World › United States of America › California › Carmel
Carmel 86.1
#1261 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇺🇸 United States of America · California · near Monterey
Works almost every day, no off season, thick rubber.
Works all yearIntermediate
Surf score86.1 /100
Surfable days100% of the year
Clean days38% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell62% period 11 s+
Typical size1.5 m 5.0 ft median
Water13°C a 4/3 with boots
Best time to surf Carmel
The best time to surf Carmel is January, March, November. The season runs Sep to Mar. In November the water sits around 14°C, so pack a 4/3 with boots, and the typical wave is 1.6 m. The nearest airport is SJC (91 km) and the nearest town is Monterey (6 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 99% | 61% | 2.1 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Feb | 100% | 43% | 1.8 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Mar | 100% | 48% | 1.8 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Apr | 100% | 34% | 1.6 m | 13°C | 4/3 |
| May | 100% | 21% | 1.6 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Jun | 100% | 12% | 1.4 m | 12°C | 5/4 |
| Jul | 100% | 18% | 1.3 m | 13°C | 5/4 |
| Aug | 100% | 25% | 1.2 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Sep | 100% | 45% | 1.3 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Oct | 99% | 46% | 1.4 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Nov | 99% | 62% | 1.6 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
| Dec | 99% | 47% | 2.0 m | 14°C | 4/3 |
Why 86.1
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
26.0
Clean days 24%
22.6
Groundswell 12%
12.0
Season spread 10%
10.0
Wave size 8%
4.3
Water comfort 10%
0.3
Access 10%
8.8
The detail
Faces 245° with 28% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 60% of days. Mean peak period 12.0 s. Days over 3 m: 3%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 22%. Months that work: 12 of 12. Coordinates 36.549, -121.929 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Ghost tree🇺🇸 United States of America · score 87.9The Wharf🇺🇸 United States of America · score 78.7Asilomar🇺🇸 United States of America · score 86.5Del Monte Beach🇺🇸 United States of America · score 87.5
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