Sea · North Carolina · United States
Cape Hatteras
Best for kiting all year, with 58 to 79 % kite days. Water 14 to 27 °C.
A kite day has at least 3 hours of 12 to 35 knots (gusts up to 45) between 10:00 and 19:00, in daylight. Percentages are the share of such days in each month, counted over 9 years.
- Prime 60 % and more
- Good 40 to 59 %
- Possible 20 to 39 %
- Off under 20 %
- No data hatched
- Ringed: this 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.
Confidence highHourly model data, 2017 to 2025, checked against the season shape of a nearby weather station, a regional model or a documented season.
Month by month
- Kite days
- 65 % Primeabout 20 of 31 days
- Too light, kiteable, too strong
- Too light 35 %
- Kiteable 65 %
- Too strong 0 %
- Good years
- 9 of 9 years reached 50 % kite days
- 10 day trip
- 9 in 10 trips got at least 5 kite days, about 6.4 expected
- Best hours
- 10:00 to 17:00when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots
- Daylight
- 11.3 h
- Water
- 23 °C, 3/2
- Air
- 23 °Cdaily maximum, 21 °C during kite hours
- Rain
- 7 of 31with 1 mm or more
- In one sentence
In October, Cape Hatteras averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (65 %). Water 23 °C, 3/2. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
| Kite days% of days | 76 | 75 | 79 | 79 | 72 | 62 | 66 | 58 | 59 | 65 | 68 | 72 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdictshare plus good years | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
| 10 day tripof 10 trips, 5+ kite days | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 8 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 | 9 in 10 |
| Good yearsof 9, reached 50 % | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 7 of 9 | 7 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 | 9 of 9 |
| Best hourshour of day, most often 12 to 35 kn | 10 to 16 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 18 | 10 to 19 | 10 to 19 | 15 to 19 | 14 to 19 | 15 to 19 | 10 to 18 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 16 | 10 to 16 |
| Daylighth | 10.1 | 10.9 | 12.0 | 13.1 | 14.0 | 14.5 | 14.3 | 13.5 | 12.4 | 11.3 | 10.4 | 9.8 |
| Water°C at the surface | 14 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 21 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 17 |
| Air°C, daily maximum | 14 | 16 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 19 | 16 |
| Rain days1 mm or more | 10 of 31 | 10 of 28 | 10 of 31 | 8 of 30 | 11 of 31 | 10 of 30 | 15 of 31 | 16 of 31 | 11 of 30 | 7 of 31 | 8 of 30 | 9 of 31 |
| Wetsuitfor that water and the air on kite days, + boots and gloves | 5/4 | 5/4 | 5/4 | 3/2 | spring | shorty | shorts | shorts | shorty | 3/2 | 4/3 | 5/4 |
- In January, Cape Hatteras averaged 24 kite days out of 31 (76 %). Water 14 °C, 5/4. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in January got at least 5 kite days.
- In February, Cape Hatteras averaged 21 kite days out of 28 (75 %). Water 14 °C, 5/4. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in February got at least 5 kite days.
- In March, Cape Hatteras averaged 25 kite days out of 31 (79 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in March got at least 5 kite days.
- In April, Cape Hatteras averaged 24 kite days out of 30 (79 %). Water 19 °C, 3/2. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in April got at least 5 kite days.
- In May, Cape Hatteras averaged 22 kite days out of 31 (72 %). Water 21 °C, spring suit. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in May got at least 5 kite days.
- In June, Cape Hatteras averaged 19 kite days out of 30 (62 %). Water 25 °C, shorty. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in June got at least 5 kite days.
- In July, Cape Hatteras averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (66 %). Water 27 °C, boardshorts. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in July got at least 5 kite days.
- In August, Cape Hatteras averaged 18 kite days out of 31 (58 %). Water 27 °C, boardshorts. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in August got at least 5 kite days.
- In September, Cape Hatteras averaged 18 kite days out of 30 (59 %). Water 26 °C, shorty. 8 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in September got at least 5 kite days.
- In October, Cape Hatteras averaged 20 kite days out of 31 (65 %). Water 23 °C, 3/2. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
- In November, Cape Hatteras averaged 20 kite days out of 30 (68 %). Water 20 °C, 4/3. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in November got at least 5 kite days.
- In December, Cape Hatteras averaged 22 kite days out of 31 (72 %). Water 17 °C, 5/4. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in December got at least 5 kite days.
Good year: at least half the days of that month were kite days. 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: ECMWF IFS 9 km via Open-Meteo, hourly model wind, 2017 to 2025; water temperature 2023 to 2025. How we count kite days and trip odds
Trip odds at Cape Hatteras
How often a trip of your length got at least half its days with kite wind, 2017 to 2025, capped at 9 in 10.
- January9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.7 expected
- February9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.4 expected
- March9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 8.1 expected
- April9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.7 expected
- May9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.0 expected
- June9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 6.1 expected
- July9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 6.7 expected
- August7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.6 expected
- September8 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 6.0 expected
- October (now)9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 6.4 expected
- November9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.0 expected
- December9 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 7.2 expected
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.
