Top 12 of 32 surfing destinations scored for March · ERA5 reanalysis 2015-2024 · updated monthly
Bells Beach and Chicama come into the prime band in March after missing it in February. Of the 32 surfing destinations in the dataset, 27 score 68 or better in March and 22 reach the prime band above 80, making it the strongest month of the year for surfing.
Margaret River leads on 96 at 2.2 m @ 11 s. Across the top ten the spread is Europe (3), Africa (3), Oceania (2), North America (2). The month is split across both hemispheres — 3 of the ten best are south of the equator — so the choice is as much about flight time as about score.
Ranked by score out of 100. Each strip shows all twelve months, so you can see whether March is the spot's peak or its shoulder.
1. Margaret River Western Australia, Australia
96
Prime
Monthly score for Margaret River, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
95
95
96
97
90
82
71
73
81
88
93
95
64%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
21.5 °Csea temperature
19.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
March is effectively as good as it gets at Margaret River: 96, within 1 point of its best month (April, 97). Swell averages 2.2 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 21.5 °C with air at 19.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Pipeline, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
97
96
93
86
73
64
64
64
68
90
95
98
53%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
24.7 °Csea temperature
22.5 °Cair temperature
Sep-Maybest run of months
Pipeline works in March — 93 against a peak of 98 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.8 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 24.7 °C with air at 22.5 °C — boardshorts. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Raglan, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
84
91
92
92
93
90
90
89
92
91
90
90
52%days with working wind
12 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
20.2 °Csea temperature
18.5 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
March is effectively as good as it gets at Raglan: 92, within 1 point of its best month (May, 93). Swell runs 1.8 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 20.2 °C with air at 18.5 °C — a 3/2 shorty.
Monthly score for Carcavelos, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
90
89
91
81
64
63
47
57
72
85
90
89
50%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
15.2 °Csea temperature
13.5 °Cair temperature
Sep-Aprbest run of months
March is Carcavelos's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 91. Swell averages 2.2 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 15.2 °C with air at 13.5 °C — a 4/3 and boots. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Taghazout, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
80
80
90
77
64
61
59
59
66
72
81
83
25%days with working wind
10 knmean daily max wind
1.7 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.9 °Csea temperature
18.0 °Cair temperature
Oct-Aprbest run of months
March is Taghazout's strongest month of the year for surfing, scoring 90. Swell averages 1.7 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 17.9 °C with air at 18.0 °C — a 4/3 and boots. This is the top of the curve locally: both neighbouring months score lower.
Monthly score for Essaouira, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
93
94
90
89
78
75
70
73
83
91
94
95
71%days with working wind
15 knmean daily max wind
2.7 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
17.3 °Csea temperature
16.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Essaouira works in March — 90 against a peak of 95 in December — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 2.7 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 17.3 °C with air at 16.1 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Monthly score for Le Morne, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
90
92
95
97
94
95
94
93
92
87
62%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
28.7 °Csea temperature
27.0 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Le Morne works in March — 90 against a peak of 97 in June — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.8 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 28.7 °C with air at 27.0 °C — boardshorts, and shade between sessions.
Monthly score for Hossegor, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
88
90
85
75
69
70
78
86
91
90
92
38%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.2 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.1 °Csea temperature
11.1 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
March is effectively as good as it gets at Hossegor: 90, within 2 points of its best month (December, 92). Swell runs 2.2 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 13.1 °C with air at 11.1 °C — a hooded winter suit. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Mundaka, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
90
91
89
77
68
68
66
76
83
89
93
91
39%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
2.0 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.5 °Csea temperature
11.4 °Cair temperature
Aug-Junbest run of months
Mundaka works in March — 89 against a peak of 93 in November — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell runs 2.0 m at 11 s — long enough a period to be groundswell that breaks properly rather than local wind chop. The sea sits at 13.5 °C with air at 11.4 °C — a hooded winter suit. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Santa Cruz, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
89
89
88
83
79
72
64
59
75
85
87
89
16%days with working wind
9 knmean daily max wind
2.1 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
12.7 °Csea temperature
12.0 °Cair temperature
Sep-Junbest run of months
March is effectively as good as it gets at Santa Cruz: 88, within 1 point of its best month (January, 89). Swell averages 2.1 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 12.7 °C with air at 12.0 °C — a hooded winter suit. It is also the wet end of the year: 149 mm against a monthly average of 72 mm. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Biarritz, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
87
89
87
74
68
65
63
72
77
85
91
89
40%days with working wind
11 knmean daily max wind
1.8 mmean swell height
11 sswell period
13.3 °Csea temperature
11.1 °Cair temperature
Aug-Maybest run of months
Biarritz works in March — 87 against a peak of 91 in November — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.8 m at 11 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 13.3 °C with air at 11.1 °C — a hooded winter suit. The season is turning over here — the months before this one score better.
Monthly score for Muizenberg, January to December. March is highlighted.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
83
87
87
87
91
91
92
92
89
85
86
83
57%days with working wind
13 knmean daily max wind
1.6 mmean swell height
10 sswell period
17.1 °Csea temperature
19.6 °Cair temperature
Year-roundbest run of months
Muizenberg works in March — 87 against a peak of 92 in July — so you are inside the season without being at the top of it. Swell averages 1.6 m at 10 s, a mid-period sea: rideable, and softer than the same height would be on a longer interval. The sea sits at 17.1 °C with air at 19.6 °C — a 4/3 and boots.
Margaret River, Australia scores highest in March at 96/100, based on ten years of ERA5 climatology scored for surfing. Its best run of months is Year-round.
Where can I surf in warm water in March?
Santa Teresa has the warmest sea among the spots that also score well in March — 30.5 °C, which is boardshorts, and shade between sessions, on a score of 71.
Is March a good month to surf?
Yes — 22 destinations in the dataset reach the prime band (80+) in March, so you have real choice rather than one option.
These scores are climatology, not a forecast. They are computed from ten years of
ERA5 reanalysis (2015-2024) and answer which month and which spot to book — not
whether this Saturday is on. For live conditions, open the
interactive map.