Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, this is Rusty. I gotta be straight with you right from the start – the next 16 days around Isla Vista look like a tough stretch. We’re staring down a long gap with very little to get excited about. The first real potential comes on Tuesday the 18th, so from now until then, it’s pretty much a write-off for anything worthwhile.

We kick things off Thursday the 13th with nothing. Tiny, weak, poor conditions with a light cross-onshore wind ruining what little is there. This flat, choppy pattern sticks around through the weekend and into Monday the 17th. The combined swell energy is weak, with readings in the 200s range showing there's just no juice in the water.

Now, on Tuesday the 18th, the pattern shifts a bit. We get a bump in size from a WNW swell, coming in around 3.5ft to 4.5ft, but the period is a short 8 seconds. It’s a wind swell, not a groundswell, so it’s gonna lack punch and shape. The wind is still light and onshore, so while it’s not howling, it's not clean. The energy reading (386) is moderate, but the wave comment says "marginal." It might be rideable for someone who’s been jonesing, but it’s not a standout. This sloppy, marginal surf from this same wind swell pattern continues into Wednesday the 19th.

After that, from the 20th through the 25th, we drop back down into a poor, tiny lull. Swell heights drop below 1.5ft, the energy falls away (as low as 88 on the 22nd), and there’s just nothing to work with. A couple of the days have those long-period (19 second) SW groundswells showing on the 23rd, but they’re so small at 1.3ft that they’re invisible. It’s honestly a bit heartbreaking to see a nice 19-second period with zero size.

Even when we look to the end of the period, Friday the 28th, it’s another weak WNW wind swell at 3ft and an 8-second period. The wind is onshore again.

To be fair, the water temp is about average for this time of year, so if you’re just wanting a swim or a paddle, it’s fine.

In short, there is no true highlight or standout in this whole 16-day window. The best chance to get wet on a foamie will be the morning of Tuesday the 18th or Wednesday the 19th for the slightly bigger, albeit short-period, wind swell. Everyone else, park the boards, check back later – forecasts can change, it can’t stay this flat forever.

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