Weather forecast
10 day weather forecast for Sopelana, Spain, contains useful information about local wind speed, direction, and gusts, temperature, cloud coverage and precipitation based on the global GFS weathel model. All data updates four times a day with a forecast step of 3 hours. There is also a real-time wind forecast for Sopelana, Spain, from the nearest weather station to the spot, and a live Wind Map of the region and the world.
Get the weather forecast for other best kitesurfing, windsurfing and surfing spots in Spain on this website and in the Windy.app with more weather parameters.
Climate, weather, and seasons in Sopelana
The weather in Sopelana is classified as warm-temperate, subpolar oceanic with few temperature oscillations. It is characterized by being rainy, 1247 mm annual average. Winters are long, wet, and windy and it is partly cloudy all year round. The temperature in Sopelana starts from 6 °C in January as a minimum of the year and 22 °C as a maximum in the month of August. Its climate is highly determined by the Bay of Biscay. It has a constant humidity always above 75%.
Winter
Winter in Sopelana goes from the end of December to the end of March. Winters are long, cold, wet, and windy.
- The average minimum temperature is 6.5 °C and the maximum temperature is 12 °C. It has 52 days of rain in this period (230 mm).
- The water temperature rarely drops below 11 °C with a consistency of 70%. Although there may be 100% consistent waves, the weather conditions complicate the possibility of daily surfing, but since the beaches are empty, it is an ideal time not to find bathers.
- Winter in Sopelana is the ideal season for experienced surfers, with waves reaching their highest level.
Spring
Spring in Sopelana starts at the end of March and ends at the beginning of June.
- Days are longer during this period, temperatures settle between 11°C and 16°C, and rainfall averages 55 days of rain (165 mm).
- It is an ideal time for surfers due to several factors: fewer crowds, longer days, and more pleasant water temperatures. It is a period to take lessons for the same reason of spaces a little emptier than in other seasons of the year.
- It is a time of waves for an intermediate level of experience, waves higher than in the summer but not as aggressive as those of winter or autumn. April is the most recommended month in the spring season in Sopelana.
Summer
Summer in Sopelana starts at the end of June and ends at the beginning of September. The weather in Sopelana during this period is cool, given its cloudy and foggy characteristics.
- The most common is to have a maximum temperature of 22 °C in August and minimum temperatures of 15 °C on average. Rainfall is as constant as in spring, with 46 days of rain during the season (117 mm).
- Summer in Sopelana is of waves with little force therefore it is essential to select the appropriate board. On days when it is impossible to surf, a good alternative is paddle surfing.
- It is a season in which sea breezes predominate, north-northwest direction so the recommendation is to make surf sessions either early in the morning or late afternoon when the breeze dies down. The wind is at its slowest, especially in the month of August, with average speeds of 13 km / h, perfect for intermediate surfers or even beginners.
- It is a good season for beginners given the calm sea, the waves do not exceed one and a half meters.
Autumn
Autumn in Sopelana starts from the last days of September until the first days of December.
- Rainfall is maintained at an average of 49 days (112 mm) on average for the whole season, with November being the rainiest month, with 20 days of precipitation.
- There are more consistent waves. It has at least 4 types of wave peaks: the corridor which is the one that breaks between 2 rocks, can bring good lefts or rights, sope back common at low tide, a long left, the rock that breaks on the rocks, and finally the sope shore that works only at high tide and is only for the most experienced.
- It begins the period of strong winds with an average speed of 17 km / h and reaches its peak at the beginning of December with 21 km / h, time undoubtedly only recommended for experienced surfers.
Weather forecast in Sopelana for surfing in Spain on the Windy.app for iOS. Photo: Uxusofia / Pexels
Best time to travel
The best time to visit Sopelana if it is for surfing will depend on the level of experience and the style you want to practice. Thus, for beginners, the ideal period would be spring-summer while for intermediate level or experts autumn-winter.
It is important to keep in mind that water temperatures in Sopelana can drop dramatically during the coldest time of the year so a wetsuit is essential.
General and travel information of the place
Sopelana is a municipality in the Province of Vizcaya recognized for its beaches and cliffs, is one of the most recommended destinations for surfing in the Basque Country, offers rocky and sandy bottoms. Winds from the northeast, south, and southeast, swell from the northwest.
It is an area very close to Bilbao and an ideal place to take surfing lessons, but for beginners, it is essential to follow the tide closely because they may encounter very high waves and a little out of control.
Another recommended activity in the area is paragliding.
Official website: Turismoa.sopelaudala.org.
