
The gloom of the annoying pandemic has hung over every one of us in the past two years. Emotionally and technically, it is going to be defeated before next summer. A sailing trip seems one of the most rewarding options to relaxing in a covid-free world. Before you plan any sailing trip, it's important to have a basic understanding of the sailing seasons. Luckily it isn't rocket science and if you understand some basic concepts, it gets way easier to understand weather patterns.
The sailing seasons are usually pretty reliable and don't vary a lot. Knowing the averages gives you a rough estimation and guideline for trip planning. But sometimes even these averages are way off base. The start date of the hurricane season differs every year.So it's important to know your stuff and always check the forecasts. Every sailor should be able to determine himself/herself when the best time to go is.
|
Region |
Season |
Hurricane |
|
Mediterranean |
Apr 1 - Oct 30 |
(Aug 1 - Sep 30) |
|
Croatia |
May 1 - Sep 30 |
- |
|
UK |
May 1 - Aug 30 |
- |
|
Baltic |
May 30 - Sep 1 |
- |
|
North Atlantic |
Nov 15 - Feb 30 |
Jun 1 - Nov 30 |
|
Caribbean |
May 1 - Jul 30 & Nov - Feb |
Jul 1 - Nov 30 |
|
British Virgin Islands |
Apr 15 - Jun 30 & Nov - Feb |
Jun 1 - Nov 30 |
|
Florida |
May 1 - Jul 30 |
Jul - Sep |
|
Sea of Cortez |
Jan - Mar |
Aug 1 - Sep 30 |
|
San Francisco Bay |
Sep - Nov |
- |
|
Northeast Pacific |
May - Oct |
Jun - Oct |
|
Northwest Pacific |
May - Oct |
Jul - Dec |
|
South Pacific |
May - Oct |
Nov - Mar |
|
Australia |
May - Oct |
Nov 1 - Apr 30 |
|
New Zealand |
May - Oct |
- |
|
North Indian |
Dec 15 - Feb 28 |
Mar - Nov |
|
South Indian |
Apr 15 - Nov 15 |
Nov 15 - Apr 1 |
|
Thailand |
Nov - Apr |
Jun - Oct |
The Mediterranean
The Mediterranean doesn't really have a storm season, although the weather is most unsettled in late summer when the water and land temperature is highest and the air temperatures drop. This causes unsettled weather.
Croatia
Croatia's sailing season can be limited by the Bora, a North Eastern wind gust coming in from Russia, which can reach hurricane strength. It is strongest in winter. The Bora is a katabatic wind, which means it's a high-pressure wind that comes crashing into the Adriatic Sea through the force of gravity.
United Kingdom
The UK doesn't really have a sailing season, but the racing season runs from Spring - Autumn. But you can sail the coast throughout the year.
Baltic Sea
The Baltic has a short sailing season of 3 months, with extra long days and smooth water. The water, however, is very cold, especially in the first month (June) of the season.
North Atlantic Ocean
The North Atlantic has an active hurricane season running from June to December, with its peak around September. Around January, trade winds are at their best.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is said to have two seasons: April and November. These are the dryest and hottest months. The peak season is however around Christmas.
British Virgin Islands
The calmest period weather-wise is around the winter. The temperatures are moderate, and the winds are moderate. But it will probably rain a little every day - although it's rare to get a full day of rain. This is also peak time, so it's the most crowded and expensive period. Early summer is also a great period since it's a little less crowded and expensive. Temperatures are hot, with light air (less wind than in winter).
Florida
Thunderstorms with heavy winds in the hurricane season. In the summer, nice, moderate winds (5 - 10 knots) with hot and humid weather. A lot of (very big) mosquitoes on the eastern shore locations.
Sea of Cortez
The Sea of Cortez sailing season is roughly from November till April, but the peak season is from January to March. Summer, from July - September, is very warm in this area, resulting in storm season at the end of summer.
San Francisco Bay
The sailing weather for the San Francisco Bay area is best around autumn. The weather is clean, with light, predictable winds. Spring is also nice, with good temperatures and visibility. The summer can provide choppy waters, with bad visibility. Fog clouds spread over the bay area, and the winds get unpredictable. There isn't a real storm season here, but there can be an occasional thunderstorm.
Northeast Pacific
The Northeast Pacific is the stretch of ocean between Mexico and Hawaii. One of the most active areas in the hurricane season worldwide. Avoid between June - October.
Northwest Pacific
The waters surrounding Guam are more likely to be hit by storms from July - December. The Northwest Pacific has a lot of tropical storms, so avoid these waters in the hurricane season.
South Pacific
Best time to sail in the South Pacific is from May - October when there are little storms and the weather is settled.
French Polynesia
Full cyclones rarely hit the islands of French Polynesia. The South Pacific doesn't have many strong cyclones.
Australia
The waters North of Australia are prone to cyclones in the season (November - March), from 12 - 25 degrees. There aren't many cyclones outside this area, and if there are, they are almost always well predicted. The waters South of Australia are almost entirely cyclone-free.
New Zealand
Practically hurricane-free.
North Indian Ocean
This ocean doesn't have an official cyclone season, but most storms do form between May and November. The best sailing time is during the North East monsoon when the weather is cooler and settled, and the winds are lighter and more predictable.
South Indian Ocean
The most cyclones in the South Indian Ocean usually occur between December - March, but this region is notorious for cyclones outside the season.
Thailand
Thailand has two seasons and no real hurricane season: the dry season (North East monsoon), which runs from May - September, and the wet season (South West monsoon), which runs from October - April. In the dry season, winds are usually stable, come from the Northeast and blow at force 2 - 4. The weather is dry and hot, with an average temperature of 30° C or 85° F. During the South West monsoon, the winds are a bit stronger (roughly 7-8 knots), making for more challenging sailing. Although Thailand doesn't have an official hurricane season, the change of storms increases in the monsoon season (South West monsoon).
You can absolutely sail outside the season, but taking the hurricane season into account will make your sailing experience just generally better. Everything gets easier. You are much less likely to encounter critical situations. Planning your trip according to the seasons will make your trip safer and more comfortable.
So it is recommend not sailing outside the season, unless you know what you're doing - and are experienced as a sailor and in weather forecasting.





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