Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's have a look at what's on offer for the coming weeks.

To be straight with you, the 16-day window is a bit of a tough one. We've got a real patchy run of surf, with a lot of "poor surf conditions" flagged up. The swell is small and onshore for most of the first week, so you're looking at a lot of bumpy, weak stuff. The only real glimmer of hope is a couple of mornings that might just be worth a paddle.

Right now, the best bet looks like Isla Vista on the morning of the 20th of August. We've got a modest 2 ft swell coming from the SSW with a long 14-second period, which gives it a bit of push. The real winner here is the wind: it's glassy. That means the surface will be clean as a whistle. The combined energy is weak (261), so don't expect any power, but for a small, clean wave it's your best shot. The water is sitting at 71°, which is much warmer than usual for this time of year, so you won't need a thick suit.

The rest of the first week and into the second is pretty grim. You'll see a lot of mornings with a light onshore breeze and small swell, but the afternoons get choppy again. The 22nd of August shows a slightly bigger 4 ft WNW swell, but it's short period (8 seconds) and the wind is cross-onshore, so it'll be a messy, weak closeout. Not worth the drive.

Looking further out, around the 27th of August, the energy picks up significantly. The morning of the 27th has a 4 ft swell from the S with a 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 744 (moderate). That's a lot more push. But the wind is onshore from the WSW at 9 mph, which will chop it up. That afternoon, it gets worse with a moderate cross-onshore breeze. It's frustrating because there's decent swell in the water, but the wind is just ruining it. The 28th of August morning has some moderate energy (750) but the swell is a mixed bag of 3 ft from the SSW with a 12-second period, and again, the wind is onshore. It's a marginal call, but it's the best of a bad lot in the second week.

To sum it up: The 20th of August morning is the standout for clean, tiny waves. The 27th and 28th have the size and energy, but you'll be battling onshore winds. For now, keep your expectations low, but remember, it never stays flat forever.

Rusty.

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