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
- 9
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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
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 7.5 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).
How the wind behaves
In March, the windiest month
- Too light 20 %
- Kiteable 79 %
- Too strong 1 %
Too light on 20 %, kiteable on 79 %, too strong on 1 % of days.
Best hours: 10:00 to 18:00, when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots.
Share of kite days by wind direction, 16 sectors
Wind direction varies, most often NNE (23°).
Kitesurfing at Cape Hatteras: quick answers
When is the best time to kitesurf at Cape Hatteras?
The best months are the whole year: from 2017 to 2025, 58 to 79 % of days were kite days in every month.
Is Cape Hatteras windy in October?
Yes, very. 65 % of days in October were kite days from 2017 to 2025, about 20 days in a typical October. 9 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days, 2017 to 2025.
What is the water temperature at Cape Hatteras?
The water ranges from 14 °C in January to 27 °C in July. In October it is about 23 °C (wetsuit: 3/2).
How many kite days does Cape Hatteras get in a year?
About 252 days a year were kite days from 2017 to 2025, out of 365. 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.
Live forecast
The numbers above are long term averages. The forecast shows the next days.
Live forecast from Windy
The forecast map for Cape Hatteras 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.
Spot facts
- Region
- North Carolina
- Country
- United States
- Water body
- Sea, from Natural Earth map data
- Nearest airport
- Coastal Carolina Regional Airport (EWN), 139 km straight line. Flights are not sold here; this is for planning only.
- Time zone
- UTC-04:00 in October
- Coordinates
- 35.2200, -75.5300
- Model
- ECMWF IFS 9 km via Open-Meteo, hourly
Conditions, checked against kite guides
Water state, flat areas, waves and whether schools teach here, from kite sources, not from satellite images.
- A flat area and real waves, both normal here.
- A flat or sheltered area exists for riding.
- Breaking waves are normal in the season.
- Learning possible in parts: a flat area plus a wave zone.
- Shallow, knee to waist deep Pamlico Sound side is flat and beginner friendly, while the Atlantic side a short walk away has some of the best kite waves on the US East Coast.
Checked 2026-10-08, confidence high (two or more kite sources agree). Sources: www.mackiteboarding.com, www.realwatersports.com.
Nearby kite spots in North Carolina
Kite days in October, % of days
- Kite Point
United States · 1 point fewer kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
64 %Kite days by month at Kite Point: Jan 70 %, Feb 74 %, Mar 78 %, Apr 78 %, May 72 %, Jun 63 %, Jul 67 %, Aug 57 %, Sep 58 %, Oct 64 %, Nov 66 %, Dec 67 % - The Bath House
United States · 2 points fewer kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
63 %Kite days by month at The Bath House: Jan 69 %, Feb 73 %, Mar 76 %, Apr 80 %, May 71 %, Jun 64 %, Jul 68 %, Aug 58 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 65 %, Dec 66 % - The Ferry Docks
United States · same kite days as Cape Hatteras in October
65 %Kite days by month at The Ferry Docks: Jan 73 %, Feb 74 %, Mar 78 %, Apr 79 %, May 72 %, Jun 64 %, Jul 68 %, Aug 60 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 65 %, Nov 66 %, Dec 69 % - Chimichanga House
United States · 1 point fewer kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
64 %Kite days by month at Chimichanga House: Jan 69 %, Feb 73 %, Mar 77 %, Apr 79 %, May 74 %, Jun 63 %, Jul 67 %, Aug 57 %, Sep 58 %, Oct 64 %, Nov 64 %, Dec 66 % - Ramp 27
United States · 1 point more kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
66 %Kite days by month at Ramp 27: Jan 69 %, Feb 71 %, Mar 78 %, Apr 79 %, May 74 %, Jun 63 %, Jul 65 %, Aug 58 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 66 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 66 % - SDA
United States · 2 points fewer kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
63 %Kite days by month at SDA: Jan 68 %, Feb 71 %, Mar 79 %, Apr 79 %, May 74 %, Jun 60 %, Jul 65 %, Aug 58 %, Sep 57 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 64 % - Kitty Hawk Kites Resort
United States · same kite days as Cape Hatteras in October
65 %Kite days by month at Kitty Hawk Kites Resort: Jan 65 %, Feb 70 %, Mar 76 %, Apr 79 %, May 72 %, Jun 59 %, Jul 65 %, Aug 55 %, Sep 54 %, Oct 65 %, Nov 62 %, Dec 64 % - Ocracoke Island
United States · 2 points fewer kite days than Cape Hatteras in October
63 %Kite days by month at Ocracoke Island: Jan 65 %, Feb 72 %, Mar 75 %, Apr 77 %, May 73 %, Jun 64 %, Jul 66 %, Aug 57 %, Sep 57 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 67 %
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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. Confidence: high.
Cite this
In October, 65 % of days at Cape Hatteras 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/spot/cape-hatteras
Numbers on this page are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: name kiteCOMPASS and link to this page.