Lake St. Clair Metropark has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
There is no daily clock to plan around. The useful wind is frontal, so it turns up when the system does, at any hour, and can hold for a day or more; spring and autumn deliver that 1-4 times a week, summer 1-2 times.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
synoptic
fills in: There is no daily clock to plan around. The useful wind is frontal, so it turns up when the system does, at any hour, and can hold for a day or more; spring and autumn deliver that 1-4 times a week, summer 1-2 times.
Typical strength
10-15 knots in summer; 15-25 knots in spring and fall
Thermal or synoptic
frontal
The quiver, in words
Indicative, no local measurement and no rider survey. Spring and autumn frontal days at 15-25 knots put a 75-85 kg rider on 8-10 m; the 10-15 knot summer days want 12-14 m or a foil. West and southwest come through gusty here, which is an argument for sizing down rather than up.
Direction to shore
South is onshore. The exact shore angle for the other directions is unconfirmed.
Dominant direction
SE, SSE, S
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan34
- Feb46
- Mar, riders' month44
- Apr, riders' month55
- May, riders' month37
- Jun37
- Jul24
- Aug45
- Sep, riders' month30
- Oct, riders' month40
- Nov, riders' month53
- Dec29
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov.
- 34%Jan
- 46%Feb
- 44%Mar
- 55%Apr
- 37%May
- 37%Jun
- 24%Jul
- 45%Aug
- 30%Sep
- 40%Oct
- 53%Nov
- 29%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34% | 60% | 50% | 12.8 kt | SW | 11:00 | -2.4°C | 62 |
| Feb | 46% | 65% | 63% | 13.3 kt | S | 15:00 | -0.7°C | 57 |
| Mar | 44% | 79% | 71% | 14 kt | SE | 14:00 | 3.1°C | 62 |
| Apr | 55% | 82% | 72% | 15.3 kt | ESE | 14:00 | 8.6°C | 60 |
| May | 37% | 77% | 63% | 13.8 kt | SE | 15:00 | 15.4°C | 62 |
| Jun | 37% | 78% | 72% | 14 kt | SSE | 14:00 | 20.4°C | 60 |
| Jul | 24% | 71% | 60% | 13.3 kt | SE | 15:00 | 22.7°C | 62 |
| Aug | 45% | 81% | 73% | 13.9 kt | SSE | 16:00 | 21.7°C | 62 |
| Sep | 30% | 57% | 47% | 11.6 kt | ESE | 14:00 | 19.2°C | 60 |
| Oct | 40% | 77% | 63% | 13.4 kt | S | 14:00 | 12.3°C | 62 |
| Nov | 53% | 78% | 70% | 14 kt | NNW | 11:00 | 6.4°C | 60 |
| Dec | 29% | 52% | 40% | 12.2 kt | WNW | 10:00 | 1.4°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
lake
Standing depth
The bowl has shallow water for advancing riders, and water stays shallow for about 1/2 mile on the west side of the launch area.
Tides
Tide independent.
Temperature
26°C summer · 1°C winter
Wetsuit
Air and water temperatures swing hard here. Summer is the only stretch where you might skip a wetsuit; winter needs thick rubber.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
No school names this spot
Nobody has been recorded teaching or running a boat here.
On your own
Room to launch: small
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Launch and land at the Daysail area: a very small grassy launch with trees, cars and chunks of concrete close by. Personal watercraft, windsurfers and sailboards enter at the Daysail launches near the golf course.
Space
small
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Rig and launch at Daysail; the swimming beach is off limits for launching and landing.
- On south wind, walk well out from shore before you ride: it is onshore and it will not forgive a slow water start.
- On west wind ask a local for a water launch, because the trees kill the grass launch.
- Sort the park pass first: $10 daily vehicle or boat pass (2026), or an annual.
- Treat ships and jet skis as live traffic, not scenery.
Getting there
Airport
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)
Route
I-696 east, then I-94 east, exit at Metropolitan Parkway / 16 Mile Road and carry on into the park, then follow the signs toward the jet ski ramp and the Daysail area.
Transfer
53 min
Cost level
medium
Staying
Base in Detroit, Mount Clemens, Harrison Township or the wider Macomb County. No lodging inside the kite launch is listed.
No-wind days
Lake St. Clair Metropark beach · pool and spray ground · biking and hiking trails · marina and boating · fishing · nature center · golf and adventure golf · winter ice fishing and skating
Photos
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Lake St. Clair Metropark?
Spring (March-May) and fall (September-November) bring the strongest frontal wind, typically 15-25 knots, while summer is lighter at around 10-15 knots.
Is this spot suitable for beginners?
No, rider ability is listed as intermediate and expert; it's explicitly described as not a beginner beach.
What is the wind like?
Wind is frontal, with south and southeast reported as the steadiest directions; west and southwest can be gusty because trees block the small grassy launch.
Are there rules or fees?
As of 2026, a $10 daily vehicle or boat pass (or annual passes) is required, and launching or landing directly on the swimming beach is not allowed.
What hazards should riders know about?
Ships, jet skis, trees, cars and concrete close to the small Daysail launch are the main hazards, along with gusty west and southwest wind.
Last updated: August 2026