What is wind speed?
Wind speed is how fast the air is moving past you, usually measured in miles per hour, kilometres per hour or knots. For kites, the ideal is roughly 8–25 mph (13–40 km/h).
WindWind speed for kites, in one table
- Under 5 mph — Dead calm. Most kites won't lift.
- 5–8 mph — Marginal. Only big, light single-line kites.
- 8–25 mph — Ideal for most kites. Strong, steady lift.
- 25–35 mph — Strong. Small kites or experienced flyers only.
- 35+ mph — Stay home. Lines snap, frames bend.
See the full breakdown in our best wind speed for kites guide.
Units: mph, km/h, knots
Weather sites mix units depending on the country and the sport. Knots are common on the coast and for kitesurfing; mph dominates inland; km/h in most of Europe. Our site reports mph throughout, and every statistics page gives you the month-by-month average for each city.
Related terms
KnotsA knot is a nautical unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour (1.15 mph). Coastal and kitesurfing wind forecasts often use knots.Beaufort scaleThe Beaufort scale estimates wind speed from visible effects on land or sea, from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane). Kites fly best around Beaufort 3–5.Wind gustA wind gust is a sudden, short-lived jump in wind speed above the sustained average. Gusts are what snap kite lines and launch kites into trees.