Lull

Lulls are the troughs between gusts in any wind pattern. Even on consistently windy days, the wind speed fluctuates — it rises in gusts and drops in lulls. Understanding lulls is essential for gear selection and on-water tactics.

In kitesurfing, a deep lull can leave you without enough power to stay upwind or even keep the kite in the air. Experienced kiters keep the kite moving during lulls to generate apparent wind and maintain power. In windsurfing, lulls mean dropping off the plane — so you need to be ready to pump and bear away to maintain speed until the next gust arrives.

Lulls can also be strategic: surfers wait for lulls between sets to paddle out safely, as fewer waves break during these calmer periods. The depth of the lull relative to the average wind — the gust factor — determines how challenging the session will be.