Sea · England · United Kingdom
Minehead
Best for kiting from September to November, with 50 to 55 % kite days. Water 13 to 18 °C. Also windy, but cold (water and air under 12 °C or short days): December to March.
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
- 52 % Goodabout 16 of 31 days
- Too light, kiteable, too strong
- Too light 48 %
- Kiteable 52 %
- Too strong 0 %
- Good years
- 5 of 9 years reached 50 % kite days
- 10 day trip
- 6 in 10 trips got at least 5 kite days, about 5.1 expected
- Best hours
- 10:00 to 17:00when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots
- Daylight
- 10.7 h
- Water
- 16 °C, 5/4
- Air
- 15 °Cdaily maximum, 14 °C during kite hours
- Rain
- 17 of 31with 1 mm or more
- In one sentence
In October, Minehead averaged 16 kite days out of 31 (52 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
| Kite days% of days | 53 | 61 | 54 | 46 | 35 | 39 | 44 | 49 | 50 | 52 | 55 | 55 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdictshare plus good years | cold | cold | cold | cold | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | cold |
| 10 day tripof 10 trips, 5+ kite days | 7 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 5 in 10 | 3 in 10 | 5 in 10 | 4 in 10 | 6 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 6 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 7 in 10 |
| Good yearsof 9, reached 50 % | 4 of 9 | 7 of 9 | 6 of 9 | 2 of 9 | 1 of 9 | 3 of 9 | 4 of 9 | 4 of 9 | 6 of 9 | 5 of 9 | 7 of 9 | 6 of 9 |
| Best hourshour of day, most often 12 to 35 kn | 10 to 16 | 10 to 16 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 19 | 13 to 19 | 12 to 19 | 14 to 19 | 10 to 19 | 10 to 19 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 15 | 10 to 15 |
| Daylighth | 8.4 | 10.0 | 11.9 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.5 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.7 | 10.7 | 9.0 | 8.0 |
| Water°C at the surface | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 10 |
| Air°C, daily maximum | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 11 | 9 |
| Rain days1 mm or more | 15 of 31 | 14 of 28 | 17 of 31 | 9 of 30 | 10 of 31 | 12 of 30 | 11 of 31 | 11 of 31 | 14 of 30 | 17 of 31 | 17 of 30 | 17 of 31 |
| Wetsuitfor that water and the air on kite days, + boots and gloves | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 5/4 | 5/4 | 3/2 | 4/3 | 4/3 | 5/4 | 6/5+ | 6/5+ |
- In January, Minehead averaged 16 kite days out of 31 (53 %). Water 8 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in January got at least 5 kite days.
- In February, Minehead averaged 17 kite days out of 28 (61 %). Water 8 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in February got at least 5 kite days.
- In March, Minehead averaged 17 kite days out of 31 (54 %). Water 8 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in March got at least 5 kite days.
- In April, Minehead averaged 14 kite days out of 30 (46 %). Water 10 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 5 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in April got at least 5 kite days.
- In May, Minehead averaged 11 kite days out of 31 (35 %). Water 14 °C, 5/4. 3 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in May got at least 5 kite days.
- In June, Minehead averaged 12 kite days out of 30 (39 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 5 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in June got at least 5 kite days.
- In July, Minehead averaged 14 kite days out of 31 (44 %). Water 18 °C, 3/2. 4 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in July got at least 5 kite days.
- In August, Minehead averaged 15 kite days out of 31 (49 %). Water 19 °C, 4/3. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in August got at least 5 kite days.
- In September, Minehead averaged 15 kite days out of 30 (50 %). Water 18 °C, 4/3. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in September got at least 5 kite days.
- In October, Minehead averaged 16 kite days out of 31 (52 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
- In November, Minehead averaged 16 kite days out of 30 (55 %). Water 13 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 7 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in November got at least 5 kite days.
- In December, Minehead averaged 17 kite days out of 31 (55 %). Water 10 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 7 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 Minehead
How often a trip of your length got at least half its days with kite wind, 2017 to 2025, capped at 9 in 10.
- January7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.3 expected
- February7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 6.0 expected
- March7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.4 expected
- April5 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.3 expected
- May3 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 3.4 expected
- June5 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.3 expected
- July4 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.4 expected
- August6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.7 expected
- September7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.3 expected
- October (now)6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.1 expected
- November7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.4 expected
- December7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.7 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
- 8
- 7
- 5
- 8
- 8
- 7
- 8
- 8
- 6
- 8
- 7
- 5
- 7
- 5
- 4
- 3
- 6
- 2
- 2
- 4
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 2
- 6
- 6
- 4
- 2
- 4
- 6
- 7
- 6
- 5
- 6
- 6
- 6
- 5
- 7
- 8
- 5
- 4
- 7
- 7
- 7
- 7
- 8
- 7
- 6
- 8
- 7
- 7
- 6
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
7 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).
