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Gulf Shores Beach kitesurf, wingfoil and windsurf spot

United States · Alabama

Spot currently openIntermediate levelAltitude 2 m 30.25 | -87.69

Overview

Gulf Shores Beach is Alabama's premier beach destination, located on the Gulf of Mexico coast. It's Alabama's number one tourist destination with white sand and turquoise Gulf waters. The beach faces south and receives Gulf swells. The spot is popular for kitesurfing, surfing and water sports. Gulf Shores is a lively tourist town with hotels, restaurants, and the adjacent Gulf State Park. Kitesurfing is practiced mainly outside of regulated swimming zones. Wind conditions come primarily from the south and southeast.

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Spot forecast for Gulf Shores Beach

Sunrise 06:56 · Sunset 18:14

Open-Meteo

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< 7 kn7–12 kn13–20 kn21–30 kn31–40 kn41+ kn Gusts Your minimum: 7 kn

Forecasts provided by Open-Meteo

Swell and waves

Swell and tides over 8 days. Premium members see the swell and tides over 8 days. Without a subscription: 5 days.

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Wave height: < 0.5 m 0.5–1 m 1–2 m 2–3 m ≥ 3 m

Swell data by Open-Meteo Marine

Tides

Heights above lowest astronomical tide, in the spot's local time. Computed 0.4 km from the spot.

6:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:006:0012:0018:00Tue 20Wed 21Thu 22Fri 23Sat 24 Now02:570.6 m03:500.6 m04:510.6 m14:470.3 m06:170.5 m13:450.3 m22:210.4 m00:510.4 m07:280.5 m13:580.4 m20:090.5 m02:090.4 m08:430.5 m14:110.4 m20:110.5 m03:140.3 m12:520.5 m14:080.5 m20:120.6 m
  • Tuesday 20 October High tide · 0.6 m Low tide · 0.6 m High tide · 0.6 m Low tide · 0.3 m
  • Wednesday 21 October High tide · 0.5 m Low tide · 0.3 m High tide · 0.4 m
  • Thursday 22 October Low tide · 0.4 m High tide · 0.5 m Low tide · 0.4 m High tide · 0.5 m
  • Friday 23 October Low tide · 0.4 m High tide · 0.5 m Low tide · 0.4 m High tide · 0.5 m
  • Saturday 24 October Low tide · 0.3 m High tide · 0.5 m Low tide · 0.5 m High tide · 0.6 m

Gulf Shores Beach: when to go?

Rideable days and hours computed for a minimum wind of 7 knots · log in to set your own (foil, twin-tip…)

Season · peak

282h

in May · 29 rideable days

The season runs from March to July, peaking in May: 25 rideable days a month and 282 hours of usable wind, at 27 °C. The low point is December, at 11.5 days.

Rideable days per month

0 10 20 30 January: 13.5 rideable days J February: 13.5 rideable days F March: 20.5 rideable days M April: 27 rideable days A May: 29 rideable days29 d M June: 27.5 rideable days J July: 19 rideable days J August: 17 rideable days A September: 18.5 rideable days S October: 14.5 rideable days O November: 14 rideable days N December: 11.5 rideable days11.5 d D 0 10 20 30 January: 13.5 rideable days J February: 13.5 rideable days F March: 20.5 rideable days M April: 27 rideable days A May: 29 rideable days29 d M June: 27.5 rideable days J July: 19 rideable days J August: 17 rideable days A September: 18.5 rideable days S October: 14.5 rideable days O November: 14 rideable days N December: 11.5 rideable days11.5 d D

Wind strength when it is rideable

7-12 knots · 84%13-20 knots · 15%21-30 knots · 1%

When the spot works, wind sits mostly between 7 and 12 knots — 84% of rideable hours. Big-kite territory. The coldest month is January, at 14 °C. The wettest month is July, with 435 mm.

Monthly averages: Gulf Shores Beach
Monthly averages — Gulf Shores Beach — averaged over 2 years of records — Weather data by Open-Meteo.com — How it is calculated
Month Rideable days Usable wind Temperature Rain
January 13.5 115 h 14 °C 112 mm
February 13.5 110 h 18 °C 102 mm
March 20.5 184 h 21 °C 150 mm
April 27.0 272 h 24 °C 147 mm
May 29.0 282 h 28 °C 116 mm
June 27.5 229 h 30 °C 173 mm
July 19.0 135 h 31 °C 435 mm
August 17.0 109 h 31 °C 207 mm
September 18.5 123 h 29 °C 195 mm
October 14.5 113 h 26 °C 221 mm
November 14.0 116 h 22 °C 48 mm
December 11.5 80 h 17 °C 113 mm

Photo gallery of Gulf Shores Beach

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Technical details of Gulf Shores Beach spot

N: Not rideable NNE: Not rideable NE: Not rideable ENE: Rideable E: Rideable ESE: Rideable SE: Rideable SSE: Rideable S: Rideable SSW: Rideable SW: Rideable WSW: Rideable W: Rideable WNW: Not rideable NW: Not rideable NNW: Not rideable N E S W

The spot works with winds from ENE, E, ESE, SE, SSE, S, SSW, SW, WSW, W.

Rideable Not rideable
Spot opening date · Required level
Spot opening date
Open all year round
Required level
Intermediate
On the water

Small Gulf of Mexico waves — generally less powerful than Atlantic swells. Light to moderate shore break. Sandy bottom (white quartz sand). Best conditions are in SE to SW side-shore to onshore winds. In calm weather, water can be very flat. Winter cold fronts bring strong north winds but offshore. Water is very warm in summer (82-86°F).

Hazards

Very busy swimming zone in summer — strictly respect regulated kite zones. Rip currents possible. Stingrays frequent — do the stingray shuffle. Jellyfish (including occasional Portuguese man-of-war). Bull sharks and hammerheads present in Gulf waters. Violent afternoon thunderstorms frequent in summer with lightning. Hurricanes possible June through November — monitor forecasts.

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Jack Edwards Airport5.1 kmsource noaa

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Additional stations

  • GW2193 GULF SHORES2.8 km

    Readings reserved for Premium members

    source noaa

  • BONSECOUR11.8 km

    Readings reserved for Premium members

    source noaa

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Nearby spots

All spots: Alabama

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