Destination · Hourly model wind, 2017 to 2025

Confidence highHourly model data, 2017 to 2025, checked against the season shape of a nearby weather station, a regional model or a documented season.

Kitesurfing in Cape Town, South Africa

Name: Cape Town
Address: ZAF

Town in South Africa · 7 kite spots · airport CPT

Best for kiting from September to March, with 52 to 81 % kite days. Water 14 to 16 °C.

Season 18 Jun to 8 Jul and 13 Aug to 8 Apr, peak 12 Mar to 18 Mar and 15 Oct to 4 Mar.

A kite day has at least 3 hours of 12 to 35 kn model wind between 10:00 and 19:00 in daylight, with gusts up to 45 kn. Percentages are the share of such days in each month, counted over 2017 to 2025.

Numbers on this page are from Kitebeach, the main spot of Cape Town. The other 6 spots range from 42 to 71 % kite days in October.

Kite Year

Kite days per month, in % of days. Colour is the verdict, the number is the share. Tap a month for its details.

JJan81Prime
FFeb78Prime
MMar58Good
AApr37Possible
MMay25Possible
JJun39Possible
JJul38Possible
AAug41Good
SSep52Good
OOct63Primenow · chosen
NNov74Prime
DDec79Prime

Prime 60 % and more
Good 40 to 59 %
Possible 20 to 39 %
Off under 20 %
No data hatched
Ringed: this month
Raised: your chosen month

Prime also needs a good month in at least 7 of the 9 years, so one freak year cannot make a month Prime. A month with 60 %+ but fewer good years shows as Good.

October in Cape Town, this month, averaged over 2017 to 2025.

KITE DAYS: 20 of 31; 63 % kite days, Prime
WIND: 12 knots; afternoon average, 12:00 to 18:00
WATER: 15 °C, 4/3; suit for 14 to 17 °C

9 in 10

trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days in 2017 to 2025 (9 Octobers).

about 6.5 kite days expected out of 10.

x in 10 reads: of all 10 day trips that started in that month between 2017 and 2025, x in 10 got at least 5 kite days. We cap the figure at 9 in 10 because wind is never a promise. How we count trip odds

Check my dates

Trip odds, expected kite days, water and wetsuit for your exact dates. Free, no sign up.

Live forecast How we count a kite day

Month by month

Tap a month for trip odds, good years, best hours, water, air and rain.

MonthKite days% of days, verdict10 day tripof 10 trips, 5+ kite daysWater°C, what to wear

Kite days
63 % Primeabout 20 of 31 days
Too light, kiteable, too strong
Too light 37 %
Kiteable 63 %
Too strong 0 %
10 day trip
9 in 10 trips got at least 5 kite days, about 6.5 expected
Best hours
15:00 to 18:00when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots
Daylight
12.9 h
Water
15 °C, 4/3
Air
18 °Cdaily maximum, 16 °C during kite hours
Rain
5 of 31with 1 mm or more
In one sentence
In October, Kitebeach averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (63 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.

Kitebeach

Kite days% of days	81	78	58	37	25	39	38	41	52	63	74	79
Verdictshare plus good years	Prime	Prime	Good	Possible	Possible	Possible	Possible	Good	Good	Prime	Prime	Prime
10 day tripof 10 trips, 5+ kite days	9 in 10	9 in 10	7 in 10	2 in 10	1 in 10	4 in 10	2 in 10	4 in 10	7 in 10	9 in 10	9 in 10	9 in 10
Good yearsof 0, reached 50 %	·	·	·	·	·	·	·	·	·	·	·	·
Best hourshour of day, most often 12 to 35 kn	13 to 19	14 to 19	14 to 18	15 to 17	12 to 17	11 to 17	11 to 17	11 to 17	13 to 18	15 to 18	13 to 18	13 to 19
Daylighth	14.1	13.3	12.3	11.3	10.4	9.9	10.1	10.9	11.9	12.9	13.9	14.4
Water°C at the surface	15	15	16	15	14	14	14	14	14	15	14	14
Air°C, daily maximum	21	21	19	18	17	16	15	15	16	18	19	19
Rain days1 mm or more	3 of 31	2 of 28	4 of 31	4 of 30	6 of 31	11 of 30	10 of 31	11 of 31	7 of 30	5 of 31	3 of 30	3 of 31
Wetsuitfor that water and the air on kite days, + boots and gloves	4/3	4/3	4/3	4/3	4/3	4/3	4/3	5/4	4/3	4/3	4/3	4/3

