Kiteboarding season for Tampa Bay starts in early October and lasts through May. The average wind speed is 15 knots. No matter what direction the wind is blowing from, there is a safe location to launch. Learning how to read the wind forecast for the Tampa Bay area will help you get more days on the water.
Check out our related article on checking the wind forecast.
Season
Though our season lasts from October through May, certain months are better than others. Fall and Spring tend to be the better months because temperatures are fluctuating more. Changes in temperature between the land and water cause wind. October, November and February, March and April will be the best months for kiteboarding. A lot of the wind is generated from fronts and sea breezes.
The trends tend to be a NE wind in the mornings and a NW in the afternoon. Wind speeds fluctuate but the average speed is 15 kts. Right before and after a cold front, winds increase and can be around 20 – 25 + kts. Some of the best winds are southerly winds that occur before a cold fronts come through. These winds are warm and consistent. Keep an eye on Baynews 9 and Ikitesurf to see when cold fronts are coming through.
Summer Season
The summer season for the Tampa Bay area lasts from June until the end of September. We don’t get the predictable frontal winds that we get from October through May, the summer winds we get are most commonly attributed to sea breezes. There is wind throughout the summer, it’s just less predictable and not as strong.
A decent summertime sea breeze will be about 11 – 15 kts. With a 15m – 19m kite or a foilboard, you can still get out on the water and have a lot of fun. We will sporadically get low pressure systems or the outer bands of tropical storms that generate stronger winds.
Climate
The temperature is variable during the kiteboarding season. After a cold front, a 3/2 or 4/3 mm wetsuit is recommended especially in December and January. Before the cold fronts, temperatures are higher and it can be humid so neoprene is not needed. Temperatures are warmer in the fall and the spring. Mornings can be brisk so a neoprene top or 2mm shorty is preferred. Afternoon sea breezes are warmer and neoprene is not always needed. Follow the Baynews 9 forecast for the weeks temperatures.
Location based on wind direction
NW Winds
W Winds
SW Winds
S Winds
SE Winds
E Winds
NE Winds
