
Surf Forecasts:
Depressions surf forecast from 20 Jul 2026:
- Best quality surf: Saturday 25 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 21s period, SW swell with glassy winds.
- Most powerful swell: Sunday 26 Jul, 2AM (local time) - 2.5ft (0.8m), 19s period, SSW swell with 480 kJ wave energy.
- Next surfable swell (1★+): Sunday 19 Jul, 11PM (local time) - 2ft (0.6m), 16s 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 Sunday (Jul 19) at 11PM. The primary swell is predicted to be 0.6m and 16s period with a secondary swell of 0.7m and 12s. Another secondary swell of 0.7m and 4s 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 0.8m 19s and forecast to arrive on Sunday (Jul 26) at 2AM. Winds are predicted to be cross-shore at the time the swell arrives.
| Wave Type | Time (PDT) & Date | Wave Height & Period |
|---|---|---|
| Next good surf (1 star+) | 11PM (Sun 19th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 16s |
| Best Surf | 2AM (Sat 25th Jul) | 2ft (0.6m) 21s |
| Most Powerful | 2AM (Sun 26th Jul) | 2.5ft (0.8m) 19s |
Table - best surf conditions forecast for Depressions over the next 16 days.
The Lowdown
Alright, this is Rusty, and I’m looking at the next couple of weeks for Depressions. Honestly, I’ve gotta say it straight up – it’s a tough run. There’s really nothing that jumps out as a proper session to get excited about. The whole 16-day window is a real grind, with mostly marginal or poor conditions. It’s one of those stretches where you’re better off keeping the board in the car and just checking the ocean from the cliffs.
The first real chance we get is on the morning of Sunday, July 20th, but even then it’s touch and go. The water is sitting at 67°F – that’s a full 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year, so it’s feeling like a bathtub. The swell is a tiny 3 ft from the South with an 11-second period, but the wind is straight onshore from the SSW at 6 mph, killing any chance of it being clean. It’s a beginner-friendly size, but the quality just isn’t there.
The pattern doesn’t improve much. We see a little bump in energy mid-week, but it’s always accompanied by cross-onshore winds. The swell direction shifts around from SW to SSE, but the period stays short to middling – mostly between 13 and 15 seconds. The combined energy values are moderate, sitting between 287 and 544, but it’s all wasted on messy surfaces.
There’s a bit of a tease on the morning of Saturday, July 28th, with a clean 5 ft swell from the WNW, but at 9 seconds it’s short-period, and it’s still a marginal call. On the 29th, the swell gets a bit more push from the WNW at 4 ft, but the wind goes cross-shore from the SE, which just isn’t what we need here.
The absolute best of a bad bunch is probably the morning of Monday, July 27th. We’ve got 3 ft from the SSW with a 18-second period – that’s a proper long-period groundswell. The combined energy is a solid 781, and with light offshore winds from the SW at 6 mph, the surface could be glassy. The catch? It’s still scored as marginal, and the swell direction is off the optimum WSW. It’s a gamble, but if you’re desperate and the tide lines up, it might offer a few clean, peeling waves for a beginner.
After that, the second week is properly bleak. The swell drops off, the periods get short, and the wind stays onshore or cross-onshore. The combined energy slips into the low 200s, which is weak. The morning of Saturday, August 1st, shows a 4 ft S swell, but the wind is cross-onshore from the W, so it’s just a choppy mess.
To be honest, if you’re a paddle surfer, this is a write-off. The combination of small swell, constant onshore or cross-onshore wind, and fair-to-poor surf quality means there’s really no standout session. It’s the kind of run that’s more interesting for a kite surfer if the wind is strong enough. For the rest of us, it’s a waiting game.
Stay patient, keep an eye on the charts, but don’t hold your breath.
Rusty.
