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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Harlan County Reservoir (Nebraska). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 89°F · Low 68°F
Peak gusts: 35 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 40% · Barometer: 29.99 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Harlan County Reservoir.
Fair for boating (61/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 31 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 fishing (68/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 0% chance of precipitation. Sky is clear (2% cloud cover). 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 kayaking (60/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 31 mph. 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: No active official alerts for this lake. Air temperature 78°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 PM | 78°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 31 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 82°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 2 PM | 85°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 3 PM | 86°F | 25 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 4 PM | 89°F | 25 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 5 PM | 87°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 6 PM | 86°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 7 PM | 83°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 8 PM | 79°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 9 PM | 76°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 10 PM | 75°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 11 PM | 73°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 12 AM | 72°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 1 AM | 72°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 2 AM | 71°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 3 AM | 69°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 4 AM | 69°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 5 AM | 68°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Partly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 67°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 7 AM | 66°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 8 AM | 66°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Partly Sunny |
| 9 AM | 67°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 10 AM | 71°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Partly Sunny |
| 11 AM | 75°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
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 89. South southwest wind 20 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 66. South wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph.
Partly sunny, with a high near 89. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 67. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 85. West southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.
Clear, with a low around 55.
Sunny, with a high near 73.
A chance of rain showers after 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 55. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain showers before 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 52. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
A chance of rain showers before 1pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Mostly clear, with a low around 47.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 63.
Mostly clear, with a low around 42.
Harlan County Reservoir currently reports 79°F with wind velocity near 19 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 Harlan County Reservoir 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 GID) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Harlan County Reservoir 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 Harlan County Reservoir Water Level & Temperature page.
View Harlan County Reservoir Water Level & Temperature →