Sea · Wales · United Kingdom
Swansea Bay
Best for kiting from October to November, with 50 to 51 % kite days. Water 13 to 16 °C. Also windy, but cold (water and air under 12 °C or short days): February to March and December.
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
- 50 % Goodabout 15 of 31 days
- Too light, kiteable, too strong
- Too light 50 %
- Kiteable 50 %
- Too strong 0 %
- 10 day trip
- 6 in 10 trips got at least 5 kite days, about 4.9 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
- 19 of 31with 1 mm or more
- In one sentence
In October, Swansea Bay averaged 15 kite days out of 31 (50 %). 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 | 41 | 61 | 50 | 40 | 35 | 36 | 35 | 47 | 46 | 50 | 51 | 53 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Verdictshare plus good years | cold | cold | cold | cold | Possible | Possible | Possible | Good | Good | Good | Good | cold |
| 10 day tripof 10 trips, 5+ kite days | 5 in 10 | 7 in 10 | 6 in 10 | 2 in 10 | 3 in 10 | 3 in 10 | 4 in 10 | 5 in 10 | 5 in 10 | 6 in 10 | 6 in 10 | 6 in 10 |
| Good yearsof 0, reached 50 % | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| Best hourshour of day, most often 12 to 35 kn | 10 to 16 | 10 to 16 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 19 | 12 to 18 | 12 to 19 | 12 to 19 | 10 to 19 | 11 to 17 | 10 to 17 | 10 to 15 | 10 to 15 |
| Daylighth | 8.4 | 9.9 | 11.9 | 13.8 | 15.6 | 16.6 | 16.1 | 14.6 | 12.7 | 10.7 | 8.9 | 7.9 |
| Water°C at the surface | 9 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Air°C, daily maximum | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
| Rain days1 mm or more | 15 of 31 | 15 of 28 | 17 of 31 | 11 of 30 | 11 of 31 | 14 of 30 | 15 of 31 | 17 of 31 | 15 of 30 | 19 of 31 | 18 of 30 | 20 of 31 |
| Wetsuitfor that water and the air on kite days, + boots and gloves | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 6/5+ | 5/4 | 3/2 | 3/2 | 4/3 | 5/4 | 6/5+ | 6/5+ |
- In January, Swansea Bay averaged 13 kite days out of 31 (41 %). Water 9 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 5 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in January got at least 5 kite days.
- In February, Swansea Bay 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, Swansea Bay averaged 15 kite days out of 31 (50 %). Water 8 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in March got at least 5 kite days.
- In April, Swansea Bay averaged 12 kite days out of 30 (40 %). Water 10 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 2 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in April got at least 5 kite days.
- In May, Swansea Bay averaged 11 kite days out of 31 (35 %). Water 13 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 3 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in May got at least 5 kite days.
- In June, Swansea Bay averaged 11 kite days out of 30 (36 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 3 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in June got at least 5 kite days.
- In July, Swansea Bay averaged 11 kite days out of 31 (35 %). Water 18 °C, 3/2. 4 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in July got at least 5 kite days.
- In August, Swansea Bay averaged 15 kite days out of 31 (47 %). Water 18 °C, 3/2. 5 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in August got at least 5 kite days.
- In September, Swansea Bay averaged 14 kite days out of 30 (46 %). Water 18 °C, 4/3. 5 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in September got at least 5 kite days.
- In October, Swansea Bay averaged 15 kite days out of 31 (50 %). Water 16 °C, 5/4. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in October got at least 5 kite days.
- In November, Swansea Bay averaged 15 kite days out of 30 (51 %). Water 13 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 6 in 10 trips of 10 days starting in November got at least 5 kite days.
- In December, Swansea Bay averaged 16 kite days out of 31 (53 %). Water 11 °C, 6/5 with boots and gloves. 6 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: 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 Swansea Bay
How often a trip of your length got at least half its days with kite wind, 2017 to 2025, capped at 9 in 10.
