Weather & Boating Seasons

Obviously, you don’t want to get stuck in a storm or plan your boat day during rainy, cold weather. Check your local weather forecast a few days out, and keep tabs on the radar to make sure you’re renting on a day where it’s safe to go out.
But even with that basic preparation, you can still be caught off guard on the water, so it’s good to prepare ahead of time in case conditions change.
What if the weather takes a turn?
One of the first tricks a boater should learn is how to read clouds, since their shape, speed, and position in the sky are all hints as to what the weather will be doing in the near future — and with that knowledge, you can plan and react accordingly. Below are a few basics; for more, check out our full guide on how to predict the weather at sea.
And if there’s a risk you’ll get stuck in bad weather, check out this guide for buying foul-weather gear that will keep you protected.