Squamish Spit · Wind Forecast
SWS Spit cam is offline right now
their stream is intermittent — the municipal cams below are live
Stawamus Chief · sky over the launch
Garibaldi · sky + flags (wind cue)
Valley view · highway corridor
📊 Season Norms — what's typical here
Jul: how the day usually builds
Typically fills around 10am, peaks near 20 kt at 2pm, and fades after 8pm. Green = typically rideable (12kt+).
| 9am | 10am | 11am | 12pm | 1pm | 2pm | 3pm | 4pm | 5pm | 6pm | 7pm | 8pm |
| 10 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 13 |
Reading the day
- Reliable window: the thermal is properly on (right direction + rideable) 70–93% of days from 11am to 7pm. Mornings are a gamble — only ~34% on by 9am.
- Pam Rocks tell: when the Pam Rocks station (out in the sound) reads 8–12 kt from the SSE, the Spit fills to rideable 90% of the time — your best early heads-up. Strong Pam from the west is the head-fake that often doesn't reach us.
- Gust spread: a typical day gusts about 21% over the average; west-wind days run wider (~36% over) and feel gnarlier. The forecast's gust call uses these.
🛟 Safety Notes — Squamish Spit
1. Get oriented
- First time at the Spit? Say hi to the SWS attendants. They know today's launch surface, the tide pattern, and any local quirks better than anyone. Five minutes of chat gets you a way smoother first session.
- Practice self-rescue before you need it. If you can't pack down your kite in the water and swim it to shore unassisted, grab a few more lessons before riding here alone. Future-you will thank present-you.
2. Pre-launch checks
- Gear check before you pump. Lines even length, no knots or frays · bar within reach with the right depower for today's wind · quick-release tested · leash hooked correctly · helmet and impact vest on for the bigger days. Two minutes here beats a session-ender.
- Dress for cold water. Howe Sound stays around 10–12°C even in summer. Drysuit October to May, full springsuit minimum June to September. Cozier = safer = more fun on the water.
- Check the live sensor + warnings badge before you launch, not just the forecast. Conditions can shift fast — the badge above flashes when gusts spike, wind veers westerly, or rain rolls in.
3. Today's spot intel
- Tidal launch surface. Spit Island is rock and gravel. On low tides a sandbar emerges around it and becomes the working area; on higher tides you launch from the Spit itself. Check the tide chart above so you know what you're stepping onto.
- Drift direction during inflow. Standard southwesterly sessions push you downwind toward the Squamish estuary (Bozo Beach) or Nexen Beach. Get stranded there and you're separated from your shuttle and the rest of your gear at the Spit. Don't launch if you can't ride upwind reliably, and have a self-rescue plan in your head before you hook in.
- End-of-day wind shifts — head back early. When inflow starts dying off late afternoon or the direction goes shifty, that's usually the signal the wind is about to drop and flip back to outflow (north wind). Get back to the Spit ASAP. If outflow kicks in while you're still downwind at Bozo Beach or Nexen, you're stuck there — and your shuttle and gear are back at the Spit.
4. On the water
- Right of way + designated kiting zones. Stay in the SWS-marked kiting area and follow the posted rules — starboard tack has right of way, upwind kiter goes higher, downwind kiter goes lower, jumping kiter calls it loud. The ferry channel boundary is real; SWS marks where the safe zone ends, respect it. Cargo ships and BC Ferries don't stop for kites.
FAQ
When is kite season at the Squamish Spit?
Roughly May through September. The best months are June, July, and August, when the Vancouver to Lillooet thermal gradient is strongest and drives consistent afternoon inflow up Howe Sound.
What kite size should I use?
Most riders at the Spit carry a 2-kite quiver with about a 3 m gap. That covers around 80% of conditions without needing a third kite.
Typical pairings:
- 75–85 kg rider: 9 m + 12 m. 12 m on light days (~12–18 kt), 9 m when it builds (~18–25 kt).
- 55–65 kg rider: 7 m + 10 m, or 8 m + 10 m. Same logic, just sized down.
Single-kite reference (80 kg starting point):
- 10–14 kt → 12–14 m
- 14–18 kt → 10–12 m
- 18–22 kt → 9–10 m
- 22–28 kt → 7–8 m
- 28+ kt → 5–6 m
Adjust roughly +1 m per 10 kg under 80 kg, and −1 m per 10 kg over. Always cross-check the live sensor at the Spit before launching — forecast wind can over- or under-call by a couple knots.
Where do I park and launch?
Park at the north side of the sp'akw'us feather parking area (formerly Nexen Beach) in Squamish. The SWS shuttle pickup is at the corner of Galbraith Ave — a short walk from the lot.
The Spit is launched by shuttle boat only — there's no walk-in beach launch. The boat runs trips out to the island during scheduled windows (roughly 5-minute crossing). Wear your wetsuit before boarding — the boat sometimes drops riders in shallow water.
Shuttle cutoffs:
- Last shuttle to the island: 5:30 PM
- Last shuttle back: 7:30 PM
- No shuttle on windless days
Full details + member info: SWS shuttle & parking page.
Is the Spit safe for beginner kiteboarders?
Side-shore wind from the south makes the Spit one of the friendlier launches in BC, but the water is cold even in summer, tidal currents can run strong, and gusty pure-west days are not for new riders. Lessons through Squamish Watersports are recommended before riding independently.
What does a “GO” verdict mean?
GO = at least two hours of sustained south-southwest to west-southwest wind (135°–265°) at a calibrated 13 kt or more. That's the threshold where an average twin-tip rider with a big kite and decent upwind skills gets a real session.
MARGINAL = at least two hours sustained at 9–13 kt. Foil-friendly, but twin-tippers need a big kite plus clean upwind to make it work.
SKIP = under 9 kt sustained — not worth the drive for anyone.
Pure westerly wind (266°–270°) is excluded from both verdicts because of gusty off-axis flow.
Why not use Windy or Windfinder?
Those tools default to GFS-based global models that don't resolve thermal-driven wind in Howe Sound. This dashboard uses HRDPS 1km — Environment Canada's high-resolution Canadian model — calibrated against live SWS sensor data, plus EC marine forecasts and ECMWF cloud cover.
How is the forecast built?
It blends Environment Canada's 1km HRDPS wind model — calibrated against the live Spit anemometer — with ECMWF cloud and rain, DFO tide data, and live observations from Pam Rocks. Refreshed every 5 minutes.
🔗 Helpful Links
🪁 About Spitwind.ca
Built for kiteboarders and wingers — whether you're driving up from Vancouver or live right in Squamish. The Spit is a 45-minute drive from the city, and even locals want to know when to head down without wasting half a day. Either way, a bad call costs you a session.
Most weather apps weren't built for this place. The Spit gets its wind from a tug-of-war between the hot interior and the cool coast — air gets pulled up Howe Sound as the day warms up. The big global forecast tools don't catch this, so they're often way off on a Spit day.
This site uses real Canadian weather data tuned to the Spit, learns from the live sensor on the launch, and gives you one clear answer: is today worth the drive, or not?
You'll also find everything else you'd normally check — wind through the day, when it'll pick up, tide times, rain chance — all in one place so you can stop bouncing between five tabs. Check the Links tab for SWS, lessons, and official forecasts.
Free, no logins, no ads. Built by Marc, a local kiter, for the community. Updated every 5 minutes.