Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on the menu for the next couple of weeks at Isla Vista.

Honestly, I gotta be straight with you – this is a lean stretch. We are looking at a long, dry run with barely a ripple for the first week. The whole thing kicks off with a tiny 2ft S swell on Friday morning, July 31st, but the files tell me conditions are just marginal. The water is sitting at 70°, which is much warmer than normal for this time of year, but that's the only thing to get excited about. From there, it's a whole lot of nothing. We’ve got a solid 8 days of poor surf conditions, with tiny windswell in the 1.0ft to 3ft range and the wind mostly on it or cross-on. The combined energy is weak, sitting between 60 and 300 (weak to moderate). It’s a real bummer.

The first real glimmer of hope doesn't come until Saturday morning, August 8th. We've got a tiny 1ft S swell rolling in, but the wind is *glass*. That's the magic word. It’s still surfable but very ordinary – the kind of day you go for a paddle and a few grovelly rides on a log. The energy is moderate (195). You wouldn't call it a standout, but it’s the only clean window in the whole outlook.

Beyond that, the second week stays pretty flat. We see a few more pulses of very long-period energy – 18 to 21 seconds – but with wave heights barely reaching 2ft, it’s just not enough to wrap around and break properly. The energy values climb into the 200-300 range (moderate), but the size just isn't there. The wind stays mostly light and onshore, keeping things messy. Honestly, for a beach and reef setup like this, it’s going to be a frustrating couple of weeks.

There's no standout swell on the horizon. If you're itching for a paddle, the glassy 1ft on August 8th is your only real shot at something clean, but don't expect to get your hair wet.

Rusty.

Read more