Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here.

Let’s be straight with you. The next 16 days at Isla Vista are looking pretty flat and unappealing for the most part. We’ve got a long stretch of very small, weak swell with mostly onshore winds, which means a lot of time staring at a bumpy, uninviting ocean. There’s a real gap of poor surf from the start all the way through the first week, and then we’re looking at a long, quiet run into the second week. It’s not a total washout, but you’ll need to be patient and pick your moments.

We start off Monday, July 27th, with a tiny 3 ft SSW groundswell up at 18 seconds, but the wind is on it and the energy is weak (660). The wave comment calls it marginal, and honestly, it’s not worth the paddle.

Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28th and 29th, are more of the same. Swell drops to 3 ft to 3 ft, still from the SW/SSW, with periods around 16-17 seconds. The wind hangs onshore, and the combined energy sinks into the 300s. It’s just not clean.

Thursday, July 30th, the swell drops further to 2 ft, and the wind goes cross-on. The energy is down to 222. It’s looking flat and messy.

Friday, July 31st, we see a shift. The morning shows a tiny 3 ft WNW windswell with a short 8-second period and weak energy (169). The afternoon brings a bigger 4 ft S swell at 14 seconds, but the energy is still moderate (432) and the conditions are poor. It’s not the quality you’re after.

The first weekend of August, the 1st and 2nd, is all poor surf. Swell hangs around 3 ft to 3 ft, but the period is short (8-9 seconds) and the wind is on it. The energy is low, in the 200s. We’re in a real slump.

Now, the one highlight in this whole 16-day window comes on Tuesday, August 4th. The morning session is the only thing worth talking about. We get a tiny 2 ft W swell with a 9-second period, but the wind goes glassy – dead calm. The energy is very weak (120), so it’s not going to be powerful, but it will be clean. For a surfer who just wants to get wet and catch a few soft, clean waves on a longboard, this is the only window. The water temperature is about average for the time of year, so no surprises there.

After that, things fall off a cliff. From Wednesday, August 5th, right through to the end of the forecast on Tuesday, August 11th, it’s a long run of poor surf. Swell sizes are tiny, ranging from 1 ft to 2 ft, with mostly onshore winds. The energy is barely a whisper (60-279). It’s a classic summer flat spell. There’s just nothing to get excited about. This is a blank run that’s pretty normal for the area when the swell dies.

So, my call: if you absolutely have to get in the water, set your alarm for Tuesday, August 4th, first light, for a glassy session. Otherwise, save your energy and wait for the next pulse. The forecasts might change, but right now, it’s a long, slow wait.

Rusty.

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