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Jalama, the nearest town. Photo: Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons

Jalama

Surf spot · United States

Is it worth the trip?

0Poor out of 100 for your dates

Stay home

Every day scores the same

Each day of your trip, out of 100

Tue 3 · 0 out of 100

Swell
6 ft14 scrumbling
Energy
1,301kJ
Wind
NNW 8 kn
Temp
18°C

Wed 4 · 0 out of 100

Swell
8 ft10 ssoft
Energy
1,081kJ
Wind
NNW 12 kn
Temp
19°C

Thu 5 · 0 out of 100

Swell
7 ft8 ssoft
Energy
584kJ
Wind
NNW 12 kn
Temp
20°C

Fri 6 · 0 out of 100

Swell
6 ft9 ssoft
Energy
518kJ
Wind
N 9 kn
Temp
23°C

Sat 7 · 0 out of 100

Swell
9 ft12 scrumbling
Energy
2,128kJ
Wind
ENE 3 kn
Temp
23°C

Sun 8 · 0 out of 100

Swell
8 ft11 scrumbling
Energy
1,197kJ
Wind
NNW 5 kn
Temp
23°C

Mon 9 · 0 out of 100

Swell
8 ft11 scrumbling
Energy
1,324kJ
Wind
NNW 3 kn
Temp
23°C

Tap a day for waves, wind and the temperature. Full forecast

Forecast: next 10 days

Full forecast
  1. Mon 277, good
  2. Tue 30, too big
  3. Wed 40, too big
  4. Thu 50, too big
  5. Fri 60, too big
  6. Sat 70, too big
  7. Sun 80, too big
  8. Mon 90, too big
  9. Tue 100, too big
  10. Wed 110, too big

The spot in six facts

  • Faces SWtakes swell from the SW
  • Offshore: NEwind from the land
  • Intermediate +who it suits
  • Works 2–10 ftof swell
  • Water 16 °C3/2 wetsuit
  • Best Aug–Nov2 good days in 7

Full forecast

every day, every number

The score doesn't know rips, currents, rocks or your skill.

Jalama does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Jalama, each day
DayScorefor Inter­mediateSwellEnergyWindTemp
Mon 2Nov77, good4 ft12 scrumbling6 ft at break (est.)372kJwind from the east-north-east, 4 knots, offshore19°C
Tue 3Nov0, too big6 ft14 scrumbling6 ft at break (est.)1,301kJwind from the north-north-west, 8 knots18°C
Wed 4Nov0, too big8 ft10 ssoft7 ft at break (est.)1,081kJwind from the north-north-west, 12 knots19°C
Thu 5Nov0, too big7 ft8 ssoft6 ft at break (est.)584kJwind from the north-north-west, 12 knots20°C
Fri 6Nov0, too big6 ft9 ssoft5 ft at break (est.)518kJwind from the north, 9 knots23°C
Sat 7Nov0, too big9 ft12 scrumbling8 ft at break (est.)2,128kJwind from the east-north-east, 3 knots23°C
Sun 8Nov0, too big8 ft11 scrumbling6 ft at break (est.)1,197kJwind from the north-north-west, 5 knots23°C
Mon 9Nov0, too big8 ft11 scrumbling7 ft at break (est.)1,324kJwind from the north-north-west, 3 knots23°C
Tue 10Nov0, too big7 ft11 scrumbling7 ft at break (est.)1,046kJwind from the north-north-west, 2 knots23°C
Wed 11Nov0, too big8 ft11 scrumbling8 ft at break (est.)1,670kJwind from the north-north-west, 3 knots21°C

Energy is the swell's power, in kJ per metre of wave. Wind is in knots, the arrow where it blows to; green is offshore. More

Tide

  • Mon 2 NovHigh 05:00 +0.4 mLow 10:14 −0.1 mHigh 15:46 +0.6 mLow 22:49 −0.8 m
  • Tue 3 NovHigh 05:39 +0.6 mLow 11:31 −0.3 mHigh 17:08 +0.5 mLow 23:39 −0.8 m
  • Wed 4 NovHigh 06:15 +0.7 mLow 12:29 −0.5 mHigh 18:18 +0.5 m

Local clock times; heights about mean sea level. On open coasts the times are usually within a quarter of an hour; in bays, estuaries and on the Gulf of Mexico they can be an hour or more out. Tide: EOT20 global ocean tide model, Hart-Davis et al. 2021, DGFI-TUM (doi:10.17882/79489), CC BY 4.0. Times and heights computed by us. A model, not a tide table: check a local table before you go.

Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.

Map

the spot and its town

Each place wears its best day on these dates, a surf spot for beginners: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

More surf near here

5 places

About

the place in full, sources, credits

About Jalama

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated.

The spot faces SW (229°), so it takes swell from the SW. The wind blows offshore from the NE (49°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–10 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 350 m out (1 in 33). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 12°C in April, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 17°C in September, its warmest (3/2 wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually August, September, October and November, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Jalama. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.

Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).

Rough cost (estimate): about US$1,200–US$2,170 each

about US$1,200–US$2,170 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: flights, hire car, stay, food, board and wetsuit.

Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.

How we worked it out 
Rough cost per person for this trip
WhatHow we worked it outEach
Flightsreturn ORD to SBA, estimated from distance and season, 1 airline on the route, with a hold bagabout US$255–US$530
Hire car6 days, sharedabout US$154–US$255
Stay6 nights, a mid-range double, sharedabout US$302–US$503
Food7 days eating outabout US$342–US$637
Board and wetsuit5 days, or about US$114 to fly your ownabout US$148–US$242
Totalabout US$1,200–US$2,170

For 2 people sharing a room. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra. Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.

Where to stay: Jalama

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Closest

Jalama

about 5 min by car · 2 places to stay

about US$114/nightcountry average

See 2 places to stay in Jalama · Booking.com

About Jalama its beds, food and every spot near it

Nearest town: Jalama, 0 km (about 5 min by car)

About US$114 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.

Getting there: about 7h 45m

About 7h 45m door to door from Chicago

Fly ORD → SBA, direct, then 1h 20m by road

An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.

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