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Banks Lake sits in Washington and is classified as a reservoir. The water surface spans about 26,886 acres, making it a large body of water. Fish documented in the area include Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, and Walleye. Sitting at around 1,570 feet of elevation, it drops to a maximum depth near 85 feet. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. If you are planning a trip, Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and Banks Lake are also nearby. Water data on this page comes from a mapped monitoring station near the lake. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for Banks Lake are updated throughout the day.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Blowing Dust Advisory issued October 9 at 3:55AM PDT until October 9 at 7:00PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Overall Fair (58/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (70/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 90/100 across these hours. Wind 9 mph from the northwest. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 61° | 62° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 65° | 62° | 61° | 60° | 59° | 56° | 55° | 54° | 52° | 52° | 51° | 50° | 50° | 50° | 48° | 48° | 49° | 50° | 49° |
| Wind (kts) | 17 | 18 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 18 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| Direction | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | W | W | W | W | W | W | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW |
| Gusts (kts) | 27 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 26 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 11 AM PDT | 61°F | 20 mph S (180°) | 31 mph | 1% | 66% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 12 PM PDT | 62°F | 21 mph SW (225°) | 33 mph | 1% | 66% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 1 PM PDT | 65°F | 21 mph SW (225°) | 33 mph | 1% | 61% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 2 PM PDT | 65°F | 23 mph SW (225°) | 37 mph | 1% | 40% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 3 PM PDT | 64°F | 23 mph SW (225°) | 37 mph | 1% | 37% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 4 PM PDT | 65°F | 21 mph SW (225°) | 37 mph | 1% | 23% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 5 PM PDT | 62°F | 21 mph W (270°) | 37 mph | 0% | 22% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 6 PM PDT | 61°F | 18 mph W (270°) | 33 mph | 0% | 17% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 7 PM PDT | 60°F | 16 mph W (270°) | 30 mph | 0% | 12% | Patchy Blowing Dust |
| Fri, 8 PM PDT | 59°F | 15 mph W (270°) | 27 mph | 0% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM PDT | 56°F | 15 mph W (270°) | 27 mph | 0% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM PDT | 55°F | 15 mph W (270°) | 27 mph | 0% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM PDT | 54°F | 14 mph NW (315°) | 22 mph | 0% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM PDT | 52°F | 14 mph NW (315°) | 22 mph | 0% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM PDT | 52°F | 14 mph NW (315°) | 22 mph | 0% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM PDT | 51°F | 14 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 0% | 20% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM PDT | 50°F | 13 mph NW (315°) | 17 mph | 0% | 26% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM PDT | 50°F | 12 mph NW (315°) | 15 mph | 0% | 30% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM PDT | 50°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 14 mph | 5% | 53% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 AM PDT | 48°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 14 mph | 5% | 53% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 7 AM PDT | 48°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 14 mph | 5% | 53% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 8 AM PDT | 49°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 5% | 52% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 9 AM PDT | 50°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 5% | 52% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 10 AM PDT | 49°F | 9 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 5% | 52% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 11 AM PDT | 50°F | 9 mph N (0°) | 21 mph | 16% | 39% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Today October 9, 2026 | Tonight October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 67° | 48° | 56° | 48° | 55° | 43° | 59° | 44° | 59° | 47° | 62° | 48° | 63° | 48° |
| Wind | SW 18 to 23 mph | NW 9 to 18 mph | N 8 to 12 mph | N 12 to 20 mph | NE 10 to 20 mph | N 5 to 10 mph | W 2 to 7 mph | SE 5 mph | SE 5 mph | SE 5 mph | NW 6 mph | NW 7 mph | N 2 to 7 mph | NE 2 to 6 mph |
| Gusts | 37 mph | 33 mph | 24 mph | 28 mph | 32 mph | 27 mph | 8 mph | 8 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 14 mph | 14 mph | 10 mph | 8 mph |
| Precip % | 3% | 5% | 39% | 39% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 14% | 14% | 8% | 1% | 1% |
| Forecast |
Fair for fishing (70/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Sky is cloudy (66% cloud cover). Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Poor for boating (45/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 31 mph. Active moderate alert: Blowing Dust Advisory. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for sailing (67/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 20 mph from the S is workable but not ideal. 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Blowing Dust Advisory. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Poor for kayaking (47/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 61°F. Working against it: Gusts to 31 mph. Active moderate alert: Blowing Dust Advisory. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of WA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Banks Lake is a scenic freshwater reservoir situated in WA, offering expansive waters for recreational boating and dedicated sport anglers. The surrounding topography influences local wind and wave dynamics, creating ideal windows for morning paddling and afternoon cruising. Consult local ramp status and safety rules prior to arrival.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is required for anglers age 15+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Smallmouth Bass, Rainbow Trout, Common Carp, Walleye. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Banks Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 11:09 AM PDT