Nearby Cypress Point Park 11 km · Lassing Park 14 km · Skyway Beach 23 km · Pass-a-Grille Beach 25 km · Fort Desoto Park 31 km · Dunedin Causeway 33 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
Winter days follow the front. A southerly ahead of a front works from late morning through mid-afternoon. After the front, NE holds through the early morning until around 10-11am, then NW fills in and is at its best mid-afternoon. Tampa Bay timing rather than a measurement at the island.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: Winter days follow the front. A southerly ahead of a front works from late morning through mid-afternoon. After the front, NE holds through the early morning until around 10-11am, then NW fills in and is at its best mid-afternoon. Tampa Bay timing rather than a measurement at the island.
Typical strength
Around 15 kt on an ordinary winter frontal day, and 15-20 kt on the southerly that comes ahead of a front, which is routinely under-forecast. Tampa Bay area figures; no measurement exists for Picnic Island.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal and frontal
The quiver, in words
The winter band is 9-12 m. A 75-85 kg rider takes a 12 m for the standard 15 kt frontal day and 9-10 m when a pre-front southerly runs into the high teens. Chop here makes the bigger kite less pleasant than the same size on the flats.Regional figures, not measured at the island.
Direction to shore
SW is the smoothest, straight across the bay. W and NW work but arrive after crossing land. NW at the southern tip drifts riders toward the Air Force base, which makes it expert-only.
Dominant direction
SW, W, NW
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan, riders' month61
- Feb, riders' month61
- Mar, riders' month73
- Apr, riders' month76
- May74
- Jun50
- Jul24
- Aug35
- Sep32
- Oct46
- Nov, riders' month59
- Dec, riders' month43
per cent of the month at force 4 or more
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Nov, Dec.
- 13Jan17°
- 12Feb19°
- 13Mar23°
- 14Apr25°
- 12May28°
- 11Jun30°
- 10Jul32°
- 11Aug32°
- 11Sep31°
- 12Oct26°
- 12Nov23°
- 12Dec19°
avg knots per month · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Force 4+ | Knots | From | Air | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61% | 12.6 kt | S | 16.2°C | 17.1°C |
| Feb | 61% | 12.2 kt | NNE | 18.2°C | 19.1°C |
| Mar | 73% | 13.3 kt | SSW | 21.3°C | 23.2°C |
| Apr | 76% | 13.7 kt | E | 23.3°C | 25°C |
| May | 74% | 12.2 kt | W | 26.2°C | 28.2°C |
| Jun | 50% | 11.4 kt | ENE | 27.4°C | 30.2°C |
| Jul | 24% | 9.7 kt | ESE | 28.8°C | 32.1°C |
| Aug | 35% | 10.9 kt | E | 28.6°C | 31.7°C |
| Sep | 32% | 11.2 kt | ENE | 26.8°C | 30.6°C |
| Oct | 46% | 12.4 kt | NE | 23.7°C | 26.4°C |
| Nov | 59% | 11.9 kt | NE | 21.4°C | 23.3°C |
| Dec | 43% | 11.5 kt | NE | 17.4°C | 19.2°C |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from weather reanalysis on a 10–25 km grid (2022-2024), not a ground station: reliable for trade and synoptic winds, understates thermal sea breezes and valley winds. 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.
ERA5 reanalysis grid point (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical weather API — ECMWF ERA5/ERA5-Land reanalysis, not a ground station · 2022-2024
The water
Type
bay
Standing depth
Shallow right at the shore, then deeper than most of the Tampa Bay beginner flats. That depth is why it is not a beginner spot.
Tides
No tide range specific to Picnic Island was found; water level, current, temperature and salinity for Tampa Bay come from a bay-wide model rather than a local gauge.
Temperature
30°C summer · 19°C winter
Wetsuit
Usually rashguard or no wetsuit in summer; a spring suit or 3/2 may be useful on colder winter frontal days.
Currents
Tampa Bay currents are modelled bay-wide. No current strength specific to Picnic Island was found.
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
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Setup is easy with plenty of room. Check the grass for sand spurs first and keep shoes on.
Somewhere else
Cypress Point Park, 11 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Public City of Tampa park shoreline with beach, dog beach, boat ramp, pier, nearby restrooms, parking and open areas used for setup.
Space
Setup is easy with plenty of room. Check the grass for sand spurs first and keep shoes on.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Wear booties or shoes on the walk down: shells on the beach, sand spurs in the grass.
- Check the grass where you lay your lines out before you pump.
- Treat NW at the southern tip as expert-only; the drift takes you toward the Air Force base.
- Take SW when you can get it. It crosses the bay and comes in smoothest.
- Give the boat channel north of the island a wide berth.
- For a Tampa winter front, about 12 m at 160 lb and 9 m at 120 lb is the regional starting point.
- Deep water and nobody watching: rehearse the self-rescue before you need it, and tell someone on the beach you are going out.
- Time it for mid-afternoon after a front. The morning NE dies around 10-11am and the NW comes in behind it.
- The boat ramp runs 24 hours but the park gates follow sunrise to sunset.
Getting there
Airport
Tampa International Airport
Route
Drive to 7409 Picnic Island Blvd in South Tampa. Parking is inside the park.
Staying
Tampa city accommodation covers it; nothing specific to the spot has been sourced.
No-wind days
City park amenities include beach, dog beach, fishing pier, boat ramp, playground, disc golf and sand volleyball.
FAQ
When is the best time to kite Picnic Island Park?
November through April, driven by winter cold fronts.
Is it suitable for beginners?
No. Local guidance says the deeper, choppier water suits intermediate and advanced riders, and beginners should use shallower Tampa Bay flats instead.
What is the wind like?
SW, W and NW work, with SW described as the smoothest; NW at the southern tip is expert-only because it can drift riders toward MacDill Air Force Base.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
As of 2026, park hours run sunrise to sunset with a 24-hour boat ramp, and riders must avoid the restricted area near MacDill Air Force Base.
Last updated: August 2026