Tarifa 45.3
#4707 of 5753 surf spots in the world · 🇪🇸 Spain · Cádiz · near Algeciras
Wind is the enemy here, peaks in March, gentle enough to learn.
Beginner friendlyBeginner
Surf score45.3 /100
Surfable days67% of the year
Clean days4% groundswell + friendly wind
Groundswell8% period 11 s+
Typical size0.7 m 2.4 ft median
Water18°C a 3/2 wetsuit
Best time to surf Tarifa
The best time to surf Tarifa is February, March, December. It rarely works. In March the water sits around 15°C, so pack a 4/3 with boots, and the typical wave is 1.1 m. The nearest airport is GIB (28 km) and the nearest town is Algeciras (19 km).
| Month | Surfable | Clean | Size | Water | Suit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 85% | 4% | 0.9 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Feb | 84% | 5% | 0.9 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Mar | 88% | 10% | 1.1 m | 15°C | 4/3 |
| Apr | 83% | 2% | 0.9 m | 16°C | 4/3 |
| May | 59% | 1% | 0.7 m | 17°C | 3/2 |
| Jun | 51% | 0% | 0.6 m | 19°C | 2mm |
| Jul | 43% | 0% | 0.6 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Aug | 29% | 0% | 0.5 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Sep | 44% | 1% | 0.6 m | 19°C | 2mm |
| Oct | 66% | 5% | 0.7 m | 20°C | 2mm |
| Nov | 82% | 5% | 0.9 m | 18°C | 3/2 |
| Dec | 91% | 6% | 0.9 m | 16°C | 3/2 |
Why 45.3
Seven parts, each normalised 0 to 1 and weighted; the sum is scaled so the best spot in the world is 100.
Consistency 26%
19.9
Clean days 24%
1.8
Groundswell 12%
1.3
Season spread 10%
7.3
Wave size 8%
1.0
Water comfort 10%
3.2
Access 10%
9.7
The detail
Faces 200° with 33% open water around it. Friendly morning wind 47% of days. Mean peak period 7.4 s. Days over 3 m: 0%. Mellow days (0.4 to 1.2 m): 76%. Months that work: 9 of 12. Coordinates 36.013, -5.603 (OpenStreetMap).
Spots nearby
Punta Paloma🇪🇸 Spain · score 44.7La Linea de la Concepcion🇪🇸 Spain · score 42.7Barbate🇪🇸 Spain · score 56.8Caños de la Meca🇪🇸 Spain · score 69.3
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