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Columbus Lake is one of the reservoirs LakeRadar tracks in Mississippi. Its recorded surface area is approximately 8,910 acres. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Other waters in the region include Aberdeen Lake and Aliceville Lake. Forecasts for Columbus Lake come from the National Weather Service and refresh several times a day.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Flood Watch issued October 9 at 3:57PM CDT until October 10 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Jackson MS
Overall Fair (66/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (77/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 84/100 across these hours. Wind 10 mph from the east. Dusk hours (19:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 83° | 82° | 78° | 76° | 73° | 70° | 68° | 65° | 64° | 62° | 62° | 62° | 61° | 61° | 61° | 60° | 62° | 63° | 65° | 66° | 66° | 66° | 67° | 67° |
| Wind (kts) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 17 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Direction | E | E | E | E | SE | E | E | E | NE | E | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 19 | 21 | 21 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 19 | 22 | 22 | 27 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 35 | 38 | 35 | 31 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 23 | 20 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 2% | 8% | 11% | 17% | 31% | 64% | 77% | 87% | 97% | 97% | 86% | 88% | 89% | 95% | 97% | 86% | 84% | 82% | 65% | 80% | 70% | 82% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 83°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 22 mph | 1% | 90% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 82°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 24 mph | 1% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 78°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 24 mph | 2% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 76°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 22 mph | 8% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 73°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 25 mph | 11% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 70°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 28 mph | 17% | 90% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 68°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 22 mph | 31% | 90% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph ENE (68°) | 25 mph | 64% | 89% | Rain Showers Likely |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 25 mph | 77% | 91% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 62°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 31 mph | 87% | 92% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 62°F | 15 mph NE (45°) | 32 mph | 97% | 94% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 62°F | 15 mph NE (45°) | 35 mph | 97% | 93% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 61°F | 20 mph NE (45°) | 37 mph | 86% | 93% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 61°F | 20 mph NNE (23°) | 37 mph | 88% | 94% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 61°F | 20 mph NNE (23°) | 37 mph | 89% | 95% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 7 AM CDT | 60°F | 25 mph NNE (23°) | 40 mph | 95% | 95% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 8 AM CDT | 62°F | 25 mph NNE (23°) | 44 mph | 97% | 92% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 9 AM CDT | 63°F | 25 mph NNE (23°) | 40 mph | 86% | 95% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 10 AM CDT | 65°F | 20 mph NNE (23°) | 36 mph | 84% | 91% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 11 AM CDT | 66°F | 20 mph NE (45°) | 32 mph | 82% | 94% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 12 PM CDT | 66°F | 20 mph NE (45°) | 31 mph | 65% | 92% | Rain Showers Likely |
| Sat, 1 PM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 29 mph | 80% | 90% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 2 PM CDT | 67°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 27 mph | 70% | 87% | Rain Showers Likely |
| Sat, 3 PM CDT | 67°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 23 mph | 82% | 92% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 4 PM CDT | 67°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 23 mph | 64% | 91% | Rain Showers Likely |
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 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 85° | 85° | 59° | 69° | 59° | 84° | 59° | 90° | 59° | 91° | 63° | 91° | 63° | 91° |
| Wind | E 10 to 15 mph | E 15 mph | ENE 10 to 20 mph | NE 15 to 25 mph | W 10 to 15 mph | W 5 to 10 mph | SW 0 to 5 mph | WSW 0 to 5 mph | 0 mph | WSW 0 to 5 mph | 0 mph | SSW 0 to 5 mph | SSE 0 to 5 mph | S 0 to 5 mph |
| Gusts | 25 mph | 25 mph | 40 mph | 45 mph | 25 mph | 17 mph | 9 mph | 10 mph | 7 mph | 10 mph | 8 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 13 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 97% | 97% | 39% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Columbus Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (77/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Afternoon hours (16:00 local). 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 (54/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active severe alert: Tropical Storm Warning. 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 (73/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 15 mph from the E is in the preferred sailing range. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 7 mph, making the breeze puffy. Working against it: Active severe alert: Tropical Storm Warning. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (56/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 83°F. Working against it: Active severe alert: Tropical Storm Warning. 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 MS Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Columbus Lake is an accessible freshwater destination in MS, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies. It offers a welcoming environment for motorboats, personal watercraft, and paddle sports throughout the warm season. Checking local water level telemetry and wave forecasts helps ensure safe boating throughout the day.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) is required for anglers age 16+. 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 Green Sunfish, Channel Catfish, White Bass, White Crappie. 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.
NWS API Web Service · License: U.S. Government work · Attribution: Data provided by the National Weather Service (api.weather.gov)
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 Columbus 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, 4:23 PM CDT