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Great Sacandaga Lake sits in New York and is classified as a reservoir. The deepest point reaches about 70 feet, and the surface sits near 771 feet above sea level. The water surface spans about 24,707 acres, making it a large body of water. Research-grade observations nearby include Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass, and Walleye. Other waters in the region include Saratoga Lake, Sacandaga Lake, and Indian Lake. LakeRadar pulls readings from a mapped water gauge, so current water data is shown when the station reports. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Great Sacandaga Lake.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 11, 1:46 AM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (87/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (100/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 89/100 across these hours. Wind 1 mph from the southeast. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 48° | 48° | 48° | 46° | 47° | 46° | 47° | 47° | 50° | 52° | 55° | 57° | 57° | 58° | 59° | 59° | 58° | 58° | 57° | 56° | 55° | 55° | 54° | 54° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Direction | — | — | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | E | E | E | NE | NE | NE |
| Gusts (kts) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 12% | 27% | 30% | 33% | 51% | 76% | 77% | 70% | 77% | 81% | 98% | 98% | 98% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 1 AM EDT | 48°F | Calm | 1 mph | 0% | 63% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 2 AM EDT | 48°F | Calm | 1 mph | 0% | 60% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 3 AM EDT | 48°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 1 mph | 0% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 4 AM EDT | 46°F | 1 mph SE (135°) | 2 mph | 0% | 60% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 5 AM EDT | 47°F | 1 mph SE (135°) | 2 mph | 0% | 43% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sun, 6 AM EDT | 46°F | 1 mph SE (135°) | 2 mph | 0% | 67% | Partly Sunny |
| Sun, 7 AM EDT | 47°F | 1 mph SE (135°) | 2 mph | 0% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 8 AM EDT | 47°F | 2 mph SE (135°) | 4 mph | 1% | 70% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 9 AM EDT | 50°F | 2 mph SE (135°) | 5 mph | 2% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 10 AM EDT | 52°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 3% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 11 AM EDT | 55°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 5% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sun, 12 PM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 12% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sun, 1 PM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 12 mph | 27% | 96% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sun, 2 PM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 12 mph | 30% | 95% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sun, 3 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 10 mph | 33% | 95% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sun, 4 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 10 mph | 51% | 92% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sun, 5 PM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 76% | 94% | Rain Showers |
| Sun, 6 PM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 77% | 95% | Rain Showers |
| Sun, 7 PM EDT | 57°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 7 mph | 70% | 97% | Rain Showers Likely |
| Sun, 8 PM EDT | 56°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 6 mph | 77% | 96% | Rain Showers |
| Sun, 9 PM EDT | 55°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 81% | 96% | Rain Showers |
| Sun, 10 PM EDT | 55°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 5 mph | 98% | 99% | Rain Showers |
| Sun, 11 PM EDT | 54°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 5 mph | 98% | 99% | Rain Showers |
| Mon, 12 AM EDT | 54°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 4 mph | 98% | 99% | Rain Showers |
| Mon, 1 AM EDT | 54°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 4 mph | 87% | 98% | Rain Showers |
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 11, 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 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 | Saturday October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 46° | 59° | 52° | 68° | 53° | 63° | 56° | 61° | 47° | 58° | 44° | 56° | 46° | 52° |
| Wind | E 1 mph | SE 1 to 5 mph | NE 5 mph | NW 1 to 5 mph | E 1 to 5 mph | SE 2 to 8 mph | SW 9 mph | W 9 mph | NW 5 to 8 mph | NW 6 mph | NE 5 mph | S 5 to 9 mph | W 8 to 17 mph | W 13 to 17 mph |
| Gusts | 2 mph | 12 mph | 8 mph | 10 mph | 9 mph | 15 mph | 15 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 12 mph | 9 mph | 18 mph | 25 mph | 25 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 76% | 98% | 21% | 22% | 73% | 84% | 28% | 17% | 10% | 35% | 57% | 57% | 32% |
| Forecast |
Good for fishing (81/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the northeast. 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.
Excellent for boating (100/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the northeast. Gusts to 1 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 (64/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 1 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Wind 0 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 0 mph from the northeast. Gusts to 1 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 NY Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Great Sacandaga Lake in NY is a dynamic freshwater reservoir offering visitors a balanced blend of public recreation and tranquil natural scenery. The waterbody is frequented by fishermen targeting warmwater and coolwater species, as well as canoe and kayak paddlers. Confirm on-water safety requirements and personal flotation device regulations before launch.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) 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 Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. 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.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
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 Great Sacandaga 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 11, 1:46 AM EDT