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Bowman Lake is a lake located in Montana. Its recorded surface area is approximately 1,706 acres. Fish documented in the area include Bull Trout and Lake Trout. Other waters in the region include Lake McDonald. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for Bowman Lake are updated throughout the day.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Winter Weather Advisory issued October 9 at 11:35AM MDT until October 12 at 6:00AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Overall Fair (57/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (71/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 81/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the east-southeast. Dawn hours (05:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 57° | 55° | 51° | 48° | 46° | 44° | 43° | 41° | 40° | 39° | 38° | 36° | 35° | 34° | 33° | 32° | 32° | 33° | 33° | 35° | 36° | 37° | 38° |
| Wind (kts) | 17 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 22 |
| Direction | W | W | W | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | NE | NE | NE | E | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE |
| Gusts (kts) | 29 | 29 | 28 | 28 | 28 | 25 | 23 | 19 | 16 | 13 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 23 |
| Precip % | 8% | 15% | 46% | 22% | 8% | 16% | 14% | 7% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 14% | 15% | 22% | 39% | 45% | 41% | 52% | 48% | 27% | 12% | 12% | 13% | 6% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 PM MDT | 59°F | 20 mph WSW (248°) | 33 mph | 8% | 67% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM MDT | 57°F | 17 mph WSW (248°) | 33 mph | 15% | 77% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 6 PM MDT | 55°F | 15 mph WSW (248°) | 32 mph | 46% | 81% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 7 PM MDT | 51°F | 15 mph SW (225°) | 32 mph | 22% | 84% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 8 PM MDT | 48°F | 16 mph SW (225°) | 32 mph | 8% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM MDT | 46°F | 12 mph SW (225°) | 29 mph | 16% | 85% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 10 PM MDT | 44°F | 12 mph SW (225°) | 27 mph | 14% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM MDT | 43°F | 12 mph SW (225°) | 22 mph | 7% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM MDT | 41°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 7% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM MDT | 40°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 4% | 65% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM MDT | 39°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 6% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM MDT | 38°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 14% | 68% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM MDT | 36°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 15% | 62% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 5 AM MDT | 35°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 22% | 73% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 6 AM MDT | 34°F | 17 mph NNE (23°) | 18 mph | 39% | 73% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 7 AM MDT | 33°F | 17 mph NNE (23°) | 18 mph | 45% | 68% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 8 AM MDT | 32°F | 17 mph NNE (23°) | 18 mph | 41% | 73% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 9 AM MDT | 32°F | 6 mph ENE (68°) | 22 mph | 52% | 89% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 10 AM MDT | 33°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 22 mph | 48% | 74% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 11 AM MDT | 33°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 22 mph | 27% | 77% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 12 PM MDT | 35°F | 14 mph NNE (23°) | 23 mph | 12% | 88% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 PM MDT | 36°F | 14 mph NNE (23°) | 23 mph | 12% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 PM MDT | 37°F | 14 mph NNE (23°) | 23 mph | 13% | 61% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 3 PM MDT | 38°F | 25 mph NE (45°) | 27 mph | 6% | 62% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 4 PM MDT | 37°F | 25 mph NE (45°) | 27 mph | 9% | 53% | Partly Sunny |
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 | This Afternoon 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) | 61° | 32° | 39° | 24° | 33° | 21° | 44° | 24° | 49° | 28° | 50° | 29° | 50° | 30° |
| Wind | WSW 20 mph | S 5 to 16 mph | NE 6 to 25 mph | NE 14 to 24 mph | NE 7 to 12 mph | NE 5 to 9 mph | SW 2 mph | SSW 1 to 5 mph | SW 3 mph | S 5 mph | SSW 5 mph | W 3 mph | W 3 mph | NNE 3 mph |
| Gusts | 33 mph | 32 mph | 27 mph | 35 mph | 23 mph | 18 mph | 7 mph | 8 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 13 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 8 mph |
| Precip % | 15% | 46% | 52% | 43% | 44% | 17% | 5% | 1% | 1% | 7% | 14% | 13% | 5% | 3% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Bowman Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Fair for fishing (71/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 8% chance of precipitation. Sky is cloudy (67% 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 (43/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 8% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 33 mph. Active moderate alert: Winter Weather 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 (64/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 20 mph from the WSW is workable but not ideal. 8% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Winter Weather Advisory. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Poor for kayaking (45/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 8% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 59°F. Working against it: Gusts to 33 mph. Active moderate alert: Winter Weather 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 MT Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Surrounded by the natural landscapes of MT, Bowman Lake is an appealing freshwater lake welcoming outdoor recreation across all seasons. The lake provides critical habitat for native fish species and serves as a focal point for regional boating. Visitors should review current access fees, ramp operational status, and state licensing rules.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is required for anglers age 12+. 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 Bull Trout, Mackinaw (Lake Trout). 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.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
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 Bowman 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, 4:12 PM MDT