4 Risky Weather Scenarios when Kayaking
6-minute read
Because kayaking and other paddling sports are outdoor activities, the weather plays a big role in enjoyment and safety. Let’s look at some risky weather scenarios that can impact your kayaking negatively, and how to prepare for them.

High wind and big waves are challenges for kayakers (photo courtesy of @paddle365)
Blue skies and calm conditions offer endless kayaking enjoyment, especially when combined with moderate temperatures. Kick the wind up a notch, add some clouds, and increase or decrease the temps and you can still have a great time.
But sometimes the weather can not just quell your enthusiasm but add safety risk that makes it wiser to stay off (or get off) the water. At the very least, bad weather requires solid skills, proper gear and healthy respect.
Whether you’re new to kayaking or are a veteran paddler, here are some weather scenarios to think about:
1. High Wind
A light breeze is enjoyable, refreshing and easy for any paddler to handle. Days with light or no wind are ideal for novice kayakers, paddle boarders and canoeists. It’s easy to learn your strokes, easy to steer and a pleasure to be on the water.
Moderate wind of 6-15 mph (miles per hour) creates chop on the water and makes paddling more challenging. While they present no problem for paddlers with experience, beginners will find it less fun and harder to steer and make progress.
High wind (over 15 mph) can be dangerous, particularly on the ocean, large lakes and big rivers. These winds kick up large waves which make steering difficult to impossible, depending on the kayaker’s experience level. These waves also present a very real capsizing risk, as well as difficulty re-entering a capsized boat.
Always check the weather forecast for wind speed and direction before you get on the water. How will it affect your planned route?
Windy.app is a weather app for water and wind sports, like kayaking and paddle boarding. It’s especially helpful for big water paddling but works for any body of water all over the world. It’s available for Android and Apple devices.
2. Storms, Thunder and Lightning
Storms—especially with thunder and lightning—are dangerous for every kayaker, no matter their skill. Stay off the water during a storm or if a storm is predicted. Get off the water if one blows in unexpectedly.
Storms present all kinds of issues: strong wind, big waves, heavy rain (or sleet, depending on the temperature) and potential temperature drops. And storms with thunder and/or lightning can be deadly.
Because water is such a good conductor of electricity, if you hear thunder—no matter how distant—there’s potential of a lightning strike near you. It’s best to just get off the water as soon as you can.

It’s best to stay off the water until thunderstorms have passed by (photo courtesy of Nick Ray)
It’s also important to be in the right place when on shore: away from tall trees, away from metal or carbon objects (like paddles), off of high ground. Look for low ground, a ravine or a clump of trees that are of similar height.
It’s best to wait 30 minutes without hearing thunder to assume it’s safe to get back on the water.
For more detailed information about safety in lightning, see this PDF from the National Weather Service.
3. Fog and Low Visibility
Foggy conditions are risky in a couple of different ways:
- Fog can be very disorienting, even in familiar waters. If you’re on a coastal area of very big water like the Great Lakes or the ocean, it could even mean heading out to sea rather than back to shore—not a scenario you want at all!
- Fog makes it very hard for boaters in larger boats to see you, which also can present danger. Kayaks, paddle boards and canoes are much smaller and slower than motor boats. They sit low on the water and can be hard to see in the best conditions, and next to impossible to see in dense fog.

Foggy conditions can be risky (photo courtesy of @tomzalepjak)
Again, check the forecast and conditions before you head out on the water. Have a compass along if there’s potential for fog, or if you’re kayaking in an area where fog rolls in routinely.
You’ll be much easier to spot by other boaters if your clothing and PFD are brightly colored. Better yet, also use a high-visibility kayak and paddle. These will benefit you even on fair days and could save your life in dense fog. (The same holds true in low light conditions, like dawn and dusk.)
4. Cold Air and Water Temperatures
While extra hot weather can pose a risk for dehydration, heat exhaustion and sunburn, these are fairly easily managed by sunscreen, sun-blocking apparel and plenty of drinking water.
The real temperature risk is cold, especially cold water.
To capsize in cold water puts you at risk of hypothermia, which can be fatal depending on the water temperature, how long you’re in it and how quickly you can get dry and warm.
And while no one plans to capsize (except possibly sea kayakers who are learning or who regularly practice rockhopping and surfing, along with whitewater paddlers), it can happen, and happen without warning. Especially in wind and waves.
The “120 Rule” states that if the air plus water temperatures are under 120 degrees F (49 C), you need to wear a wetsuit or dry suit when you’re on the water. Wetsuits keep a thin layer of water next to your skin that’s warmed by your body heat. Dry suits keep you dry altogether.
If one of your dreams is to kayak on waters like Lake Superior or Norway’s fjords, either invest in the proper cold water gear or go with tour companies that provide it.

Cold temps demand respect when on the water
Ways to Prepare with Safety in Mind
While paddle sports are generally very safe, they stay much safer when you keep these risks top-of-mind. Besides always wearing your PFD (life jacket), here are a few ways you can prepare yourself for emergency situations, weather or otherwise:
- Always check the weather forecast, including winds, before you get on the water.
- Know your own skills and limitations. Don’t go out on water you can’t handle.
- Dress appropriately for the temperatures of the air and water.
- Bring safety gear along like a whistle, waterproof phone case, and even a VHF radio on big water or the ocean.
If you’ll be out all day or for several days, or are kayaking in a remote location, it’s always a good idea to bring an emergency kit along just in case you have to get off the water due to weather.
This can be a dry bag with an extra change of clothes, a First Aid kit, fire starter materials and maybe a Mylar emergency blanket. Also include a few high-calorie snacks and extra water or a good water filter.
Happy and safe paddling!
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or sales@aquabound.com
More for you...