Short Range ForecastMostly dry. Warm (max 29°C on Mon afternoon, min 21°C on Sun night). Wind will be generally light. | Days 5-7 Weather SummaryMostly dry. Warm (max 33°C on Thu afternoon, min 22°C on Fri night). Wind will be generally light. | |||||||||||||||||||
Sun 19 | Monday 20 | Tuesday 21 | Wednesday 22 | Thursday 23 | Friday 24 | Saturday 25 | ||||||||||||||
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) | SW 17 | S 12 | S 11 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 14 | WNW 6 | S 12 | SSW 24 | S 13 | SW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 |
Wave Graph | ||||||||||||||||||||
238 | 180 | 163 | 122 | 99 | 236 | 252 | 160 | 218 | 215 | 160 | 210 | 181 | 146 | 368 | 229 | 368 | 404 | 288 | 480 | |
Wind (km/h) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Wind State on-shore cross-onshore cross-shore cross-offshore off-shore glassy | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | cross | on | cross-on | glassy | on | cross-on | cross |
High Tide | 2:53PM1.83m | 2:44AM1.43m | 3:39PM1.86m | 4:21AM1.26m | 4:27PM1.87m | 6:26AM1.22m | 5:17PM1.89m | 8:06AM1.27m | 6:06PM1.92m | 9:02AM1.34m | 6:53PM1.97m | 9:37AM1.39m | 7:36PM2.03m | |||||||
Low Tide | 9:18PM0.91m | 8:40AM0.77m | 10:46PM0.83m | 9:19AM0.96m | 00:07AM0.71m | 10:07AM1.11m | 1:11AM0.58m | 11:12AM1.20m | 1:59AM0.47m | 12:20PM1.24m | 2:39AM0.37m | 1:15PM1.23m | 3:14AM0.29m | |||||||
— | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:01 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | 6:03 | — | — | |
8:09 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:08 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:07 | — | — | 8:06 | — | |
mm | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Temp °C | 26 | 24 | 26 | 29 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 30 | 33 | 28 | 27 | 29 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 27 |
Feels °C | 26 | 23 | 25 | 27 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 24 | 28 | 29 | 23 | 29 | 31 | 25 | 26 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 29 | 25 |
Swell 1 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | S 12 | S 12 | S 11 | S 11 | WNW 5 | SW 15 | SSW 15 | SSW 16 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSE 14 | SSE 13 | S 12 | S 13 | S 13 | S 13 | WNW 7 | S 12 | WNW 7 |
141 | 180 | 163 | 116 | 24 | 236 | 252 | 160 | 218 | 215 | 160 | 210 | 181 | 146 | 212 | 229 | 202 | 60 | 196 | 72 | |
Swell 2 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | SW 17 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SW 16 | SSW 13 | S 10 | SSW 12 | S 15 | SSW 8 | SSW 8 | SSE 12 | SSW 14 | SSW 14 | SSW 13 | WNW 6 | SSE 11 | SW 21 | S 12 | SSW 21 | SSW 19 |
238 | 125 | 118 | 122 | 99 | 48 | 109 | 112 | 22 | 11 | 52 | 127 | 104 | 69 | 40 | 39 | 368 | 184 | 288 | 480 | |
Swell 3 Height (m) Direction Period (s) | WNW 15 | WNW 15 | WNW 4 | WNW 14 | S 10 | S 16 | WNW 13 | SSW 9 | WNW 13 | SW 20 | SSW 7 | SW 18 | SW 26 | SW 18 | SSW 24 | SW 24 | SW 16 | SSW 21 | SW 21 | SSW 12 |
91 | 73 | 6 | 69 | 49 | 127 | 34 | 26 | 16 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 105 | 49 | 368 | 141 | 10 | 404 | 214 | 147 | |
Wind waves Height (m) Direction Period (s) | W 6 | WNW 4 | — | W 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 4 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 5 | WNW 6 | WNW 6 | WNW 5 | W 6 | WNW 6 | — | WNW 7 | WNW 6 |
18 | 15 | — | 8 | 36 | 10 | 37 | 50 | 29 | 143 | 92 | 44 | 154 | 104 | 42 | 62 | 119 | — | 73 | 71 | |
Nearest Offshore or Glassy | ||||||||||||||||||||
Distance (km) | 1 | 0 | 54 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 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.










