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Cowan Lake sits in Ohio and is classified as a reservoir. Its recorded surface area is approximately 692 acres. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Nearby alternatives include Caesar Creek Lake, C.J. Brown Reservoir, and Acton Lake. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Cowan Lake so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 6:25 PM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Fair (68/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (73/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 91/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the east. Dusk hours (19:00 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) | 76° | 73° | 68° | 64° | 63° | 62° | 61° | 61° | 60° | 60° | 59° | 59° | 59° | 59° | 59° | 61° | 65° | 68° | 71° | 72° | 73° | 74° | 73° | 72° |
| Wind (kts) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 |
| Direction | SE | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | E | E | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | E | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 6 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 24 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 3% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 76°F | 3 mph SE (135°) | 7 mph | 1% | 67% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 73°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 1% | 73% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 68°F | 7 mph E (90°) | 13 mph | 2% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 64°F | 7 mph E (90°) | 14 mph | 2% | 69% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 63°F | 8 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 2% | 73% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 62°F | 8 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 2% | 60% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 61°F | 8 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 2% | 73% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 61°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 2% | 66% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 60°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 1% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 60°F | 7 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 1% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 59°F | 8 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 1% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM EDT | 59°F | 9 mph E (90°) | 17 mph | 1% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 AM EDT | 59°F | 9 mph E (90°) | 18 mph | 1% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 AM EDT | 59°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 20 mph | 1% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 8 AM EDT | 59°F | 13 mph E (90°) | 21 mph | 2% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 9 AM EDT | 61°F | 13 mph E (90°) | 22 mph | 2% | 62% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 10 AM EDT | 65°F | 14 mph SE (135°) | 21 mph | 2% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 11 AM EDT | 68°F | 14 mph SE (135°) | 22 mph | 1% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 PM EDT | 71°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 23 mph | 1% | 88% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 PM EDT | 72°F | 16 mph SE (135°) | 23 mph | 3% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 PM EDT | 73°F | 17 mph SE (135°) | 25 mph | 1% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 PM EDT | 74°F | 17 mph E (90°) | 27 mph | 1% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 PM EDT | 73°F | 17 mph SE (135°) | 28 mph | 2% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 PM EDT | 72°F | 18 mph SE (135°) | 28 mph | 3% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 PM EDT | 71°F | 21 mph SE (135°) | 31 mph | 6% | 88% | 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 | 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 | Friday October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 74° | 58° | 70° | 59° | 77° | 63° | 79° | 54° | 70° | 52° | 71° | 55° | 69° |
| Wind | E 3 to 9 mph | SE 9 to 18 mph | E 17 to 21 mph | SE 6 to 17 mph | W 6 mph | W 5 to 8 mph | SW 10 mph | SW 10 to 15 mph | NW 8 to 15 mph | NE 9 mph | E 10 mph | SE 12 mph | S 12 mph | SW 12 to 17 mph |
| Gusts | 17 mph | 28 mph | 35 mph | 30 mph | 14 mph | 14 mph | 20 mph | 23 mph | 22 mph | 16 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 21 mph | — |
| Precip % | 2% | 3% | 87% | 92% | 81% | 0% | 10% | 21% | 13% | 29% | 42% | 42% | 36% | 47% |
| Forecast |
Nearby river temperature: 70.2°F at Caesar Creek near Wellman OH (12.2 mi away) · Oct 9, 10:00 PM UTC
Fair for fishing (71/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the southeast. Dusk hours (18:00 local). The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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 boating (73/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the southeast. Gusts to 7 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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 (48/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (73/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the southeast. Gusts to 7 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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 OH Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Nestled in OH, Cowan Lake delivers expansive open water and sheltered shoreline pockets ideal for varied outdoor pursuits. From high-speed watersports to relaxed drift fishing, the lake accommodates diverse visitor preferences. Always check current weather advisories and water temperatures before heading out.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Ohio Division of Wildlife (ODNR) 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 Bluegill, Smallmouth Bass, Common Carp, Largemouth Bass. 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 Cowan 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, 6:25 PM EDT