Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Hey folks, Rusty here. Let’s be straight up: the next 16 days at Depressions are a real struggle. There’s nothing I’d call a proper, standout session in the whole window. The first real surf doesn’t show up until Tuesday, July 21st, and even then it’s a tough watch.

The water is a wild 68°F – that’s a massive 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so you’ll be surfing in a bath, but don’t get your hopes up for the waves.

Right from the start on Tuesday afternoon, July 21st, we’ve got a 3 ft swell from the SSW, but the wind is from the WSW at 9 mph, blowing onshore. It’s messy and the combined energy is moderate (432). It’s a no-go. Wednesday, July 22nd, is worse – a 2 ft swell with a cross-onshore wind, and then the afternoon gets really ugly: a 6 ft windswell from the WNW with a shocking 6-second period and 19 mph winds. That’s just lumpy, choppy junk. The combined energy reads 462, but it’s all wind and no shape.

Thursday, July 23rd, has a similar story: a tiny 2 ft morning swell, then a 6 ft afternoon windswell that’s basically unrideable. The wind is cross-onshore on both sides. The combined energy peaks at 504 on Thursday afternoon, but it’s all noise.

Friday, July 24th, shows a hint of something better. The morning has a 2 ft swell from the SSW with a very long period of 24 seconds, and the wind is light and onshore. The combined energy is strong at 664, but the wave comment says “marginal surf forecast or questionable tide conditions.” The afternoon is a 2 ft, 13-second S swell with light onshore wind and moderate energy (407). It’s still a marginal call, but if you’re desperate, the morning might have a clean, long-period groundswell wrapping in. That long period of 24 seconds is a real caveat – it’ll be super straight at a beach break like Depressions, so you’ll want a point or reef, but there’s none here. This is the best of a bad lot, but it’s still a 1/10.

Saturday, July 25th, through Monday, July 27th, is a rinse-and-repeat of light onshore winds and tiny, long-period swells in the 2 ft to 3 ft range. The combined energy stays strong (between 501 and 637), but the period is 18-21 seconds, meaning it’s all lully and straight. The wave comment keeps saying “marginal” or “poor.” It’s a grind.

Tuesday, July 28th, afternoon has the highest combined energy of the whole run at 690, with a 3 ft SSW swell and a 17-second period. The wind is light onshore. It’s still “marginal” – the tide’s likely a problem. For a beginner-friendly break like Depressions, this is just too weak and inconsistent to get excited about.

The rest of the week into July 30th and 31st is more of the same: tiny swells, long periods, and light onshore winds. Friday, July 31st, has a 3 ft SSE swell with a 15-second period and a light cross-onshore breeze at 3 mph. The combined energy is 509. It’s still marginal.

Then we hit August 1st to 5th, and it gets worse. The swell flips to a short-period WNW windswell, with heights from 3 ft to 6 ft, but periods as low as 5-6 seconds. The wind is cross-onshore and moderate on the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. The combined energy drops to weak or moderate levels (139-416). This is pure wind chop – you’d be better off with a kiteboard. On August 5th, the swell drops to 1 ft, and it’s dead.

So, the honest truth? There’s no surf to recommend here. The only flicker of hope is Friday, July 24th, morning, with a long-period groundswell and light wind, but it’s a marginal call with tricky tides. For a beginner break, it’s just not worth paddling out for. This is a long, blank run, and it’s not unusual for Depressions to have these stretches. The forecasts can change, but right now, I’d leave the board in the car.

Rusty.

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