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Elephant Butte Reservoir sits in New Mexico and is classified as a reservoir. The water surface spans about 35,786 acres, making it a large body of water. Nearby alternatives include Elephant Butte Reservoir and Caballo Lake. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Elephant Butte Reservoir so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 2:53 AM MDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (88/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (99/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Wind 8 mph from the south-southeast. Dusk hours (19:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 61° | 60° | 59° | 58° | 58° | 58° | 62° | 67° | 71° | 75° | 78° | 80° | 81° | 82° | 82° | 80° | 74° | 70° | 67° | 66° | 65° | 63° | 62° | 61° |
| Wind (kts) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Direction | W | W | NW | W | W | W | NW | — | — | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 2 AM MDT | 61°F | 1 mph WSW (248°) | 4 mph | 1% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 3 AM MDT | 60°F | 1 mph W (270°) | 4 mph | 1% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 4 AM MDT | 59°F | 1 mph WNW (293°) | 2 mph | 1% | 15% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM MDT | 58°F | 1 mph W (270°) | 2 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM MDT | 58°F | 1 mph W (270°) | 2 mph | 1% | 14% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM MDT | 58°F | 1 mph W (270°) | 2 mph | 1% | 16% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM MDT | 62°F | 1 mph NW (315°) | 2 mph | 1% | 13% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM MDT | 67°F | Calm | 4 mph | 1% | 8% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM MDT | 71°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM MDT | 75°F | 2 mph SSE (158°) | 6 mph | 1% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM MDT | 78°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 1% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM MDT | 80°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 1% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM MDT | 81°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM MDT | 82°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM MDT | 82°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 14% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM MDT | 80°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 7% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM MDT | 74°F | 9 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM MDT | 70°F | 8 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 1% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM MDT | 67°F | 7 mph SSE (158°) | 10 mph | 1% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM MDT | 66°F | 7 mph SSE (158°) | 10 mph | 1% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM MDT | 65°F | 6 mph SSE (158°) | 9 mph | 1% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM MDT | 63°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 1% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM MDT | 62°F | 3 mph SSW (203°) | 5 mph | 1% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM MDT | 61°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM MDT | 61°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 4 mph | 1% | 19% | Mostly Clear |
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) | 58° | 82° | 57° | 83° | 61° | 84° | 61° | 81° | 58° | 79° | 53° | 76° | 51° | 75° |
| Wind | W 1 mph | SW 0 to 9 mph | S 1 to 9 mph | SSE 1 to 17 mph | SSE 3 to 15 mph | S 2 to 28 mph | SSW 8 to 21 mph | SSW 8 to 30 mph | SW 5 to 23 mph | SSW 5 to 30 mph | WSW 6 to 22 mph | NNE 3 to 8 mph | WSW 8 mph | NE 10 mph |
| Gusts | 4 mph | 14 mph | 14 mph | 24 mph | 22 mph | 36 mph | 31 mph | 37 mph | 31 mph | 38 mph | 31 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 12% | 3% | 8% | 20% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 2% | 4% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Elephant Butte Reservoir. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (83/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 1 mph from the west-southwest. 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.
Excellent for boating (99/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 1 mph from the west-southwest. Gusts to 4 mph. 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 (67/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 3 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Wind 1 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (98/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 1 mph from the west-southwest. Gusts to 4 mph. 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 NM Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
In NM, Elephant Butte Reservoir stands out as a versatile freshwater reservoir valued for its fishing waters, boating access, and scenic shoreline. Whether embarking on early morning fishing runs or enjoying midday water recreation, visitors find varied opportunities across the basin. Public facilities are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
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 Channel Catfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye, 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.
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 Elephant Butte 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 9, 2:53 AM MDT