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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Donner Lake (California). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 10 at 1:15AM PDT until October 10 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Today: High 55°F · Low 35°F
Peak gusts: 31 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 52% · Barometer: 29.95 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Donner Lake.
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 10 at 1:15AM PDT until October 10 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Reno NV
Very Poor / Avoid for boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Gusts to 28 mph. Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Boating scores are capped at 30. 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.
Good for fishing (81/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Dusk hours (20:00 local). 1% 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.
Very Poor / Avoid for kayaking (30/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 28 mph. Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Kayaking scores are capped at 30. 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: 1% chance of precipitation. Wind 15 mph from the southwest. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Air temperature 50°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 PM | 50°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 9 PM | 48°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 10 PM | 46°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 11 PM | 44°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Mostly Clear |
| 12 AM | 42°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Mostly Clear |
| 1 AM | 41°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Mostly Clear |
| 2 AM | 40°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 6 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 38°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 6 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 37°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 6 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 5 AM | 37°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 2 mph | 15% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 6 AM | 36°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 2 mph | 15% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 7 AM | 35°F | 0 mph | — | ⚡ 2 mph | 15% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 8 AM | 37°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 17% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 9 AM | 41°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 17% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 10 AM | 48°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 6 mph | 17% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 11 AM | 53°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 12 mph | 27% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 12 PM | 55°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 12 mph | 27% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 1 PM | 55°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 12 mph | 27% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 2 PM | 56°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 10 mph | 30% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 3 PM | 55°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 10 mph | 30% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 4 PM | 55°F | 5 mph | SW | ⚡ 10 mph | 30% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 5 PM | 53°F | 5 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 19% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 6 PM | 50°F | 5 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 19% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 7 PM | 47°F | 5 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 19% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
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.
Sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
A slight chance of rain showers after 5am. Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Southwest wind 0 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
A slight chance of rain showers after 5am. Mostly clear, with a low around 35. Southwest wind 0 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
A chance of rain showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Southwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
A chance of rain showers before 2am, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
A chance of snow showers before 8am, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. West wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
A chance of rain and snow showers before 11pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 25. Northwest wind 0 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Sunny, with a high near 57. Northeast wind 0 to 5 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 29.
Sunny, with a high near 62.
Clear, with a low around 33.
Sunny, with a high near 65.
Clear, with a low around 34.
Donner Lake currently reports 48°F with wind velocity near 3 mph from the SW. 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 Donner 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 REV) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Donner 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 Donner Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Donner Lake Water Level & Temperature →