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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Big Spirit Lake (Iowa). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 85°F · Low 68°F
Peak gusts: 27 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 38% · Barometer: 30.04 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Big Spirit Lake.
Fair for boating (64/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 28 mph. 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 fishing (69/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 0% chance of precipitation. Sky is clear (2% 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.
Fair for kayaking (64/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 28 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 AM | 72°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 1 AM | 72°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 31 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 2 AM | 72°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 31 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 3 AM | 71°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 4 AM | 70°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 5 AM | 70°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 22 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 6 AM | 69°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 7 AM | 68°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 8 AM | 68°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 9 AM | 70°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 10 AM | 72°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 75°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 12 PM | 79°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 83°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 2 PM | 84°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 3 PM | 85°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 4 PM | 85°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 5 PM | 85°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 6 PM | 83°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 7 PM | 80°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 2% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 8 PM | 76°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 2% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 9 PM | 71°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 1% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 10 PM | 70°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 1% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 11 PM | 69°F | 10 mph | SW | ⚡ 14 mph | 1% | Partly Cloudy |
Mirror-like to gentle rippled water. Optimal conditions for paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and beginner water skiing or wakeboarding.
Pleasant breeze with small wavelets. Great for sailing, pleasure cruising, pontoon boats, and trolling for trout and bass.
Moderate waves with whitecaps likely. Requires skilled boat handling; kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards should stay close to sheltered bays.
Steep waves, cold spray, and hazardous open water. Avoid small craft voyages. Always check official National Weather Service lake wind advisories.
Clear, with a low around 68. South wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 86. South southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 53. West northwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind around 10 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 48.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
A chance of rain showers after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 61. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Partly sunny, with a high near 54.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Sunny, with a high near 54.
Big Spirit Lake currently reports 77°F with wind velocity near 17 mph from the S. Atmospheric forecasts and 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines are updated hourly from the National Weather Service gridpoint matching the lake's coordinates.
At Big Spirit Lake and surrounding mountain valleys, diurnal heating of the surrounding terrain causes strong thermal pressure differentials known locally as afternoon breezes (such as the Washoe Zephyr at Lake Tahoe). Wind speeds typically peak between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM before calming near sunset.
For stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), canoeing, and light kayaks, winds under 7 mph (light breeze) offer the safest, glassiest surface conditions. Between 8–14 mph, small wavelets develop, suitable for sailboats and powerboats. Winds exceeding 15 mph create steep whitecaps and rapid drift; winds over 21 mph warrant small craft warnings.
All weather and wind telemetry is fetched directly from the National Weather Service (NOAA - WFO FSD) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Big Spirit Lake without artificial smoothing or third-party estimates.
Yes. Live hydrological sensor readings, 30-day elevation histories, full-pool benchmarks, and USGS station provenance are available on our dedicated Big Spirit Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Big Spirit Lake Water Level & Temperature →