In January, Kitebeach averaged 25 kite days out of 31 (81 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in January got at least 5 kite days.
In February, Kitebeach averaged 22 kite days out of 28 (78 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in February got at least 5 kite days.
In March, Kitebeach averaged 18 kite days out of 31 (58 %). Water 16 °C, 4/3. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in March got at least 5 kite days.
In April, Kitebeach averaged 11 kite days out of 30 (37 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 2 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in April got at least 5 kite days.
In May, Kitebeach averaged 8 kite days out of 31 (25 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 1 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in May got at least 5 kite days.
In June, Kitebeach averaged 12 kite days out of 30 (39 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 4 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in June got at least 5 kite days.
In July, Kitebeach averaged 12 kite days out of 31 (38 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 2 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in July got at least 5 kite days.
In August, Kitebeach averaged 13 kite days out of 31 (41 %). Water 14 °C, 5/4. 4 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in August got at least 5 kite days.
In September, Kitebeach averaged 16 kite days out of 30 (52 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in September got at least 5 kite days.
In October, Kitebeach averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (63 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
In November, Kitebeach averaged 22 kite days out of 30 (74 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in November got at least 5 kite days.
In December, Kitebeach averaged 24 kite days out of 31 (79 %). Water 14 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in December got at least 5 kite days.

Good years are not shown here: this spot has no complete per year values, because the two models drift apart over the years. x in 10 reads: of all 10 day trips that started in that month between 2017 and 2025, x in 10 got at least 5 kite days. We cap the figure at 9 in 10 because wind is never a promise. Best hours: the hours from 10:00 on when the wind most often reaches 12 to 35 knots. Rain day: 1 mm or more of rain.

Source: hourly wind from the ECMWF IFS 9 km via Open-Meteo, hourly model, 2017 to 2025; water temperature 2023 to 2025; kiteCOMPASS method v1. How we count kite days and trip odds

October in Kitebeach

this month, averaged over 2017 to 2025.

Kite days: 63 % Primeabout 20 of 31 days
Too light, kiteable, too strong: Too light 37 %
Kiteable 63 %
Too strong 0 %
10 day trip: 9 in 10 trips got at least 5 kite days, about 6.5 expected
Best hours: 15:00 to 18:00when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots
Daylight: 12.9 h
Water: 15 °C, 4/3
Air: 18 °Cdaily maximum, 16 °C during kite hours
Rain: 5 of 31with 1 mm or more
In one sentence: In October, Kitebeach averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (63 %). Water 15 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.

Check my dates

Start date (optional)

Check my dates

Trip odds, expected kite days, water and wetsuit for your exact dates. Free, no sign up.

Your dates: not set

Confidence

Confidence highhourly model data, close sea cell, checks agree on the season

Why. Hourly model data, 2017 to 2025, checked against the season shape of a nearby weather station, a regional model or a documented season. Shares its model grid cell with 3 nearby spots, so the numbers describe the area, not one beach.

What it means for you. The numbers on this page are a fair forecast of a typical year here. Medium would mean one check is uncertain, for example a cell 12 km away: expect a few points off. Low means global models miss part of the local wind, often at lakes, thermal or inland spots; where documented local sources describe the season, we show that curated season instead of model numbers.

Water and wetsuit

15 °C in October, 4/3 (14 to 17 °C).

Some months get one step thicker, because the air on kite days is more than 4 °C colder than the water.

boardshorts27 and up
shorty24 to 26
spring suit21 to 23
3/218 to 20
4/314 to 17
5/410 to 13
6/5under 10

The filled step is the suit for October; the band under each step is the water temperature it covers, in °C.

