Isla Vista Surf Forecast and Surf Report

Alright folks, Rusty here. Let's size up what Isla Vista is serving for the next couple weeks. It’s a flat and frustrating stretch for the most part. The real juice is missing. There are a few moments with some push, but the conditions are usually working against it. We’re on the clock from the start, but the first real highlight takes some waiting.

Starting Sunday morning the 12th, we’ve got a tiny 2ft swell from the SSW with a 14-second period. The combined wave energy is a weak 215, so nothing to write home about. But here’s the thing – the wind is glassy, dead calm at just 3 mph from the S. That’s a treat and a half. The water's at 63°, which is a solid degree warmer than usual for this time of year, so that’s a nice little bonus. It’s surfable, but barely. Crowds are likely here though, because word gets around about clean days.

That glassy window is gone by the afternoon as a light cross-onshore breeze messes it up. From Monday the 13th all the way through Tuesday the 22nd, it’s mostly small, weak swell with a constant onshore or cross-onshore wind. There’s a bump on Wednesday the 15th with a short-period 4ft WNW windswell, but with 12 mph cross-shore winds, the energy (358) is all chop. That’s more of a kite-surfing situation than a paddling one.

Thursday the 16th morning shows a flicker of hope with 5ft WNW swell, period around 9 seconds, and combined energy of 427 – that’s moderate. Wind is light offshore from the SW. It’s rated as marginal, so the tide might be a pain, but it’s the closest thing to a pulse we get for a while.

We hit a long dry spell from the 17th through the 22nd. The swell is tiny, under 3ft, and winds are either onshore or cross. Not worth getting wet for.

Finally, a bit of life shows up on the morning of Thursday the 23rd. We see 4ft from the S, 14-second period, and the combined energy jumps to 653 – that’s moderate-strong for this run. Wind is light from the SSE at 3 mph, but it’s cross-on, so not perfect. Then Friday the 24th morning has another 4ft S swell with 13-second period and energy at 605, with light offshore SW wind. That’s your best bet for the whole stretch if you can make it. It’s still only a marginal rating, so don’t expect perfection, but it’s the cleanest window with the most power we’ve got.

After that, the last few days of the period fade back into small, weak, onshore slop.

If I’m picking highlights, it’s that glassy Sunday morning on the 12th – tiny but clean as a whistle. The other call is the Friday morning the 24th – better size, but less reliable. Everything else is a grind.

Rusty.

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