Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here. Let’s take a look at what’s happening with Isla Vista over this 16-day stretch.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you: the pattern for the next couple of weeks is pretty grim. We’re looking at a long run of days where the surf just isn’t offering much. The swell is there, but it’s coming from the wrong angles and the wind is just about always cross-onshore or onshore, messing up whatever shape the waves might have. The water is sitting at a very unusual 70° – that’s about 7° warmer than normal for this time of year, so it feels like a bath, but the surf quality just isn't matching.

For the first week, from Sunday the 16th through to Wednesday the 19th, the swell is small – mostly around 2 ft to 2 ft – with a long period of 15 to 16 seconds from the SSW. That is a long-period groundswell, and while that’s usually good for power, on a beach and reef setup like Isla Vista it often just closes out or runs straight. The wind is light but on the nose or cross-onshore, leaving the surface a bit messy. The combined energy is mostly in the 200s, so it’s got some push, but the conditions are rated as poor. Nothing to get excited about.

The middle of the month, from Thursday the 20th to Monday the 24th, things get even more frustrating. We see small WNW windswell trying to mix in, with periods dropping to 5 to 8 seconds, making for short, choppy lines. Swell heights bounce between 1 ft and 4 ft, but the wind is light and cross-on or directly onshore, so the surface is bumpy. Energy is still moderate, in the 150 to 260 range, but the “wave comment” just keeps saying poor surf conditions. The standouts? There aren’t any here – it’s a flat spell dressed up as surf.

Towards the end of the month and into early September, we start to see a little more potential. The mornings of Saturday the 29th and Sunday the 30th show a slight uptick – swell from the SSW at 2 ft to 3 ft with a 15-second period, and very light wind from the SW (3 to 6 mph), which is offshore for this spot. The energy jumps into the 300s and nearly 400 (399 on the 29th morning), which is moderate to strong. Still, the forecast calls it marginal, likely due to tide. If you’re keen, those two mornings – the 29th and 30th – are probably the best on offer. The crowd at Isla Vista is often a factor, so don’t expect to have it to yourself, especially with clean, glassy conditions possible.

Then on Monday the 31st, a bigger pulse shows up in the afternoon: a 6 ft swell from the WNW, with a period of just 6 seconds and a combined energy of 421. That’s a lot of water moving, but a short-period windswell like that can be a bit bumpy and unruly. It’s marginal, and with the wind swinging to onshore, it might be more interesting for kite gear than a paddle board. For most of us, the 29th and 30th mornings are the only real windows.

So there it is, gang. A long quiet spell, with a couple of promising mornings at the end. Keep an eye on the 29th and 30th – they’re the best of a quiet bunch.

- Rusty

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