Zero wind trips: fewer than 1 in 20
about 5.2 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 February, the windiest month
- Too light 39 %
- Kiteable 61 %
- Too strong 0 %
Too light on 39 %, kiteable on 61 %, too strong on 0 % of days.
Best hours: 10:00 to 16:00, when the wind is most often 12 to 35 knots.
Share of kite days by wind direction, 16 sectors
Wind direction varies, most often WSW (248°).
Kitesurfing at Minehead: quick answers
When is the best time to kitesurf at Minehead?
The best months are September to November: from 2017 to 2025, 50 to 55 % of days in those months were kite days.
Is Minehead windy in October?
Yes, often. 52 % of days in October were kite days from 2017 to 2025, about 16 days in a typical October. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days, 2017 to 2025.
What is the water temperature at Minehead?
The water ranges from 8 °C in January to 19 °C in August. In October it is about 16 °C (wetsuit: 5/4).
How many kite days does Minehead get in a year?
About 180 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 Minehead 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
- England
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Water body
- Sea, from Natural Earth map data
- Nearest airport
- Cardiff International Airport (CWL), 23 km straight line. Flights are not sold here; this is for planning only.
- Time zone
- UTC+01:00 in October
- Coordinates
- 51.2071, -3.4639
- 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.
- Not for learning: kite sources call it advanced.
- Flat on the inside with Bristol Channel swell outside the reef, best at low tide, rated intermediate and above; old pier remains are a hazard.
Checked 2026-10-08, confidence medium (one kite source, or two that partly disagree). Sources: www.windsurf.co.uk, breakfinder.surf.
Nearby kite spots in England
Kite days in October, % of days
- Weston-super-Mare
United Kingdom · 9 points more kite days than Minehead in October
61 %Kite days by month at Weston-super-Mare: Jan 55 %, Feb 68 %, Mar 68 %, Apr 54 %, May 53 %, Jun 57 %, Jul 64 %, Aug 65 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 61 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 66 % - Woolacombe
United Kingdom · 13 points more kite days than Minehead in October
65 %Kite days by month at Woolacombe: Jan 59 %, Feb 72 %, Mar 65 %, Apr 54 %, May 38 %, Jun 50 %, Jul 45 %, Aug 60 %, Sep 63 %, Oct 65 %, Nov 67 %, Dec 68 % - Westward Ho!
United Kingdom · 13 points more kite days than Minehead in October
65 %Kite days by month at Westward Ho!: Jan 58 %, Feb 73 %, Mar 65 %, Apr 54 %, May 44 %, Jun 49 %, Jul 48 %, Aug 62 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 65 %, Nov 68 %, Dec 67 % - Exmouth Seafront
United Kingdom · 9 points more kite days than Minehead in October
61 %Kite days by month at Exmouth Seafront: Jan 54 %, Feb 65 %, Mar 62 %, Apr 46 %, May 42 %, Jun 44 %, Jul 43 %, Aug 50 %, Sep 53 %, Oct 61 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 64 % - Paignton
United Kingdom · 14 points more kite days than Minehead in October
66 %Kite days by month at Paignton: Jan 58 %, Feb 70 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 49 %, May 39 %, Jun 44 %, Jul 46 %, Aug 50 %, Sep 56 %, Oct 66 %, Nov 64 %, Dec 69 % - Widemouth Bay
United Kingdom · 11 points more kite days than Minehead in October
63 %Kite days by month at Widemouth Bay: Jan 57 %, Feb 71 %, Mar 63 %, Apr 47 %, May 38 %, Jun 44 %, Jul 41 %, Aug 54 %, Sep 54 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 66 %, Dec 67 % - Overcombe
United Kingdom · 11 points more kite days than Minehead in October
63 %Kite days by month at Overcombe: Jan 57 %, Feb 68 %, Mar 60 %, Apr 48 %, May 41 %, Jun 45 %, Jul 48 %, Aug 54 %, Sep 54 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 65 %, Dec 69 % - Torpoint
United Kingdom · 12 points more kite days than Minehead in October
64 %Kite days by month at Torpoint: Jan 57 %, Feb 72 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 57 %, May 49 %, Jun 51 %, Jul 54 %, Aug 54 %, Sep 56 %, Oct 64 %, Nov 66 %, Dec 71 %
Plan your trip
Booking reminder
Remind me when to book Minehead
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. Confidence: high.
Cite this
In October, 52 % of days at Minehead 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/minehead
Numbers on this page are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: name kiteCOMPASS and link to this page.