14 to 16 °C, 4/3.

Where the model is blind

Here the model sees the wind at Kitebeach, so the numbers on this page are model numbers. Where documented local sources describe the season of a lake or thermal spot, we show that curated season instead: a hatched band over the season months with its sources named and no percentage, because the model number would be wrong there.

Getting there

Cape Town International Airport (CPT), 21 km straight line

Flight time from

FRA Frankfurt: about 12 h 15 min straight line, 9,375 km
MUC Munich: about 11 h 55 min straight line, 9,162 km
AMS Amsterdam: about 12 h 35 min straight line, 9,670 km
LHR London Heathrow: about 12 h 35 min straight line, 9,663 km
ZRH Zurich: about 11 h 50 min straight line, 9,093 km
CDG Paris Charles de Gaulle: about 12 h 10 min straight line, 9,345 km

Flight time: the straight line distance at 800 km/h plus 30 minutes. Real flights with stops take longer. Flights are not sold here.

Best time to kitesurf in Cape Town

Best for kiting from September to March, with 52 to 81 % kite days. Water 14 to 16 °C.

Season 18 Jun to 8 Jul and 13 Aug to 8 Apr, peak 12 Mar to 18 Mar and 15 Oct to 4 Mar. Dates from 52 weekly values of the main spot, season from 40 % kite days, peak from 60 %, counted only in weeks with water or daytime air at 12 °C or more and at least 6 hours of daylight.

Prime months here: January, February, October, November, December. Each link shows where else to kite in that month.

Trip odds by start week

Pick your start week and trip length. Each cell: of all trips of that length that started in that week between 2017 and 2025, how many in 10 got at least half their days with kite wind.

Trip odds by start week, 10 day trips, 2017 to 2025

Colours as in the kite year: 6 in 10 and more like Prime · 4 to 5 in 10 like Good · 2 to 3 in 10 like Possible · under 2 in 10 like Off · No data hatched (fewer than 30 trips) · Ringed: this week · Raised: your start week

x in 10 reads: of all 10 day trips that started in that week between 2017 and 2025, x in 10 got at least 5 kite days. We cap the figure at 9 in 10 because wind is never a promise.

Source: hourly wind from the ECMWF IFS model via Open-Meteo, 2017 to 2025, kiteCOMPASS method v1. How we count

Start date

9 in 10

trips of 10 days starting in week 45 (e.g. 5 to 11 November) got at least 5 kite days in 2017 to 2025 (63 trips, capped at 9 in 10).

Zero wind trips: fewer than 1 in 20

about 7.1 kite days expected out of 10

Kite days per trip, 63 trips

Bars right of the line are good trips (5 kite days or more).

Is Cape Town windy?

Across the year, 55 % of days at Kitebeach are kite days. The windiest month is January with 81 %, the calmest is May with 25 %.

Wind on kite days in January comes most often from SSE (158°).

Share of kite days by wind direction, 16 sectors

Afternoon wind12 knots(12 to 15 kn, average 12:00 to 18:00 in October)

under 8 kn
8 to 11 kn
12 to 15 kn
16 to 19 kn
20 to 24 kn
25 to 29 kn
30 kn and more

Main kite wind by month: Jan SSE, Feb SSE, Mar SSE, Apr SSE, May NNW, Jun NNW, Jul NNW, Aug NW, Sep SSE, Oct SSE, Nov SSE, Dec SSE.

Live forecast

The numbers above are long term averages. The forecast shows the next days.

Live forecast from Windy

The forecast map for Cape Town comes from windy.com (Windyty SE, Prague, Czech Republic) and opens right here on this page. Once you load it, your browser contacts Windy, which receives your IP address and may set its own cookies. Nothing is loaded before you click.

Water temperature in Cape Town by month

The sea is warmest in March at 16 °C and coolest in May at 14 °C. 4/3 all year.

