The season has moved on so it seems like a good time to put this post up again. Despite that we are still seeing weaker cold fronts come through in the south part of the state perhaps stronger in the northern part. We've had a couple of bouts of stronger thermal winds this week increasing frontal winds. (UPDATE: We had a strong cold front come through at the end of May and moderate winds are predicted for early June. Both fairly unusual events so you may have to play this season as it comes along.) Starting to feel like summer, so repeating for the start of
Summer 2008, with some additions ...
On average, summer is NOT a good time for kiteboarding in Florida. The wind is often too light or too unstable. "Useable wind" can be in short supply.
Jonesing for a wind fix when the season typically offers little in useable wind, much of the time, is a way to set yourself up for some trouble.
There are exceptions of course, thermal winds before the afternoon squalls and lightning set in, the odd late season cold front or other useable weather system. Thermal winds are better and more reliable in some years than in others and perhaps in some places. Thermal wind patterns vary from year to year, sometimes being rare, at other times lacking the thermal squall stack and other times coming through in afternoons with some regularity.
Here is some advice for kiteboarders to get through the Florida summer:
1. Plan a trip(s) to a reliable wind destination over the summer (e.g. OBX, SE Texas on the Gulf, one of the windier spots in the Caribbean, Brazil, etc.). It will give you something to look forward to and allow you to try to dodge some of the shortcomings of riding in the conditions described below.
2. If clean, useable wind comes up be prepared to use it, while checking out all the normal weather Internet info sources first
MORE HERE. Keep your eye on conditions and if some unstable stuff moves in, call it a day BEFORE it arrives. USE AND MONITOR
HOWZAWIND? and other resources on this site. Thermal winds can come up fast and localized. If you see it, share the joy. Your post may be the only way some guys find out about some short term useable wind.
3. In your weather planning avoid squalls associated with tropical systems (e.g. waves, depressions and hurricanes). Some guys don't take this seriously despite all the past accidents and obvious hazardous conditions. We're talking fatalities, brain damage/coma and severe fractures, still guys keep at it despite this sad legacy. Sigh ... there will always be volunteer cannon fodder stepping up for avoidable injury sad to say. Doing proper wx planning, radar, satellite image and forecast analysis can help, look for those large holes. Monitor conditions at the beach even having someone use a PDA or laptop w/aircard at the beach tuned to radar to try to make sure nothing narly moves into your area. Even green colored systems on radar can toss out dangerous gusts at times. Flat kites help gust management quite a bit still too much wind can be just that and if you have a tangle, broken bridal, fail to try to depower, etc. problems can still happen. Last year, the fall came with some stronger useable winds from subtropical systems. In the cases that come to mind there weren't squalls in our area and they didn't arrive with hurricane force winds either, always a very good thing.
4. Have other interests to carry you through the lighter wind months, diving*, standup paddleboarding, wakeboarding, windsurfing, diving! Yes, windsurfing, as long as you aren't struck by lightning, you might consider going out in squally conditions with a windsurfing rig, IF you know what you are doing. You might still break or strain something but it is harder to get severely injured (read taken out!) windsurfing in unstable wx than kiting. Just have something lined up to try to take the edge off of your wind lust. Wind lust can force us into taking some stupid chances speaking from personal and collective experience. We have forums dealing with Standup and diving at:
http://fksa.org/forumdisplay.php?f=90
5. Have your light wind gear ready to hand if the wind turns on suddenly. Say a couple of boards, a big twin tip, surfboard, skimboard or the like. I find it easier to change boards than kites. Find and learn how to tune for variable power a good light wind kite. Since flat kites have been out my largest kites usually have ranged between 12 and 14 m at 190 lbs. Tuning and board size can really make a big difference. Large flat kites perform differently, so if you are thinking about getting a really big one, be sure to demo it first. Be sure to pay attention to your board choice when working the lower end. It will make a big difference in performance.
Be of good heart, the frontal winds typically don't turn off until mid May in many years. There are other activities to do during the summer and there is that good wind destination trip to look forward to. Before you know it those nice clean cold front winds will be back in the fall.
Have a great summer and let us know how it is going out there!