Beach

both

Level 4/10

Playa Grande

Mar del Plata, Argentina

🌀Strong rips👥Crowded

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Playa Grande is Argentina's surf capital—the most consistent beach break in the country, located in the resort city of Mar del Plata. When South Atlantic storms deliver swell, the beach produces fun, punchy waves over sandy banks. The water is cold year-round (wetsuit required), and the scene is distinctly Argentine: asado on the beach, mate in the parking lot, and a passionate local community. National championships are held here regularly. Argentina surfing starts here.

Playa Grande surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today4

Poor

0.8mENE@6s

12km/h

0.8m@6s

12km/h

Thu5

Poor

0.8mENE@8s

13km/h

0.8m@8s

13km/h

Fri6

Poor

0.6mE@8s

13km/h

0.6m@8s

13km/h

Sat7

Poor

1.4mS@9s

20km/h

1.4m@9s

20km/h

Sun8

Poor

1.3mSSE@9s

10km/h

1.3m@9s

10km/h

Mon9

Poor

0.8mSE@8s

17km/h

0.8m@8s

17km/h

Tue10

Poor

0.7mNE@9s

17km/h

0.7m@9s

17km/h

Wed11

Poor

0.8mENE@7s

12km/h

0.8m@7s

12km/h

Thu12

Poor

0.7mENE@7s

16km/h

0.7m@7s

16km/h

Fri13

Poor

1.1mSSW@8s

15km/h

1.1m@8s

15km/h

5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: MorningAM 8 km/h · PM 14 km/h

Swell

0.8m

ENE(71°)

Score: 3/25

Period

Short period

Score: 2/25

Wind

12km/h

WSW(254°)

Score: 24/25

Weather

17°C

0.7mm63%

First light 5:09amSunrise 5:39amSunset 7:28pmLast light 7:58pm

Windswell

0.1m@1s

Secondary

0.3m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.8m @6s ENE outside window

Wind12 km/h WSW offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:09am–7:58pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.3–1.8m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

14°

17°

20°

18°

16°

11°

19°

23°

21°

17°

13°

17°

19°

15°

13°

10°

11°

12°

11°

6°

13°

19°

17°

12°

18°

22°

23°

21°

16°

19°

22°

24°

21°

16°

17°

19°

21°

20°

18°

19°

21°

23°

19°

14°

15°

17°

18°

16°

2m1.0

sec

swell

windkm/h

8g15

9g23

11g34

14g39

15g42

16g32

14g31

14g34

10g33

5g21

10g24

7g19

7g30

17g37

22g49

22g45

21g50

18g47

14g38

12g23

9g26

3g25

13g31

15g34

17g33

14g32

18g44

19g45

17g44

18g39

18g40

17g45

16g50

17g45

8g27

8g20

12g28

17g39

16g40

14g40

15g43

17g42

17g41

18g48

18g40

17g40

15g41

13g41

13g39

tidem

2:22am0.6m

8:30am0.4m

2:16pm1.3m

10:04pm0.2m

3:12am0.9m

9:51am0.5m

3:11pm1.4m

4:15am1.0m

11:00am0.6m

4:21pm1.5m

4:37am1.0m

12:06pm0.1m

5:20pm1.0m

12:34am0.1m

5:43am1.0m

12:53pm0.2m

6:11pm1.1m

1:24am0.3m

6:17am1.0m

1:48pm0.0m

7:13pm0.9m

1:48am0.4m

7:00am1.2m

2:42pm0.0m

8:00pm0.9m

2:00am0.5m

7:34am1.3m

3:30pm0.1m

8:45pm0.9m

2:30am0.6m

8:10am1.3m

4:12pm0.1m

9:18pm0.8m

2:10am0.5m

9:02am1.3m

4:43pm0.3m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

2:22 am

High · 0.63m

8:30 am

Low · 0.40m

2:16 pm

High · 1.34m

10:04 pm

Low · 0.21m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction4/25

Swell Size3/25

Swell Period2/25

Wind24/25

Raw Score33/100

Adjustments

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-5

📉 Undersized Swell-10

🚫 Undersized Capmax 44

Adjusted Score23/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score23

🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to MDQ, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

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Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell0.8m @6s ENE outside window

Wind12 km/h WSW offshore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

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Spot Details

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: ESE (120°)
Direction range: 90° - 160°
Size range: 1m - 3m
Ideal size: 1.9m - 2.5m
Height multiplier: 0.97×
Ideal period: 12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: W (270°)
Offshore range: 230° - 310°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: all
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.8m

Water temp

15°C

Wetsuit

4/3mm fullsuit

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

6/10

Access: Beach access from town center.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Playa Grande?

Playa Grande is a beach break in Mar del Plata, Argentina, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Playa Grande?

Playa Grande picks up swell from the E round to the SSE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the ESE. It starts working at around 1m and handles up to about 3m, with the sweet spot around 1.9 to 2.5m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Playa Grande?

A W wind is dead offshore at Playa Grande, and anything from the SW round to the NW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 6am to 11am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Playa Grande?

Playa Grande has a preferred tide range, roughly 0.3m to 1.8m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Playa Grande?

The most reliable run of swell at Playa Grande comes Apr to Sep. There's a second window in Mar and Oct too. Autumn-winter brings most consistent swells. Cold water year-round.

How cold is the water at Playa Grande?

The water at Playa Grande averages around 15°C, so you'll want a 4/3mm fullsuit. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Playa Grande good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (6/10) when it's on. Cold water (13-18°C). Strong rips on bigger swells.