Beach
both
Level 4/10

Palomino

La Guajira, Colombia
🌀Strong rips

Palomino is a scenic beach break where the Sierra Nevada mountains meet the Caribbean Sea—one of the most beautiful surf settings in the Americas. The wave is consistent and the vibe is pure Colombian Caribbean.

Palomino surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast
Sat19
41
Poor
1.3m@6s
5km/h
Today20
33
Poor
0.9m@6s
6km/h
Mon21
17
Poor
0.6m@5s
5km/h
Tue22
18
Poor
0.6m@5s
4km/h
Wed23
37
Poor
0.8m@5s
4km/h
Thu24
36
Poor
0.8m@5s
4km/h
Fri25
37
Poor
0.8m@5s
4km/h
Sat26
33
Poor
0.8m@5s
5km/h
Sun27
24
Poor
0.7m@5s
1km/h
Mon28
5
Poor
0.4m@5s
6km/h
5+ days out, less certain

Today's Conditions

Find Flights
Best session: MorningAM 4 km/h · PM 5 km/h
Swell
1.3m
NNE(32°)
Score: 19/25
Period
6s
Short period / windswell
Score: 2/25
Wind
5km/h
NNE(25°)
Score: 18/25
Weather
30°C
0.3mm74%
First light 5:13amSunrise 5:43amSunset 5:52pmLast light 6:22pm
Windswell0.1m@1sConfidence
100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...
0°45°90°135°180°225°270°315°NESW
Swell
Wind
Showing forecast for today

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 2:24–6:22pm · risingIdeal tide: 0.2–2.5m
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
27°
30°
32°
30°
27°
25°
29°
31°
29°
27°
25°
29°
31°
30°
27°
26°
29°
30°
28°
27°
25°
27°
30°
29°
27°
24°
27°
30°
28°
26°
25°
29°
31°
29°
27°
25°
26°
29°
29°
27°
26°
27°
28°
28°
26°
26°
27°
28°
28°
27°
2m1.0
sec
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
6s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
6s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
5s
swell
windkm/h
2g8
5g22
6g28
4g24
5g14
4g9
3g17
8g27
8g24
5g15
3g9
1g15
6g23
8g23
1g13
2g10
5g22
6g30
4g19
1g14
9g16
5g16
2g16
5g28
5g29
5g14
3g18
5g23
5g26
1g18
5g13
4g16
6g22
5g30
2g25
6g15
6g18
5g24
4g25
1g22
2g11
2g14
1g22
1g23
1g18
4g12
6g17
8g23
7g25
7g23
tidem
1:30am0.0m
6:30am0.1m
5:30pm0.3m
1:50am0.0m
6:30am0.1m
10:00am0.0m
6:06pm0.4m
2:00am0.1m
7:00am0.1m
10:30am0.1m
6:30pm0.3m
2:10am0.1m
7:30am0.1m
7:30pm0.4m
2:30am0.1m
7:30am0.2m
12:30pm0.1m
7:30pm0.3m
2:30am0.1m
8:30am0.2m
2:30pm0.1m
8:10pm0.3m
3:10am0.1m
9:30am0.3m
3:00pm0.2m
8:30pm0.3m
3:30am0.1m
10:10am0.3m
4:30pm0.1m
9:30pm0.2m
3:30am0.1m
10:50am0.3m
5:30pm0.1m
9:30pm0.2m
3:30am0.1m
12:00pm0.4m
Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

1:30 am
Low tide - 0.00m
6:30 am
High tide - 0.05m
9:30 am
Low tide - 0.03m
5:30 pm
High tide - 0.30m
Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

41
Poor
Components
Swell Direction6/25
Swell Size19/25
Swell Period2/25
Wind18/25
Raw Score45/100
Adjustments
🌊 Tide-1
💨 Gusty Wind-3
Adjusted Score41/100
Confidence
Multiplier×1.00
Final Score41
🌊 Slightly below optimal tide

Plan Your Strike

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

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Swell Requirements

Optimal direction
N (350°)
Direction range
320° - 30°
Size range
0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size
1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier
0.97×
Ideal period
12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction
S (180°)
Offshore range
150° - 210°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide
all
Optimal range
0.2m - 2.5m

Water temp

27°C

Wetsuit

Boardshorts / Rashguard

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

2/10

Access: Between Santa Marta and La Guajira.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tide is best at Palomino?

The Palomino profile favors the recorded tide range, ideally between 0.2m and 2.5m on the local tide chart. Compare this preference with the forecast tide and local conditions before choosing a session.

What wind direction is offshore at Palomino?

The Palomino profile uses wind from S (180°) as its preferred direction, with an offshore range of 150° to 210°. Wind speed matters too: light winds outside that range can still produce surfable conditions, while strong offshore winds can make takeoffs difficult.

What swell size and direction work best at Palomino?

The Palomino scoring profile favors swell from N (320° to 30°), a swell-height range of 0.8m to 2.5m, and a reference period of 12s. These are model inputs, not guaranteed breaking-wave heights or a promise that the surf will suit every ability.

When is the best time of year to surf Palomino?

The main season at Palomino is Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar. A secondary window runs Sep, Oct. Beautiful setting between Sierra Nevada and sea.

How do I get to Palomino?

The spot profile lists SMR as a nearby airport. The estimated road transfer is 90 minutes. Between Santa Marta and La Guajira.

What kind of wave is Palomino?

Palomino is a beach break, a peak with lefts and rights. Difficulty is rated 4/10.

Best Season

Peak: Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, Mar

Secondary: Sep, Oct

Beautiful setting between Sierra Nevada and sea.

Getting There

Airport
SMR
Drive time
90 min
Data quality
verified

Strike Log

Community Discussion