Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let’s have a look at what’s on the menu for Isla Vista over the next couple of weeks.

Right off the bat, I gotta be straight with you – the start of this outlook is grim. We’re looking at a run of pretty poor surf through the first week of August, with no real standouts. It’s not until around the 14th of August that things start to look like they might get interesting, so expect a long gap of about a week with very little to get excited about.

The water temp is sitting at 69°F which is a massive 7°F warmer than normal for this time of year, so you’ll be shedding the wetsuit for sure if you’re out there during any of these tiny windows.

Let’s break it down. Through the first week, the swell is tiny. We’re talking 1ft to 3ft, mostly from the WNW or SW, with periods all over the shop. The wind is often light but mostly onshore or cross-onshore, so the quality is just not there. The wave energy is weak, with values sitting between 64 and 271, which tells you there’s not much power behind it. It’s all marked as “poor surf conditions” and scoring zeroes across the board.

Then we get to the 14th and 15th of August. This is where the whole pattern shifts. The swell picks up to 2ft to 2ft from the SSW and SW, and the period jumps to 16-18 seconds. That’s proper groundswell, and you can feel it in the energy numbers – we’re looking at 381 to 432, which is moderate energy. The wind is light and variable, with some sessions showing glassy conditions or light cross-shore breezes. The forecasts call it “marginal” but that’s a big step up from the week before. Isla Vista is a beach and reef setup, and with that long period, the waves could actually shape up nicely. Just be aware, the crowds here are listed as “often”, so you won’t be alone.

The only true standout in this whole run is the morning of Friday, 15th of August. We’ve got 2ft of SW swell at 16 seconds, with light cross-onshore wind that’s barely a breath. The energy is strong at 377, and the conditions are about as clean as they get for this stretch. It’s not a huge day, but after the flat spell, this is the one to pencil in.

Honestly, for the rest of the second week, it’s more of the same – small, poor surf. The 16th is a write-off. So if you’re keen, aim for that window around the 14th and 15th, and hope the long period groundswell lines up with the tide.

Rusty.

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