How we rate the beaches
playasdealmeria.es turns weather and sea forecasts into a clear, beach-specific guide: which options look most comfortable and at what time. This is a summary of the criteria, sources and limits behind that guide.
What the rating considers
Each beach and part of the day is classified as Excellent, Good, Fair or Best avoided from the factors that most affect swimming: wind and gusts, waves, rain or storms and available flags. The least favourable factor sets the limit, so strong gusts are not hidden by sunshine.
When several beaches fall in the same category, a stable editorial tie-break prioritises the selected time slot and consistency over the rest of the day; it does not change the category.
The label can name the factor limiting the rating, while the comment distinguishes wind discomfort from wave conditions and preserves forecast changes and their times. Calm-looking sea is not a guarantee of safe swimming. These explanations use the existing estimates and do not change the rating.
Air temperature keeps its information colour but never changes the rating. It only breaks ties between otherwise equally rated beaches. This is an editorial comfort preference, not a validated swimming-safety threshold. Official heat warnings remain visible separately.
Information notices may highlight a sustained forecast rise or fall in air temperature between today and tomorrow at the same beach and during the same hours. They compare forecasts, not observations or climate normals, and are omitted when comparable recent data are insufficient. They do not change the swimming rating.
Wind and sand: local trial
A local trial uses documented dry-beach surfaces to distinguish possible blowing sand from wind discomfort. It considers sustained wind, gusts and the existing exposure estimate. It only breaks otherwise equal weather rankings in the home list; it does not change categories or map numbering. Mixed or unverified surfaces are not treated as sand-free. Actual ground moisture and sand arriving from nearby areas are unknown. This comfort estimate is not a safety assessment and is not enabled on the public website. Surface descriptions were checked on 13 September 2026 against town-hall and official tourism sources; that is a document check, not a field inspection. The physical basis is described by the National Park Service.
Why the same forecast changes between beaches
Orientation and relative shelter matter. We combine recognised weather and marine forecasts with the geographic context of each beach, so an exposed shore and a sheltered cove are not treated as if they were identical. The wind and sea values shown are beach-specific estimates, not measurements at the shoreline.
The main wave figure is forecast significant wave height (Hs) adjusted for beach exposure. A separate three-model spread, when available, is labelled as open water. The regional authority sea-state field was removed from display after it remained invariant and the source supplied no update timestamp; the wave information shown remains a forecast clearly identified as an estimate.
Official flags and warnings
A flag is only labelled as currently official when its source confirms that it applies to the current day. Undated publications remain secondary context and do not change the estimate or create official alerts. Official AEMET warnings are displayed separately whenever they are available. Beach signs, lifeguards and authorities always prevail.
Jellyfish reports from the beach
Jellyfish notices are community observations, not forecasts or official data. Location verifies that the report is made from the coast, and a pseudonymous device identifier limits repeated submissions. Quantity sets the intensity; species is optional and appears as a user identification without scientific confirmation. Nearby observations are grouped, disagreements are shown and reports are removed when no longer recent. They never change the weather rating or its order. Today’s map only shows reports from the last 12 h. Future days show no jellyfish. Observations from 12–24 h remain as earlier information on the beach details and jellyfish page. In beach details, reports carry their own date and are not a forecast for the selected day. A report does not mean that the beach is closed.
Sources and updates
Weather and sea forecasts from Open-Meteo; surface-water temperature from the Météo-France SST model served by Open-Meteo; official warnings from AEMET; official flags and occupancy from the Junta de Andalucía and coastal town halls; coastline context from OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL); and jellyfish notices from users near the beach. The water value represents a sea-surface model grid of about 8 km, not a shore measurement; its native interval is 6 hours and the model is updated daily. Guidance notices highlight rapid modelled water-temperature changes; coast-level notices require a consistent signal across coastal areas. This describes a rapid modelled change, not a formal climatological marine cold or heat spell. Other data is refreshed roughly every 30 minutes.
Limits
This is a free guide with no registration. Forecasts and estimates can be wrong and conditions can change quickly. Beach signs, lifeguards and authorities always prevail. If you spot a mistake, please tell us through the contact link.
Last revised: 2026-09-13 · Versión en español