Windy
Reading the weather models. Raw model data for every sport — no judgement, no per-ability score.
BEST KAYAK FORECAST APP
The best kayakingforecast app?
Windy, Windguru are all good at what they do. Here's a fair look at where each wins for kayaking — and where a per-ability, physics-grounded score fits.
Sea kayakers read Windy for wind and tide tables for the stream, then judge it themselves. 4Shor does the judging: it scores each spot on wind, swell and workable tide, per ability, so you can see where today’s paddle is genuinely calm and safe rather than piecing it together from raw data.
Best kayaking forecast apps compared
 | Windy | Windguru | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Sea kayakers judging wind, swell & tide | Reading the weather models | Wind sports — quick tables |
| Per-ability kayaking score | Yes — 0–100, beginner → expert | No | No |
| Multi-sport scoring | Yes — 10 sports on one scale | No | No |
| Forecast approach | Own high-res Europe seabed map + ECMWF / national NWP | Multi-model (ECMWF/GFS/ICON) maps | GFS/ICON/AROME wind tables |
| Nearshore wave physics | Yes — modelled per spot | No — open-ocean data | No — open-ocean data |
| Tide-aware scoring | Yes — factored into the score | Yes (currents) | Tide table |
| Live wind stations | No — modelled, not sensor | Some observations | Windguru STATIONS |
| Live cams | No | Community webcams | No |
| Condition alerts | Yes — per sport & ability | Yes (alerts) | Yes (Pro) |
| Forecast horizon | 8-day (in the app) | Up to ~10-day (multi-model) | Up to ~10-day tables |
| Coverage | Europe — 2,500+ spots | Global | Global spots |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web |
| Free tier | Today free on web; 3-day forecast free in the app | Generous free; paid Premium | Generous free; paid Pro |
Competitor features change — check each app for its current offering. Comparison reflects our reading as of 2026.
Reading the table
Every tool here is genuinely useful — they're built for different jobs. Windy is reading the weather models; Windguru is wind sports — quick tables.
What only 4Shor does for kayaking: model how conditions actually behave at each spot on its own high-resolution European seabed map, then score that per sport and per ability. The 0–100 score is the output of real nearshore physics, which is why it can be read as a decision rather than a rating. See the full method, the kayaking forecast across Europe, or the full app comparison.
THE FIELD
When each tool wins — and where it stops
Every app here earns its place for kayaking. Here's the honest read on what each is best at, and the gap a per-ability, physics-grounded score fills.
When it wins When it wins Windguru
Wind sports — quick tables. Fast wind numbers — you convert them to a decision for your level.
WHAT MATTERS
What to look for in a kayaking forecast
The tools above hand you accurate numbers. The harder question is what separates a forecast you can act on from a table you have to interpret. For kayaking, these are the things that actually decide the session:
- A decision, not just data. Wind speed, swell height and tide are inputs. What you want out is whether today is worth the drive — a single read, not four numbers to weigh in your head.
- Your ability, factored in. The same conditions are a green light for one rider and a write-off for another. A kayakingforecast that ignores level is only half the answer.
- The spot's own seabed. How swell and wind behave in the last few hundred metres to shore — refraction, shoaling, shelter — changes everything. Open-ocean data misses it; nearshore modelling doesn't.
- Tide at this spot. Many places only work on a certain state or a push. A forecast that folds tide into the call beats one that leaves you cross-referencing a separate table.
- Enough warning. A good window is worth planning around, so horizon and alerts matter — you want to hear about the day before it arrives, not discover it that morning.
That's the frame 4Shor is built on: it turns the same modelled conditions into one 0–100 kayaking score per ability, from the seabed up. See the full method or the kayaking conditions guide for the ideal-conditions breakdown.
FAQ
Kayaking forecast app — common questions
What's the best kayaking forecast app?
Sea kayakers read Windy for wind and tide tables for the stream, then judge it themselves. 4Shor does the judging: it scores each spot on wind, swell and workable tide, per ability, so you can see where today’s paddle is genuinely calm and safe rather than piecing it together from raw data.
Is 4Shor a good alternative to Windy for kayaking?
Windy is strong for reading the weather models. 4Shor's edge for kayaking is the per-ability 0–100 score built from nearshore wave physics: Ideal sea kayaking is light wind, low swell and a tide you are paddling with — calm, sheltered water scores best, and timing the launch to the tidal stream matters as much as the wind. Many riders use both — one to read the raw conditions, 4Shor to decide where to go.
Does 4Shor score kayaking by ability?
Yes. Every spot is scored 0–100 for Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert, so the same conditions read differently for a learner and an expert — updated hourly across 2,500+ European kayaking spots.
What data does 4Shor use for the kayaking forecast?
4Shor blends ECMWF and national weather models with its own high-resolution seabed map of the European coastline, then models how conditions actually behave in the last stretch to shore at each spot. That nearshore physics — not open-ocean data — is what the kayaking score is built from.
How many kayaking spots does 4Shor cover?
More than 2,500 coastal locations across Europe, each scored for kayaking where the conditions suit it. Coverage is Europe-first, with 4Shor's own nearshore bathymetry for the European coastline rather than a thinned-out global grid.
Is there a free kayaking forecast?
Yes. Today's kayaking score is free on every 4Shor location page on the web, and the app gives you a free 3-day forecast. The full 8-day forecast and per-ability condition alerts are part of Premium and Pro.
Can I get kayaking alerts before a good day?
Yes. 4Shor can push an alert when a spot crosses your kayaking conditions threshold — tuned to your ability level — up to a week before the window opens, so you hear about the good days rather than checking a table every morning.
SEE IT ON A REAL SPOT
Ready for the kayaking decision?
Today's kayaking scores are free on every location page — per ability, from the seabed up.