Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright, Rusty here again, lookin' at the same stretch for Isla Vista. And pardner, it’s a tough one. We’re lookin' at a big dry spell right at the start. The first chance at anything even close to rideable ain't ‘til Sunday, August 9th. That’s a solid few days of nothin' to write home about.

On that Sunday morning, August 9th, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW. The period is a long 15 seconds, so it’s got that groundswell quality, but it’s just a dribble. The energy is only 140 (moderate), so it’s weak. The wind is glassy, dead calm, which would make it look clean. You’ll be able to sit out there, but you’ll be waiting for a wave you can actually do something on.

The next little flicker of hope is Saturday morning, August 15th. The swell ticks up to 3ft from the SSW, still with a 16-second period. The energy is finally up to 357 (moderate). But the wind is a light cross-onshore, putting a few bumps on the surface. It’s still just barely worth a look.

Then Monday afternoon, August 17th, the whole thing changes. A short-period, 6-second wind swell from the WNW shows up at 6ft. That’s a lot of energy (452) but it’s a junky, short-period lump. The wind is a cross-onshore at 15 km/h. For a beach and reef spot like Isla Vista, that’s gonna be a washing machine. Honestly, with that much wind and that short period, this setup is more interesting for kite surfing than paddle surfing.

The water is sitting at 69°F, which is a whopping 4°F warmer than normal. That’s very unusual, so the water will feel like a warm bath.

There’s no real standout here. The only one that gets a nod is that glassy Sunday morning on the 9th, but it’s so small. The rest of the 16 days is a long haul of tiny, clean but weak waves, or onshore chop. The crowds at Isla Vista are often around, but with conditions this poor, it might be a quiet one out there.

Rusty.

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