Deba surf forecast
Deba is a north-facing beach in the Basque Country that opens to swells from west to north-east and cleans up on a south wind. It is an exposed beach and reef setup with lefts and rights, but it can be inconsistent.
Deba surf forecast, hour by hour
The table shows swell, wind and tide for Deba, hour by hour. The forecast is for open water near the coast, so breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Updated 08:58next run 13:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
15:00–18:00 · cross-shore
Today 3 Nov
Marginal 08-12: short weak swell, waist-chest, offshore SE.
Best window: 08:00–12:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 04:32
- High
- 11:10
- Low
- 17:30
- High
- 23:58
- Sunrise
- 07:46
- Sunset
- 17:58
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 4 Nov
Worth it 15-18, fair waist-chest, cross-shore E.
Kiwi's best shot: 15:00–18:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 05:48
- High
- 12:19
- Low
- 18:30
- Sunrise
- 07:47
- Sunset
- 17:58
Every hour, 05–21
Thursday 5 Nov
Worth it 08-12, clean knee-waist, offshore SSW.
Best window: 08:00–12:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 00:57
- Low
- 06:48
- High
- 13:14
- Low
- 19:19
- Sunrise
- 07:49
- Sunset
- 17:56
Every 3 hours
Friday 6 Nov
Marginal 08-12: average, knee-waist, offshore SSW.
Best window: 08:00–12:00
Tide and daylight
- High
- 01:44
- Low
- 07:36
- High
- 14:01
- Low
- 20:01
- Sunrise
- 07:50
- Sunset
- 17:55
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Deba (43.298, -2.354). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind column first. Deba is best when the wind blows from the south, which is offshore here. A northwest swell with that south wind is the setup people report as best.
Surfing Deba: the beach and nearby breaks
Deba is an exposed beach and reef break with both lefts and rights on the beach. It mixes groundswell and windswell, and it does not work very often. Other Basque breaks listed in the forecasts are within a short drive.
Deba (Santiago beach)
Beach and reefAll levelsThis is our forecast point for Deba. The beach peaks give lefts and rights, and the best swell comes from the northwest.
Rips, rocks and currents near the river mouth are the main things to watch. It is rated for all levels. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com
Zumaya (Playa de Itxurun)
Beach breakNearbyItxurun sits about 7 km from Deba and often shows up as an alternative in regional forecasts. The beach lies among long, continuous layers of rock called flysch. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com · en.wikipedia.org
Orio
Beach breakNearbyOrio is about 18 km away and is another option listed in the local forecasts. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com
Isla de Izaro
Regional optionNearbyIsla de Izaro is about 31 km away and often appears among the best forecast waves in the Basque Country. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com · es.surf-forecast.com
What Deba needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
West to north-east swells
Deba faces north and takes swell from the west round to the north-east. The northwest is the direction people rate best.
Wind
South wind is offshore
Wind from the south blows offshore and grooms the waves. Last December, about 90% of days had offshore wind.
Tide
Mid tide, leaning higher
Our model likes mid tide here. Local reports say it is best around high tide.
Size
Best at 1–2 m
Under 0.5 m is usually too small, and 1–2 m is the sweet spot. Above 3 m it gets too big.
Shortcut: a 1–2 m northwest swell, a south wind and mid tide is the day to go to Deba.
The best months to surf Deba
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Deba's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Sep–OctThe best window
September and October had good surf on about 60% of days, and the water is still 19–22°C.
Nov–MarBigger, colder, busy swell
Winter averages around 2 m waves, so some days run above the ideal size. Good days come on 19–45% of days, and the water drops to 13–16°C.
Apr–JunSpring keeps working
April is a strong month, with good surf on 60% of days. By June, waves average about 1 m and the water warms past 20°C.
Jul–AugSmall and warm
Midsummer is the quietest time, with good surf on only 6–10% of days. Expect waves averaging under 1 m and water near 25°C.
Before you go
Hazards
Watch out for rips and rocks at Deba.
Watch for currents near the river mouth. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com
Crowds and etiquette
Our notes say the beach gets crowded in summer.
Reports say that even when there are waves, it is not likely to be crowded. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com
Water temperature
From January to March the sea sits at 12.6–13.3°C.
In April, May, October and November it is about 15–19°C.
From June to September it reaches about 22–25°C.
Best time to paddle out
Pick the hours when the wind turns south, which is offshore, and the tide is around mid.
Reading the forecast
Forecast heights are for open water, so breaking waves will often be smaller at less exposed spots.
Deba is rated as inconsistent, so check before you drive. Sources: es.surf-forecast.com · es.surf-forecast.com
The coastline
The cliffs between Deba and Getaria show about 8 km of continuous rock layers called flysch. They cover more than 100 million years, and ammonite fossils can be found at Itzurun beach. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off Deba. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for Spain, so 4 stars at Deba is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
Deba surf questions
Is Deba good for beginners?
Deba is rated for all levels. Beginners should stay away from the rocks and watch for rips and river-mouth currents.
When is the best time to surf Deba?
September, October and April are the most reliable months, with good surf on about 60% of days. July and August are usually small.
How cold is the water in Deba in December?
The sea averages about 14.7°C in December.
What wind and swell work best at Deba?
A northwest swell with a south wind, which is offshore, gives the best conditions.
What tide is best at Deba?
Our model favours mid tide. Local reports say it is best around high tide.
Is Deba crowded?
It gets busy in summer. At other times, reports say it is rarely crowded.
Check the Deba surf forecast before you go
Look at the hourly table for a northwest swell, a south wind and mid tide, then grab your board and head to the beach.