Depressions Surf Break

Lat Long: 34.41° N 119.85° W

Depressions Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Issued: 10 am 03 Aug 2026 (local time)

Forecast update in  hr  min

Today's Depressions sea temperature is
21.3° C
4.1° 

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


Depressions surf forecast from 4 Aug 2026:

  • Best quality surf: Sunday 9 Aug, 2AM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 16s period, S swell with glassy winds.
  • Most powerful swell: Friday 7 Aug, 2PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.5m), 19s period, SSW swell with 212 kJ wave energy.
  • Next surfable swell (1★+): Monday 3 Aug, 11PM (local time) - 1.5ft (0.4m), 12s 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 Monday (Aug 03) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.3m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.4m and 9s. Another secondary swell of 0.4m and 12s is also forecast. Another secondary swell of 0.8m 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 0.5m 19s and forecast to arrive on Friday (Aug 07) at 2PM. Winds are predicted to be onshore at the time the swell arrives.

Wave TypeTime (PDT) & Date Wave Height & Period
Next good surf (1 star+)11PM (Mon 3rd Aug)1.5ft (0.4m) 12s
Best Surf 2AM (Sun 9th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 16s
Most Powerful 2PM (Fri 7th Aug)1.5ft (0.5m) 19s

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


The Lowdown

Alright, let’s get into it. This is Rusty.

Honestly, the next couple of weeks look pretty grim around here. There’s no proper surf on the cards for a good while, and even when the swell does start to push through, it’s going to be messy. The first solid stretch of waves I can see kicks off around Monday the 4th of August, but we’re dealing with small, weak, and wind-affected stuff for days after that.

We’ll start with Depressions. It’s a beginner-friendly spot that’s fairly consistent, exposed to the WSW, and the water is sitting at 70° – that’s a full 7° warmer than usual, so it’s swimming-pool warm. Nice for a paddle but not for the waves. The swell through the first week is tiny, mostly around 1 ft to 3 ft from the W or SW, with periods all over the place. On the 3rd and 4th, the wind is onshore and the combined energy is moderate at best (183 to 202). It’s poor surf. Tuesday the 5th sees a 1 ft swell from the SW with a 14-second period – that’s a long period, but with onshore wind and low energy (82), it’s a tease. Thursday the 7th has a 1 ft swell from the SSW with a 19-second period – very long period, and combined energy is 189, but again, it’s poor surf with no quality. By Saturday the 9th, we get a 2 ft S swell, 15-second period, but cross-onshore wind kills it.

There’s a gap here – from the 3rd right through to the 10th of August, there’s basically nothing worth paddling out for. The 10th has a brief flicker: Monday morning shows 3 ft from the WNW, 8-second period, with cross-shore wind and combined energy of 226 – that’s moderate. But it’s still rated as poor. The afternoon sees a marginal call (score 1) with 2 ft from the SSW, 13-second period, and energy up to 293. It’s still not good.

The middle of the second week, from the 11th to the 14th, it’s more of the same: tiny swells, onshore or cross-onshore wind, and combined energy between 185 and 280. The 13th Thursday morning is the only other marginal moment (score 1) with 2 ft from the SW, 16-second period, and onshore wind.

Now, the last few days of the forecast start to get a bit more interesting, but for the wrong reasons. On the 16th of August, Sunday afternoon, the swell jumps to 5 ft from the WNW with a short 6-second period, and combined energy hits 424 – that’s strong energy. But the wind is cross-onshore, so it’ll be choppy and messy. By the 17th of August, Monday morning, we’ve got 5 ft from the WNW, 7-second period, energy at 405. The afternoon sees 7 ft from the same direction, 7-second period, and energy skyrockets to 577 – that’s very strong wave energy. That’s a big, short-period swell for the area, and with cross-onshore wind, it’s going to be a washing machine. At over 8 ft, it’s expert-only territory. The 18th of August, Tuesday, drops back to 4 ft, 8-second period, with a marginal call in the morning (energy 458), but still onshore wind.

Bottom line: there are no standout sessions in this forecast. The only days that even flirt with being worth a look are the 10th of August afternoon and maybe the 13th of August morning, but they’re marginal at best. The big swell on the 16th and 17th is too short-period and wind-affected to be quality. Given the consistent onshore and cross-onshore wind pattern, and the fact that it’s a beach setup, this stretch might actually be more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

Stay patient, mates. The forecast can always change.

Rusty.

Short Range Forecast

Mostly dry. Warm (max 27°C on Tue morning, min 21°C on Mon morning). Wind will be generally light.

Days 4-6 Weather Summary

Mostly dry. Warm (max 28°C on Thu afternoon, min 20°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light.

Monday
3
Tuesday
4
Wednesday
5
Thursday
6
Friday
7
Saturday
8
Sunday
9
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
AM
PM
Night
Rating
(10 max)
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
1
0
0
2
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)
0.8
WNW
9
0.8
WNW
9
0.4
SW
12
0.5
WNW
9
0.7
W
9
0.5
SW
14
0.4
SW
14
0.3
SW
14
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.4
SW
13
0.3
SSW
18
0.4
SW
19
0.4
SSW
19
0.4
SW
17
0.4
S
18
0.4
SW
16
0.5
S
16
0.6
S
15
0.5
SSW
15
0.6
S
14
Wave Graph
Metric surfscale
Energy kJ
113
110
37
48
76
99
51
31
56
45
44
63
94
143
75
97
65
125
159
121
153
Wind (km/h)
10
SW
15
WSW
5
ESE
10
SW
15
WSW
0
E
10
SW
15
WSW
5
ESE
10
SW
10
WSW
0
E
10
SW
10
WSW
0
SE
5
SSE
10
WSW
5
SE
5
S
5
SW
5
ESE
Wind State
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
on
cross-on
cross-off
on
on
glassy
on
on
glassy
cross-on
cross-on
glassy
cross-on
on
glassy
High Tide
1:39PM1.79m
1:30AM1.44m
2:17PM1.85m
2:54AM1.26m
3:07PM1.92m
5:09AM1.17m
4:08PM1.99m
7:18AM1.23m
5:17PM2.09m
8:21AM1.34m
6:24PM2.20m
9:02AM1.44m
7:24PM2.32m
Low Tide
8:01PM0.90m
7:23AM0.79m
9:22PM0.82m
7:54AM0.94m
10:54PM0.69m
8:38AM1.08m
00:16AM0.50m
10:00AM1.18m
1:19AM0.30m
11:40AM1.21m
2:11AM0.13m
12:58PM1.16m
2:57AM0.01m
clear
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>
6:11
6:11
6:11
6:13
6:13
6:13
6:15
<span class="translation_missing" title="translation missing: en.weather_tables.sunset">Sunset</span>
7:59
7:58
7:57
7:55
7:54
7:53
7:52
 mm
Temp °C
24
25
23
27
27
23
26
26
24
26
28
24
27
28
23
27
28
23
28
27
22
Feels °C
24
25
23
26
26
22
26
25
24
25
27
25
27
28
24
28
29
24
29
28
24
  • Map Icons:
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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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