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Cheatham Lake is a reservoir in Tennessee. At around 7,450 acres (about 12 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. Research-grade observations nearby include Smallmouth Bass, Rock Bass, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill. Other waters in the region include Percy Priest Lake and Old Hickory Lake. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Cheatham Lake so you can plan a visit.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Flood Watch issued October 8 at 10:38PM CDT until October 11 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Nashville TN
Overall Fair (74/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (82/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the east. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 57° | 56° | 54° | 54° | 54° | 54° | 56° | 63° | 72° | 77° | 81° | 83° | 84° | 85° | 86° | 84° | 81° | 77° | 72° | 70° | 68° | 67° | 66° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direction | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 1 AM CDT | 59°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 9% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 2 AM CDT | 57°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 15% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 3 AM CDT | 56°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 20% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 4 AM CDT | 54°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM CDT | 54°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM CDT | 54°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 7% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM CDT | 54°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 14% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM CDT | 56°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 0% | 23% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM CDT | 63°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 0% | 26% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM CDT | 72°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 10 mph | 0% | 34% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM CDT | 77°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 0% | 41% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 81°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 51% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 83°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 59% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 84°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 85°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 76% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 86°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 74% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 84°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 0% | 71% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 81°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 0% | 75% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 77°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 1% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 72°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 1% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 70°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 1% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 68°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 1% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 67°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 1% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 66°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 1% | 96% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 65°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 94% | Cloudy |
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 | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 54° | 86° | 59° | 69° | 60° | 71° | 57° | 85° | 61° | 88° | 61° | 85° | 61° | 85° |
| Wind | 0 mph | ESE 0 to 5 mph | ESE 5 mph | ENE 5 to 20 mph | E 5 to 15 mph | SW 5 to 10 mph | W 5 mph | WSW 0 to 5 mph | SW 5 mph | W 5 to 10 mph | NNW 5 to 10 mph | NE 5 mph | E 5 mph | S 5 mph |
| Gusts | 6 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph | 30 mph | 30 mph | 17 mph | 16 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph | 17 mph | 17 mph | 12 mph | 10 mph | 12 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 13% | 95% | 86% | 51% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 5% | 8% | 8% | 14% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Cheatham Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (82/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east-northeast. 0% chance of precipitation. 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.
Good for boating (78/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east-northeast. Gusts to 5 mph. Working against it: Active severe alert: Flood Watch. 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.
Poor for sailing (42/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 5 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Wind 0 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Active severe alert: Flood Watch. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Good for kayaking (81/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east-northeast. Gusts to 5 mph. Working against it: Active severe alert: Flood Watch. 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 TN Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Cheatham Lake serves as a key recreational and ecological freshwater reservoir in TN, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies. The waterbody supports active boating, angling, and shoreline access throughout the open season. Visitors are encouraged to verify current launch conditions, water levels, and local regulations before heading out onto the water.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is required for anglers age 13+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
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, Rock Bass, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill. 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 Cheatham 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, 1:38 AM CDT