Located towards the North of Santa Barbara County in Southern California, Jalama Beach is a fun beach break provides some great sections for airs, carves, and hacks. Jalama picks up almost all swell and is best on the smaller peakier ones as it can close out when bigger. The waves here can be a bit chunky, breaking for up to 50 meters over a hard packed sand bottom. Very popular with windsurfers in the afternoon, the surf is best in the morning offshores.
What are the best surf conditions for Jalama Beach County Park?
Gets good between waist high and triple overhead, certain bars can handle size. We recommend a shortboard for this spot. Not a great spot for beginners, lots of currents and gets big quick on an incoming swell, better for intermediates and advanced surfers. The surf here is very consistent (8/10) and is popular with surfers, although the beach spreads the crowds out (5/10). The best winds are offshore from the Northeast or glassy. The best swells come from the Northwest, Southwest, and West. Works on all tides depending on the sandbanks.
We recommend wearing a 3/2 wetsuit in the summer when water temperatures rise to 17 degrees. In the winter a 4/3 or even a 5/4 will work when water temperatures drop to 13 degrees coupled with cold winds. See the temperature chart below for more data on this.
