Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s get into it for the next 16 days. We’re looking at a pretty quiet run ahead, so I’ll level with you straight up.

Things don’t really get going early on. From now through most of the second half of August, the surf is flat and messy. The swell energy is weak and the waves don’t have any juice. The first few days of the period, from Thursday the 20th through the weekend, there’s only tiny swell around 1ft to 2ft from the SSW, with a period around 13–14 seconds. The wind is onshore or cross-onshore, making it bumpy and unappealing. The water temp is a notable 69°F, which is more than 5°F warmer than usual for this time of year. That’s really unusual, so the water will feel warm.

There’s a long gap of poor surf conditions, with no real improvement until about Thursday the 27th. Even then, it’s only marginal. The Monday the 24th has a little more energy (233 combined energy), but still only 1ft of weak, short-period swell. It’s not worth getting excited about.

The first hint of something more interesting is around Thursday the 27th morning. We get a bit of a bump from the south with 4ft swell, period 14 seconds, and light offshore wind from the southwest. The combined energy is moderate at 655, but the surf is still described as marginal. It’s not a standout, but if you’re desperate, that’s your best window.

Moving into the following week, around Wednesday the 2nd of September, we see a change. The swell direction has shifted to the WNW, and the size starts to build. Wednesday the 2nd afternoon has 5ft of short-period swell (5 seconds), which is bumpy and not great. However, Thursday the 3rd morning looks better: 5ft from the WNW, period 9 seconds, with light offshore wind from the southwest. The combined energy is moderate at 461. That’s promising, but not a classic.

The true standout of the whole outlook is Thursday the 3rd afternoon. We’re looking at 8ft of swell from the WNW, period 6 seconds, with light offshore wind. The combined energy jumps to 593. That’s a solid size for experienced surfers, and the clean offshore wind will keep it smooth. This is the best on offer, and it’s more than a week away, so keep an eye on the forecasts.

Isla Vista is the only break in the mix this whole period. It’s a beach and reef setup, fairly consistent, and exposed to west swell. The optimum swell direction is from the west, so the WNW swell that arrives later in the period is a good match. The break is rated intermediate difficulty, and crowds are often a factor, so expect company on the better days.

In summary: the first 10 days are mostly flat and poor. The best window is Thursday the 3rd of September afternoon, with a clean 8ft WNW swell and light offshore winds. That’s the one to circle.

Stay patient,
Rusty

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