Nearby Port Aransas South Jetty 28 km · Packery Channel 30 km · North Packery Channel Beach 31 km · straight-line distance
When it fills in
The thermal builds through the day and is usually at its strongest around 3 p.m. in the peak season, which is why first lessons here get booked in the morning. From April to June it can blow from sunrise to sunset instead.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
mixed
fills in: The thermal builds through the day and is usually at its strongest around 3 p.m. in the peak season, which is why first lessons here get booked in the morning. From April to June it can blow from sunrise to sunset instead.
Typical strength
About 13-17 kt in the afternoon thermal. As a regional figure with no measurement at the launch, the Corpus Christi area averages roughly 11 kt from the east-southeast over the year, with April the strongest month at a little over 12 kt average and gusts regularly past 35 kt. Winter fronts bring the north wind and can be harder.
Thermal or synoptic
thermal sea breeze plus frontal winds
Also on record
About 11 kt annual average from the east-southeast for the Corpus Christi region, not for the launch itself.
The quiver, in words
Indicative, worked from the local wind range rather than a gear survey. In the 13-17 kt afternoon thermal a 75-85 kg rider is on 12-14 m, and the bigger spring days that push past 20 kt take it to 9-10 m. Foil and wing gear is common here and stretches the light end of the season.Nothing spot-specific is published on sizing.
Direction to shore
South to southeast wind is onshore at Wildcat; reports say the normal thermal wind is onshore here.
Dominant direction
SE in spring and summer; NE or north winds with winter fronts
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan50
- Feb53
- Mar, riders' month60
- Apr, riders' month57
- May, riders' month48
- Jun, riders' month78
- Jul, riders' month73
- Aug, riders' month65
- Sep, riders' month48
- Oct, riders' month56
- Nov57
- Dec37
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.
- 50%Jan16°
- 53%Feb17°
- 60%Mar20°
- 57%Apr23°
- 48%May27°
- 78%Jun30°
- 73%Jul30°
- 65%Aug31°
- 48%Sep30°
- 56%Oct27°
- 57%Nov23°
- 37%Dec19°
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · water °C below · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Water | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50% | 74% | 69% | 14.9 kt | ESE | 12:00 | 14.5°C | 15.8°C | 62 |
| Feb | 53% | 91% | 82% | 15.3 kt | SE | 16:00 | 15.3°C | 16.6°C | 57 |
| Mar | 60% | 92% | 85% | 15.7 kt | SE | 16:00 | 19.5°C | 20.1°C | 62 |
| Apr | 57% | 90% | 83% | 15.9 kt | ESE | 16:00 | 22.9°C | 22.9°C | 60 |
| May | 48% | 92% | 85% | 14.9 kt | ESE | 16:00 | 26.6°C | 26.9°C | 62 |
| Jun | 78% | 97% | 93% | 16.2 kt | SE | 17:00 | 28.9°C | 29.5°C | 60 |
| Jul | 73% | 98% | 97% | 16.3 kt | SE | 18:00 | 29.2°C | 29.8°C | 62 |
| Aug | 65% | 95% | 85% | 15.7 kt | SE | 18:00 | 29.6°C | 30.7°C | 62 |
| Sep | 48% | 92% | 90% | 14.3 kt | SE | 18:00 | 28°C | 30°C | 60 |
| Oct | 56% | 84% | 82% | 14.5 kt | SE | 17:00 | 24.3°C | 27.4°C | 62 |
| Nov | 57% | 85% | 70% | 14.7 kt | SE | 12:00 | 19.2°C | 22.8°C | 60 |
| Dec | 37% | 79% | 66% | 13.6 kt | ESE | 14:00 | 16.9°C | 18.8°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
bay
Standing depth
Inches deep near shore, and it can stay that way for 100-300 m before it drops off.
Tides
Small tidal range on this bay, about 0.58 ft mean at the USS Lexington Corpus Christi Bay station. High tide is the better window.
Temperature
29°C summer · 17°C winter
Wetsuit
Shorts and a rashguard in summer. Early spring wants a full suit or a 3/2 shorty; local water-temperature guidance runs from 16 C in March to 27 C in May.
Currents
Current is possible. Nothing spot-specific is documented.
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
3 schools name this spot
On your own
Room to launch: Plenty of grass to rig on, but the launch is on a slope and the walk to the water goes around obstacles, fencing, rocks and other kites.
Somewhere else
Port Aransas South Jetty, 28 km
Every spot within 40 km is on the map at the top of this page, with its distance under it.
Rescue
Launch
Grassy public park launch at Violet Andrews Park off Wildcat Drive, with a narrow strip of sand and Corpus Christi Bay straight in front.
Space
Plenty of grass to rig on, but the launch is on a slope and the walk to the water goes around obstacles, fencing, rocks and other kites.
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Give yourself margin on onshore south and southeast days: the downwind room is short and the walk to the water is full of obstacles.
- Wear booties at the entry. There are rocks, mussels and oyster shell.
- Get to 305 Wildcat Drive early on strong spring and summer days, because the parking fills quickly.
- Aim for high tide. The mean range is only about 0.58 ft, so the difference is small but the inside shallows matter.
Getting there
Airport
Corpus Christi International Airport
Route
US 181 to Portland, then to the Wildcat Drive side of Violet Andrews Park at 305 Wildcat Drive. It is a short walk from the parking to the rigging area, and you want a car.
Transfer
20 min
Staying
Portland and Corpus Christi lodging; the Best Western North Shore Inn is about 2 miles from Wildcat.
No-wind days
Violet Andrews Park has birding, picnic shelters and trails. Portland also markets fishing, boating, sailing, swimming and nearby golf.
FAQ
Is Wildcat Park suitable for beginners?
A 2026 local school launch guide rates it intermediate to advanced because the launch sits on a slope with obstacles, fencing, rocks and onshore south wind, despite sources also listing beginner through expert use.
When is the best time to kitesurf at Wildcat Park?
March through October is the main season, with consistent south wind building from April and improving through May and early summer before fading in late July.
What is the wind like at Wildcat Park?
Wind is a mix of thermal sea breeze and frontal systems, dominant from the southeast in spring and summer and around 13-17 knots on afternoon thermal days.
What are the main hazards at Wildcat Park?
Hazards include oyster shells close to shore, a sloped launch with obstacles and fencing, and onshore southeast wind that leaves limited downwind margin.
Are there kite schools near Wildcat Park?
Kiteboarding North Padre Island, Kite & Wing Academy and 361 Kite are listed as nearby schools.
Last updated: August 2026