SUP weather update and paddle boarding safety considerations.

At the risk of sounding like the fun police (again) hot weather does come with risks to paddlers. We appreciate everyone wants a decent window of sunny/warm conditions to get afloat. But without prior planning and preparation, things can go awry in even the best of weather. Meanwhile here’re a few good weather SUP safety considerations to take on board (forgive the pun!).

Good weather paddle boarding safety points.

• Hydration is key. Hot weather and any physical activity will take it out of you. Keep taking on fluids. Water is best for most paddlers. And if you don’t want to carry too much water with you, you can buy a filtration device like lifestraw, or our Journey filter bottles
• Just as with fluids it’s important to stay energised. Hot sunshine saps strength so taking energy giving snacks with you is a good idea.
• Be aware of water temperatures. Just because the air’s hot doesn’t mean the water will be. If you take a dunking going from warm to suddenly cold can bring on cold water shock.
• With the above in mind consider your SUP clothing. The right choice will also see you don’t get sun burnt, which can cause unwanted health issues – as we all know.
• Evaporative cooling is a thing. Another reason to consider your paddle boarding attire carefully. On even the hottest of days if you get wet and there’s a little breeze you’ll get cold quickly after submersion. And that’s when hypothermia can set in.
• Don’t take unnecessary risks. Good weather often instills more confidence. You may be inclined to tackle a situation you wouldn’t otherwise. Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean accidents won’t happen.
• Watch the weather. Warm sunshine can cause things like sea breezes at the coast to kick in. What was a windless paddling spot can suddenly become very blustery if you’re not prepared.
• Always wear a quick release leash belt and know how to use it. There’s lots of discussion about this so we’ll not labour the point.
• IF IN DOUBT DON’T GO OUT. Trust your instinct. If it doesn’t feel right then sit the session out until next time.
• If flat water paddling wear a hat and decent pair of sunglasses to fend off the water’s glare.
• Make sure ALL your paddle boarding gear’s in good working order BEFORE going afloat.
• Carry a means of communication and let someone on land know where you’re heading and what time you expect to be back.

We appreciate this may sound over the top but there are still plenty of paddlers who end up in dicey situations. Keep SUP safety in mind at all times. Now back to the weather…

SUP weather July 12, 2022.

After our recent posts about paddle boarding weather the real warm, sunny summery conditions are hitting the UK. And have been doing for a few days. There’s never been a better time for a float (what better place to be than SUPing when it’s glorious?). Even in the north of the UK (where those hot temps were forecasted to not get to) aren’t doing too badly. And we’ve seen plenty of riders getting wet – which is great.

The big talking point, however, is the coming weekend – Fri July 15 into the following week. Much debate has been had with various forecasters chatting about the potential for really hot conditions. In recent days most of the main forecasting models have started to align, suggesting a large swathe of the UK will see thermometer readings to rival some Mediterranean locations. The Met Office has put out an amber weather warning for a big section of England on Sunday July 17, 2022. The suggestion of extreme heat is now a high probability – even being this far out. See the graphic below.

Leading up to this it’ll also be very warm. And there’s potential for those temperatures to remain a few days after Sunday. This is what our friends at UK Weather are seeing from forecasting model outputs (updated July 12, 2022).

Another set of barmy output from the models this morning. The GFS maintains with 37/38c temperatures, even across parts of Northern England and Yorkshire for 2 consecutive days!

Current GFS predictions; Sunday – mid 30’s, Monday – 36-37c, Tuesday 37-38c, Wednesday 30c+

We’re also seeing thunderstorm potential on the outputs now. I’ll keep you updated as always. Attached chart for next Monday

Met Office long range weather predictions.

And what about further into the summer holidays? The Met Office suggest that after the aforementioned spell of hot weather there’ll be a brief period of unsettled conditions. It then will most likely return to settled weather for most. Some pockets of the UK will fair better than others – which is always the case. But it’s still not looking bad. That should be welcome for anyone on holiday in this country through high summer. And it should be great for paddle boarding in many areas. Full long rang prediction below.

Summing up.

It looks as though summer proper has finally kicked in for the UK. We appreciate not everyone will like the heat, and we do feel for those who suffer when it gets warm. For most paddlers though it’s a good time to be involved in UK paddle boarding. There’s plenty of incentive to get out. And we trust a large % will make the most of it. Keep SUP safety in mind at all times and use common sense when on the water. That way it’ll be a summer of SUP to remember.

Don’t forget to check out the McConks webshop for all your paddle boarding hardware and accessories needs.