- January5 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.5 expected
- February7 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.9 expected
- March6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.0 expected
- April2 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 3.7 expected
- May3 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 3.5 expected
- June3 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 3.7 expected
- July4 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 3.7 expected
- August5 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.5 expected
- September5 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.8 expected
- October (now)6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 4.9 expected
- November6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.0 expected
- December6 in 10 trips of 10 days got at least 5 kite days, about 5.3 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
- 4
- 4
- 3
- 8
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 6
- 6
- 8
- 6
- 5
- 5
- 3
- 3
- 1
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 4
- 4
- 5
- 5
- 2
- 3
- 3
- 3
- 4
- 4
- 4
- 7
- 6
- 6
- 4
- 4
- 6
- 3
- 4
- 8
- 6
- 3
- 5
- 7
- 7
- 6
- 6
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 7
- 6
- 5
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
6 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 5.3 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 38 %
- Kiteable 61 %
- Too strong 1 %
Too light on 38 %, kiteable on 61 %, too strong on 1 % 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 Swansea Bay: quick answers
When is the best time to kitesurf at Swansea Bay?
The best months are October to November: from 2017 to 2025, 50 to 51 % of days in those months were kite days.
Is Swansea Bay windy in October?
Yes, often. 50 % of days in October were kite days from 2017 to 2025, about 15 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 Swansea Bay?
The water ranges from 8 °C in February to 18 °C in July. In October it is about 16 °C (wetsuit: 5/4).
How many kite days does Swansea Bay get in a year?
About 165 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 Swansea Bay 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
- Wales
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Water body
- Sea, from Natural Earth map data
- Nearest airport
- Cardiff International Airport (CWL), 49 km straight line. Flights are not sold here; this is for planning only.
- Time zone
- UTC+01:00 in October
- Coordinates
- 51.6120, -3.9608
- 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.
Not yet checked against kite guides. We research spot conditions one by one and show only what a kite source says.
Nearby kite spots in Wales
Kite days in October, % of days
- Oxwich Bay
United Kingdom · same kite days as Swansea Bay in October
50 %Kite days by month at Oxwich Bay: Jan 44 %, Feb 61 %, Mar 53 %, Apr 42 %, May 34 %, Jun 38 %, Jul 35 %, Aug 45 %, Sep 47 %, Oct 50 %, Nov 52 %, Dec 55 % - Horton
United Kingdom · 19 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
69 %Kite days by month at Horton: Jan 59 %, Feb 76 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 60 %, May 52 %, Jun 52 %, Jul 52 %, Aug 61 %, Sep 64 %, Oct 69 %, Nov 68 %, Dec 72 % - Newton
United Kingdom · 8 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
58 %Kite days by month at Newton: Jan 51 %, Feb 67 %, Mar 58 %, Apr 50 %, May 42 %, Jun 47 %, Jul 54 %, Aug 58 %, Sep 57 %, Oct 58 %, Nov 61 %, Dec 62 % - Pembrey
United Kingdom · 6 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
56 %Kite days by month at Pembrey: Jan 42 %, Feb 62 %, Mar 51 %, Apr 37 %, May 33 %, Jun 40 %, Jul 35 %, Aug 46 %, Sep 46 %, Oct 56 %, Nov 52 %, Dec 54 % - Amroth
United Kingdom · 17 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
67 %Kite days by month at Amroth: Jan 55 %, Feb 70 %, Mar 59 %, Apr 44 %, May 38 %, Jun 44 %, Jul 39 %, Aug 52 %, Sep 52 %, Oct 67 %, Nov 62 %, Dec 63 % - Tenby
United Kingdom · 20 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
70 %Kite days by month at Tenby: Jan 60 %, Feb 77 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 52 %, May 42 %, Jun 49 %, Jul 42 %, Aug 56 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 70 %, Nov 67 %, Dec 68 % - Cold Knap
United Kingdom · 13 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
63 %Kite days by month at Cold Knap: Jan 58 %, Feb 69 %, Mar 67 %, Apr 54 %, May 56 %, Jun 61 %, Jul 66 %, Aug 69 %, Sep 60 %, Oct 63 %, Nov 63 %, Dec 65 % - Freshwater West
United Kingdom · 21 points more kite days than Swansea Bay in October
71 %Kite days by month at Freshwater West: Jan 63 %, Feb 78 %, Mar 66 %, Apr 52 %, May 41 %, Jun 47 %, Jul 41 %, Aug 52 %, Sep 59 %, Oct 71 %, Nov 69 %, Dec 71 %
Plan your trip
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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, 50 % of days at Swansea Bay 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/swansea-bay
Numbers on this page are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: name kiteCOMPASS and link to this page.