Why is it so windy in Tarifa Spain?

Answer 1

Tarifa is the southernmost point of Europe, located on the Strait of Gibraltar where the Atlantic Ocean meet the Mediterranean Sea. At the rock of Tarifa you can see Africa which is only 14 kilometres away. This location means Tarifa has unique wind conditions.

The two main winds in Tarifa are the Poniente and the Levante.

The Poniente blows in off the Atlantic ocean from the W/SW. This is generally a moderately strong (generally 10-20 knots) and very steady wind, as it has met no interruptions for thousands of miles as it blows across the Ocean. In the late afternoon the heating of the land creates localised thermal winds, meaning wind speeds often increase significantly later in the day when the Poniente is blowing.

The Levante is the East wind which blows in from Africa. The Venturi effect created by the norrowing of the Mediterranean at the Strait of Gibraltar accelerates what is already a very powerful wind, and it blows directly at Tarifa. The Levante is typically stronger (often 30-50 knots) and gustier than the Poniente, so is less favoured by both the locals and visiting kitesurfing enthusiasts.

In other wind directions local thermal winds around Valdevaqueros often mean it's significantly windier there than 5 miles down the road in Tarifa, so in some wind directions Valdevaqueros becomes a better kitesurfing spot than the main beach.

tldr; It's because you either get an ocean wind off the Atlantic, or the Strait of Gibraltar amplifies the power of the already strong Levante.