Squamish Spit · Wind Forecast

⚠️2 warnings
⚠️ Warnings & flags
🔴
Wild gust swings so far today (up to 12 kt)
At 12:27, wind dropped to 14 kt then spiked to 26 kt — a 12 kt jump in one moment. Wind is highly variable. Beginners should pick another day.
🟠
Wind veering westerly (WSW 247°) — gustier than usual
Clean Spit kiting is SSW (~210°). The more westerly the wind, the more it's bouncing off the western mountains — gust spread widens fast and conditions can degrade quickly. Hedge to a smaller kite, watch the live sensor for further shift, and beginners should use extra caution.
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● LIVE⟳ Data refreshed Sun may 17, 2026 · 7:10pm · live sensor 3 min ago
GO NOW
Live now
19 kt avg
17–23 kt· WSW
Tide
15.0 ft now
low 0.1 ft at 12:37pm
high 15.9 ft at 8:10pm
TL;DR
🔥 It's pumping — get down there.
Standard — 85 kg (187 lbs): 12m · 65 kg (143 lbs): 10m
🚀 Big air — 85 kg: 14m · 65 kg: 12m (oversize for more loft)
The pattern for today
Slow 2-3 hour build, typical of shoulder-season days — wind rises quietly rather than coming in all at once. So far: peaked at 24 kt avg around 4:28pm · biggest gust jump 12 kt at 12:27pm. Holding 17–17 kt SSW through 7pm — temp around 14°C, cloud building afternoon (2%→69%) — likely caps the thermal so wind eases toward evening. ⚠️ Gusts: nasty (max 12 kt spread today) — see warnings.
🧪 Weather nerds — how we got today's call
Big picture
Pressure easing through the day — change may be coming, but still a normal sea-breeze setup for now.
What makes the wind
Lillooet (inland) heats up while Vancouver (coast) stays cool. That temperature gap pulls cool marine air up the fjord toward the Spit. Bigger gap = stronger pull.
Today: Vancouver 15°C · Lillooet 19°C → +3.6°C gradient now, peaks +4.0°C at 6pm (unknown).
Today's risk
Clouds build through the afternoon (2% at noon → 69% by 6pm). Clouds block the sun — and the sun is what powers our wind. If they come in faster than expected, wind dies earlier.
How we forecast
Wind model + 6 kt (it under-calls the Spit, confirmed across 4 months of past data). Different model for clouds since the local one misses afternoon buildup. Live sensor wins if it disagrees with the forecast.
Today · ·
7am
53%
8am
🌤️
31%
9am
🌤️
16%
10am
☀️
5%
11am
☀️
0%
12pm
☀️
2%
1pm
☀️
9%
2pm
🌤️
19%
3pm
🌤️
32%
4pm
48%
5pm
61%
6pm
🌥️
69%
7pm
🌥️
74%

🛟 Safety Notes — Squamish Spit

The Spit is one of the most consistent summer kite spots in North America — these notes keep your sessions fun and your gear in one piece.
New to the Spit, or new to kiteboarding? Take a lesson at Squamish Watersports →

1. Get oriented

2. Pre-launch checks

3. Today's spot intel

4. On the water

When in doubt, ask. Squamish kiters are a friendly crew — most are happy to talk gear, wind, or where the sandbar is today. Have a great session. 🪁

Sources