Water temperature from the Open-Meteo marine archive, 2023 to 2025, monthly mean of the main spot.

Kite spots in Cape Town

Kitebeach
Sea · main spot
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Kitebeach: Jan 81 %, Feb 78 %, Mar 58 %, Apr 37 %, May 25 %, Jun 39 %, Jul 38 %, Aug 41 %, Sep 52 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 74 %, Dec 79 %
Dolphin Beach
Sea · 1 km
Level Not for beginners, from kite guides we checked
Same model cell as Kitebeach: near identical numbers.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Dolphin Beach: Jan 81 %, Feb 78 %, Mar 58 %, Apr 37 %, May 25 %, Jun 39 %, Jul 38 %, Aug 41 %, Sep 52 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 74 %, Dec 79 %
Bloubergstrand
Sea · 2 km
Level Learning possible in parts, from kite guides we checked
Same model cell as Kitebeach: near identical numbers.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Bloubergstrand: Jan 81 %, Feb 78 %, Mar 58 %, Apr 37 %, May 25 %, Jun 39 %, Jul 38 %, Aug 41 %, Sep 52 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 74 %, Dec 79 %
Rietvlei
Sea · 2 km
Same model cell as Kitebeach: near identical numbers.
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Rietvlei: Jan 81 %, Feb 78 %, Mar 58 %, Apr 37 %, May 25 %, Jun 39 %, Jul 38 %, Aug 41 %, Sep 52 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 74 %, Dec 79 %
Milnerton
Sea · 7 km
Level Learning possible in parts, from kite guides we checked
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Milnerton: Jan 61 %, Feb 57 %, Mar 40 %, Apr 26 %, May 19 %, Jun 32 %, Jul 30 %, Aug 31 %, Sep 36 %, Oct 42 %, Nov 53 %, Dec 58 %
Haakgat
Sea · 9 km
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Haakgat: Jan 84 %, Feb 81 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 48 %, May 32 %, Jun 42 %, Jul 41 %, Aug 44 %, Sep 60 %, Oct 71 %, Nov 80 %, Dec 82 %
Melkbos
Sea · 13 km
Level Not for beginners, from kite guides we checked
1. J
2. F
3. M
4. A
5. M
6. J
7. J
8. A
9. S
10. O
11. N
12. D
Kite days by month at Melkbos: Jan 80 %, Feb 82 %, Mar 65 %, Apr 48 %, May 33 %, Jun 43 %, Jul 43 %, Aug 43 %, Sep 61 %, Oct 71 %, Nov 77 %, Dec 79 %

Similar destinations

Langebaan

South Africa

St Kilda, Melbourne

Australia

La Torche

France

Booking reminder

Remind me when to book Cape Town

One mail, about 8 weeks before your month starts, with the kite day odds for that month and the link to this page. No newsletter.

We send one confirmation mail first; the reminder is set only after you click its link, and unconfirmed addresses are deleted after 7 days. Every mail has an unsubscribe link and a delete link. Privacy

kiteCOMPASS Pro

Plan the whole trip, not just the month

Save trips, get Plan B spots for days without wind and compare three places side by side. 29 EUR per year.

kiteCOMPASS · method k3h-10to19-v1 · 2017 to 2025

Model wind: ECMWF IFS 9 km via Open-Meteo, hourly, 2017 to 2025. Water temperature: 2023 to 2025. Kite day: at least 3 hours of 12 to 35 kn model wind between 10:00 and 19:00 in daylight, with gusts up to 45 kn. Shares its model grid cell with 3 nearby spots, so the numbers describe the area, not one beach. Confidence: high.

Cite this

In October, 63 % of days at Kitebeach met the kiteCOMPASS kite day rule: at least 3 hours of 12 to 35 kn model wind between 10:00 and 19:00 in daylight, with gusts up to 45 kn (ECMWF IFS 9 km via Open-Meteo, hourly, 2017 to 2025). https://kitecompass.app/kitesurfing/cape-town

Download CSV (12 months)

Numbers on this page are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: name kiteCOMPASS and link to this page.