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Create Profile →Current conditions refresh every 3 hours when the cron runs. Hourly data updates every 30 minutes. The 7-day forecast, luck factor, and packing notes are all pre-computed at the same time.
We compare the 7-day forecast to the last 5 years of marine data for the same week at Tarifa. The delta tells you whether conditions are shaping up better, worse, or about the same as a typical early July.
We score each day of the 7-day forecast using the same algorithm as the leaderboard, and highlight the highest scorer.
Open-Meteo's Marine API (swell height, period, water temperature) and Weather API (wind and conditions).
Honestly, no. Every break has tide windows, swell directions and reef contours that a global model cannot see. Treat the score as a starting point, then check a local cam.
The best week for surf at Tarifa is the week of 16 November (score 3/5) with low crowds.
Barely any swell. Not much to work with today. Short-period wind swell: expect weak, crumbly faces. Heavy offshore making for difficult paddle-outs but textbook faces. Not enough swell to get this spot firing properly.
Heads up: jellyfish: peak season.
Indicators derived from forecast data, not official warnings. Always check local lifeguard or official advice.
Air quality is currently 18% worse than the average comparison city.
Air quality is currently worse than a typical city. Consider shorter outdoor sessions.
Not a pollutant. Ozone is naturally higher at altitude and near the coast, and lower in cities where traffic exhaust breaks it down. High readings here typically indicate clean air. Can cause short-term airway irritation during intense exercise but is not linked to the long-term health risks of particulate pollution.
Additive health score: each pollutant contributes points relative to its WHO 2021 guideline and long-term health impact (PM2.5 9, NO₂ 5, O₃ 3, PM10 2, SO₂ 1 at WHO limits). Data via Open-Meteo. City markers show live readings. Red line marks the WHO guideline. Updated 21:00
Good water clarity: ~10m visibility
High sediment levels, possible runoff or storm disturbance
This guide was generated from conditions data. Know this spot? Submit your own tips below.
Tarifa sits at the southernmost point of continental Europe where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. It is famous for wind and kitesurfing but also produces surfable waves on its Atlantic-facing beaches. The consistent Levante and Poniente winds create challenging conditions for surfing but also shape waves on the exposed beaches. Valdevaqueros and Bolonia are the main surf beaches.
Needs westerly (Poniente) swell with an easterly (Levante) wind offshore, or a period of calm between wind systems. The best surfing windows are brief and come between the dominant wind patterns. Winter provides the most swell. The beaches face south to southwest. Consistency is low for surfing; this is primarily a wind sports destination.
Valdevaqueros beach faces west and picks up Atlantic swell on windless days. Bolonia is more sheltered. Look for the rare calm windows when the swell is running but the wind has not yet arrived.
Wind is the dominant force here and can make surfing impossible. Strong currents near the Strait of Gibraltar. Kitesurfers and windsurfers sharing the water. The wind can pick up suddenly and turn conditions dangerous.
Free parking at the various beach access points. Well-signposted from the main road. Full facilities in Tarifa town (a vibrant, windsport-oriented place).
For surfing, almost empty because conditions are rarely suitable. Kitesurfers and windsurfers dominate the water. If you find a surfable window, you will likely have the waves to yourself.
Tarifa is worth including on a surf trip for the experience rather than the waves. The town has incredible energy, the food is superb (North African influence), and on the rare calm days the surf can be fun with nobody around. Morocco is visible across the strait and a day trip by ferry is easy. Come for the culture and kite watching; surf when the rare window appears.
Surf at Tarifa
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Daily scores over the last 12 months at Tarifa
Based on historical weekly averages
Conditions at Tarifa tend to be best between 08:00 to 11:00 in July.
Average score during this window: 4/100
See timing scores, school holiday busyness, and lift pass pricing to find the best time to book.
View Best Time to Go →Combining historical conditions with school holiday crowd pressure to find the sweet spot.
The timing score combines two signals: historical conditions quality (how good the skiing or surfing typically is in a given week, based on 5 years of weather data) and crowd pressure (how many of this destination's feeder markets have school holidays that week).
Crowd pressure is weighted by each feeder country's share of visitors. If 40% of a resort's visitors come from France and France is on holiday, that contributes 0.40 to the crowd pressure score. Crowds can reduce the timing score by up to 35%, ensuring conditions still matter most.
Scores: 5 = great conditions with low crowds (the sweet spot). 4 = great conditions with moderate crowds, or good conditions with low crowds. 3 = average. 2 = below average conditions or very crowded. 1 = poor conditions or peak holiday chaos.
Last 31 days of logged conditions.
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