Loading page content…
Loading page content…
Loading lake conditions…
El Vado Reservoir is a reservoir located in New Mexico. The deepest point reaches about 150 feet, and the surface sits near 6,902 feet above sea level. It covers roughly 3,200 surface acres (about 5 square miles). Research-grade observations nearby include Rainbow Trout and Common Carp. Other waters in the region include El Vado Lake, Heron Lake, and Abiquiu Reservoir. LakeRadar pulls readings from a mapped water gauge, so current water data is shown when the station reports. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for El Vado Reservoir are updated throughout the day.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 11, 11:56 AM MDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Fair (63/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Sailing (71/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the southwest. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 66° | 69° | 71° | 71° | 70° | 69° | 68° | 63° | 61° | 59° | 57° | 55° | 53° | 51° | 48° | 47° | 46° | 45° | 44° | 43° | 43° | 44° | 49° | 54° |
| Wind (kts) | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | SE | E | SE | S | S | S | S | SW | S | S | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 11 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Precip % | 11% | 28% | 28% | 28% | 55% | 55% | 55% | 62% | 62% | 62% | 38% | 38% | 38% | 28% | 28% | 28% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 5% | 5% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11 AM MDT | 66°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 11% | 18% | Sunny |
| Sun, 12 PM MDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 28% | 52% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sun, 1 PM MDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 28% | 52% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sun, 2 PM MDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 28% | 52% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sun, 3 PM MDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 55% | 71% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 4 PM MDT | 69°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 55% | 71% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 5 PM MDT | 68°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 15 mph | 55% | 71% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 6 PM MDT | 63°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 13 mph | 62% | 78% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 7 PM MDT | 61°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 13 mph | 62% | 78% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 8 PM MDT | 59°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 62% | 78% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| Sun, 9 PM MDT | 57°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 38% | 59% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sun, 10 PM MDT | 55°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 38% | 59% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Sun, 11 PM MDT | 53°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 38% | 65% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Mon, 12 AM MDT | 51°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 8 mph | 28% | 52% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 1 AM MDT | 48°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 28% | 59% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 2 AM MDT | 47°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 5 mph | 28% | 57% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 3 AM MDT | 46°F | Calm | 4 mph | 15% | 56% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 4 AM MDT | 45°F | Calm | 1 mph | 15% | 55% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 5 AM MDT | 44°F | Calm | 1 mph | 15% | 52% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 6 AM MDT | 43°F | Calm | 0 mph | 17% | 51% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 7 AM MDT | 43°F | Calm | 1 mph | 17% | 54% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 8 AM MDT | 44°F | Calm | 1 mph | 17% | 36% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Mon, 9 AM MDT | 49°F | Calm | 4 mph | 5% | 27% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 10 AM MDT | 54°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 5% | 21% | Sunny |
| Mon, 11 AM MDT | 59°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 7 mph | 5% | 18% | 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 | Today October 11, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 | Saturday October 17, 2026 | Saturday Night October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 72° | 42° | 66° | 42° | 63° | 36° | 59° | 29° | 61° | 33° | 60° | 32° | 59° | 31° |
| Wind | SE 5 to 15 mph | S 0 to 10 mph | SW 0 to 10 mph | S 0 to 5 mph | SW 0 to 10 mph | SW 0 to 5 mph | SW 0 to 10 mph | NW 0 to 5 mph | NW 0 to 5 mph | NE 0 to 5 mph | E 5 mph | E 0 to 5 mph | S 0 to 5 mph | 0 mph |
| Gusts | 20 mph | 13 mph | 15 mph | 9 mph | 15 mph | 7 mph | 13 mph | 9 mph | 5 mph | 7 mph | 7 mph | 7 mph | 5 mph | 4 mph |
| Precip % | 55% | 62% | 17% | 18% | 31% | 26% | 22% | 5% | 2% | 7% | 12% | 14% | 9% | 15% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to El Vado Reservoir. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Fair for fishing (58/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south. 11% chance of precipitation. 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 (64/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the south. 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.
Fair for sailing (71/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the S is in the preferred sailing range. Gusts are within 3 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. 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 (64/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south. Gusts to 13 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.
Loading interactive map…
Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of NM Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
El Vado Reservoir is a picturesque freshwater reservoir in NM known for its freshwater fishing, boating access, and attractive shoreline parks. With multiple recreation sites overseen by state and local natural resource agencies, visitors enjoy comfortable access to open-water cruising and shore angling. Always observe posted speed limits and maritime right-of-way rules.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) 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 Rainbow Trout, Common Carp. 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.
High-altitude mountain winter climate (elevation 6,902 ft MSL). Freezing temperatures, potential snowpack or ice cover, and reduced seasonal amenities. Winter safety caution advised.
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 El Vado Reservoir 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 11, 11:56 AM MDT