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Hammerfest, Norway

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About Hammerfest

Known for kitesurfing and windsurfing, by the OpenStreetMap map of the area. The shore faces W, so wind from the E blows out to sea (our estimate from the coastline). Facts: verified.

Water about 9°C: 4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

A spot for kitesurfing and windsurfing, as OpenStreetMap maps it, on a shore facing W. Wind from the W blows onshore, wind from the E blows out to sea, and wind from the N or S runs along the shore. It is sheltered to the open sea. The sea floor shelves steeply: 10 m deep about 100 m out (1 in 12). The sea is about 4°C in March, its coldest month (5/4 or 6/5, hood, boots and gloves), and 10°C in July, its warmest (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves). For kitesurfing at expert level the best months are usually January, February, March and November, with about 3 good days in 7; in July, about 1. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Hammerfest.

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Book the trip

From Chicago: about 21 h 15 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to ALF, changing at Frankfurt Main Airport (FRA).

    See flights ORD → ALF · Skyscanner from about £395 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 1 h 40 from the airport to Hammerfest.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in HammerfestAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Drives are estimates.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Kitesurfing lessons in Hammerfest · GetYourGuideAdKite and board hire in Hammerfest · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Hammerfest on Google Maps · Directions

The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.

One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Best on Mon 19: 21 kn gusting 29, side-onshore. Water: chop.

The score for kite, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsShoreWater
Sun 18Oct7230knonchop
Mon 19Oct8029knside-onchop
Tue 20Oct7233knonchop
Wed 21Oct4218knsideflat
Thu 22Oct011knoffnot safeflat
Fri 23Oct021knsideflat
Sat 24Oct6520knsideflat
Sun 25Oct8026knsideflat
Mon 26Oct6927knsideflat
Tue 27Oct5319knonchop

Day scores are the conditions out of 80. Wind is the day's best reading: the mean and the gusts in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); the arrow points where it blows to. Shore: "side" is side-shore, blowing along the beach, the safe way; "side-on" and "on" blow in towards it; "cross-off" and "off" blow out to sea, and offshore scores nothing for kite and windsurf. Water is the open sea's waves near the spot: flat under 0.3 m, chop to 0.8 m.

The season

Good kite days in a typical week, each month, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan3of 7
  2. Feb3of 7
  3. Mar3of 7
  4. Apr2of 7
  5. May2of 7
  6. Jun2of 7
  7. Jul1of 7
  8. Aug2of 7
  9. Sep2of 7
  10. Oct2of 7
  11. Nov3of 7
  12. Dec3of 7

Typical, not a forecast. Reanalysis wind misses some local thermal winds, so a spot known for an afternoon breeze may do better than this.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for kite. Change dates

  1. Mon 19 Oct
    Travel out

    Fly ORD to ALF, changing at FRA, then 1h 40 by road. About 21h 15 door to door

  2. Tue 20 Oct
    Kite Hammerfest

    20 kn gusting 33, onshore. Water: chop.

  3. Wed 21 Oct
    Kite Hammerfest

    12 kn gusting 18, side-shore. Water: flat.

  4. Thu 22 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 5 kn gusting 11, offshore. Offshore: not safe to ride. Water: flat.

  5. Fri 23 Oct
    Rest day

    Not enough of the right wind: 10 kn gusting 21, side-shore. Water: flat.

  6. Sat 24 Oct
    Kite Hammerfest

    15 kn gusting 20, side-shore. Water: flat.

  7. Sun 25 Oct
    Travel home

    Fly ORD to ALF, changing at FRA, then 1h 40 by road. About 21h 15 door to door

Rough cost

About £820–£1,575 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Kit hire is not in it yet: we have no sourced price for it.

  • Flights £395–£825
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £70–£115
  • Stay £165–£280
  • Food £155–£290

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Kitesurfing lessons · GetYourGuide Kite and board hire · GetYourGuide

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