up to a long 21 seconds. Don't get excited about those longer periods though; that groundswell is mostly hitting a beach setup, meaning it'll probably close out and be a pain to read. The combined swell energy is mostly moderate, in the 150-400 range, but it's not translating to any quality.

Now, for the specifics. To kick it off, on Sunday the 13th of September we see a short-period 6ft swell from the WNW (417 combined energy), but it's bumpy with a cross-on shore breeze. That's not going to be a pleasant paddle. The water is sitting at a very unusual 71°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year.

From there, it's a slog. We have days on end where the surf is labelled as poor or marginal. The swell drops and stays small, rarely getting much over waist-high. The winds are mostly onshore or cross-onshore, making for a choppy surface. There are a couple of mornings in the last week of September where the wind is light and conditions are a bit cleaner, but the swell is still tiny—2ft at best.

The only period that looks even remotely worth a look is the afternoon of Tuesday the 22nd. We get a glassy, clean surface with that light WSW wind. But the swell is a meager 2ft from the SW at 16 seconds. It's going to be tough work to find a rideable wave, and it's for experts only who can read a drawn-out groundswell.

Honestly, this is a lean, mean 16-day window. We've got over a week of nothing really surfable in there. It's not unusual for this area to have these blank runs, so don't get your hopes up. For the final few days (the 27th and 28th of September), the swell starts to build a little, but the onshore wind kills it right away on the 27th afternoon.

Look, if you're desperate for a paddle, the Tuesday 22nd afternoon is the only time this spot offers a clean, glassy surface. It's for the longboard or the foiler. Anyone else is better off doing something else.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

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

Days 5-7 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 25°C on Fri afternoon, min 16°C on Wed night). Wind will be generally light.

Sun
13
Monday
14
Tuesday
15
Wednesday
16
Thursday
17
Friday
18
Saturday
19
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
2
1
0
2
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
Swell
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Height Map
Wave
Height (m)
Direction
Period (s)
1.9
WNW
6
1.5
WNW
9
1.1
WNW
9
1
W
9
1
W
9
1
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
8
0.7
W
8
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.4
SW
16
0.3
S
16
0.5
SSW
15
0.4
SW
20
0.4
SW
19
0.4
SW
19
0.4
SW
19
0.5
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
0.6
SW
18
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
309
343
197
158
158
166
92
64
88
63
64
45
123
121
133
133
130
154
197
199
Wind (km/h)
15
WNW
5
NNW
10
SW
5
WSW
5
E
10
SSE
5
SW
5
ESE
10
S
10
WSW
5
ESE
5
SSW
10
WSW
5
NNW
10
WSW
15
W
10
NNW
10
SW
15
WSW
5
NW
Wind State
cross-on
cross-off
on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
on
cross-on
cross
High Tide
00:10AM1.60m
11:59AM1.98m
1:05AM1.43m
12:31PM1.92m
2:21AM1.29m
1:08PM1.84m
5:08AM1.24m
3:16PM1.70m
8:18AM1.41m
4:47PM1.71m
Low Tide
6:05PM0.52m
5:39AM0.83m
6:55PM0.55m
6:02AM0.99m
7:53PM0.61m
6:19AM1.13m
9:08PM0.66m
5:56AM1.24m
10:39PM0.66m
11:58PM0.61m
10:39AM1.39m
00:51AM0.53m
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
clear
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunrise">Sunrise</span>
6:41
6:41
6:41
6:43
6:43
6:45
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:08
7:07
7:06
7:05
7:02
7:01
7:00
 mm
Temp °C
27
20
25
25
21
23
24
19
22
23
17
21
23
20
24
25
20
24
26
21
Feels °C
26
18
24
24
21
24
25
22
22
23
18
21
22
20
23
23
18
23
25
20
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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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