Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s cooking for Isla Vista over the next couple of weeks. I gotta be straight with you – it’s a lean stretch, with only a single standout session popping up right at the very end of the forecast period.

We’re looking at a long, quiet run here. From the morning of August 12th right through to the morning of August 27th, the surf is almost entirely a write-off. The waves are tiny – mostly 1ft to 3ft – with a lot of cross-onshore winds keeping things choppy. The wave energy is moderate at best, with combined swell energy values bouncing between 152 and 393. The water is sitting at a very unusual 71° here for mid-August, which is much warmer than normal for the time of year.

For a solid two-week stretch, it’s really not worth paddling out. There’s a few mornings with marginal conditions on the 15th and 16th, but the swell is still too small to get excited about. The wind is often a light breeze, but it’s coming from the SW or WSW, putting us in a cross-on or onshore situation that just won’t groom the waves.

Now, the one true standout. It’s a long way off, but it’s worth marking in your calendar. On the afternoon of Thursday, August 27th, we finally get a window. The wind will go glassy from the W at just 3 mph – that’s dead clean conditions. The swell will be 3ft from the SW with a period of 15 seconds, which is a nice, long groundswell. The combined energy of all swells is 305 – moderate, but with that period and glassy wind, Isla Vista (beach and reef) should offer up some clean, lined-up waves. This is the one session to aim for. Keep in mind, the water will still be unusually warm.

Because this is a fairly consistent spot normally, a blank run like this is a bit of a bummer, but it won't stay poor forever. Forecasts can change.

Rusty

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