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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Flathead Lake (Montana). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 9 at 3:26AM MDT until October 9 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Today: High 65°F · Low 52°F
Peak gusts: 15 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 52% · Barometer: 29.95 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Flathead Lake.
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 9 at 3:26AM MDT until October 9 at 9:00PM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Very Poor / Avoid for boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts to 17 mph. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. 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 (83/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Morning hours (09:00 local). 0% 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: Gusts to 17 mph. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: 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: 0% chance of precipitation. Wind 15 mph from the south. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Air temperature 55°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 AM | 55°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 10 AM | 59°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 59°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 20 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 12 PM | 59°F | 21 mph | SW | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 60°F | 21 mph | SW | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 2 PM | 63°F | 21 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 3 PM | 63°F | 22 mph | SW | ⚡ 31 mph | 1% | Mostly Sunny |
| 4 PM | 64°F | 22 mph | SW | ⚡ 31 mph | 1% | Partly Sunny |
| 5 PM | 65°F | 22 mph | SW | ⚡ 31 mph | 1% | Partly Sunny |
| 6 PM | 63°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 22% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 7 PM | 63°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 37% | Chance Light Rain |
| 8 PM | 60°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 43% | Chance Light Rain |
| 9 PM | 56°F | 14 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 35% | Chance Light Rain |
| 10 PM | 55°F | 14 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 23% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 11 PM | 54°F | 14 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 12% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 12 AM | 53°F | 13 mph | SW | ⚡ 21 mph | 26% | Chance Light Rain |
| 1 AM | 53°F | 13 mph | SW | ⚡ 20 mph | 28% | Chance Light Rain |
| 2 AM | 52°F | 13 mph | SW | ⚡ 17 mph | 34% | Chance Light Rain |
| 3 AM | 51°F | 10 mph | SW | ⚡ 15 mph | 31% | Chance Light Rain |
| 4 AM | 51°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 14 mph | 16% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 5 AM | 49°F | 8 mph | SW | ⚡ 13 mph | 14% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 49°F | 1 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 4% | Partly Sunny |
| 7 AM | 47°F | 1 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 5% | Partly Sunny |
| 8 AM | 46°F | 1 mph | W | ⚡ 10 mph | 18% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
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.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 67. South southwest wind 15 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph.
A chance of rain before 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Southwest wind 8 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
A chance of rain between 8am and 3pm. Partly sunny. High near 51, with temperatures falling to around 46 in the afternoon. North northeast wind 1 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain before 9pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Northeast wind 23 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
A chance of snow before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 41. Northeast wind 16 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 47.
Mostly clear, with a low around 37.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.
A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42.
A slight chance of rain before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 53.
Mostly clear, with a low around 40.
Flathead Lake currently reports 50°F with wind velocity near 14 mph from the S. 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 Flathead 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 MSO) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Flathead 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 Flathead Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Flathead Lake Water Level & Temperature →