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In North Carolina, Harris Lake is a reservoir used for time on and around the water. At around 4,100 acres (about 6 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. Nearby alternatives include Jordan Lake and Falls Lake. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Forecasts for Harris Lake come from the National Weather Service and refresh several times a day.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 4:45 AM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 78°F. Provisional data. Wind 5 mph from the north. 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) | 64° | 63° | 63° | 61° | 62° | 64° | 68° | 70° | 73° | 75° | 76° | 76° | 77° | 76° | 75° | 73° | 69° | 69° | 68° | 68° | 67° | 66° | 66° | 66° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| Direction | N | N | N | N | N | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E | E | E | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 AM EDT | 64°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 9 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM EDT | 63°F | 6 mph N (0°) | 9 mph | 0% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 AM EDT | 63°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 9 mph | 0% | 88% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 AM EDT | 61°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 88% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 AM EDT | 62°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 AM EDT | 64°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 0% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 AM EDT | 68°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 AM EDT | 70°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 12 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 12 PM EDT | 73°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 12 mph | 0% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 1 PM EDT | 75°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 0% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 2 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 0% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 0% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 77°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 0% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 76°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 12 mph | 0% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 75°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 0% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 73°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 0% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 69°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 1% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 69°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 1% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 68°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 1% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 68°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 1% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 67°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 66°F | 3 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 66°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 96% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 66°F | 6 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 3% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 65°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 10 mph | 4% | 94% | Cloudy |
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) | 61° | 78° | 63° | 71° | 65° | 80° | 64° | 81° | 61° | 83° | 62° | 81° | 58° | 76° |
| Wind | N 6 mph | NE 7 mph | NE 3 to 8 mph | NE 8 to 14 mph | E 10 to 15 mph | SE 10 mph | SW 6 to 9 mph | W 6 to 12 mph | NW 2 to 8 mph | W 5 mph | W 3 mph | NW 6 mph | NE 5 mph | E 5 mph |
| Gusts | 9 mph | 13 mph | 12 mph | 28 mph | 29 mph | 21 mph | 21 mph | 20 mph | 15 mph | 8 mph | 7 mph | 9 mph | 8 mph | 7 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 7% | 61% | 98% | 98% | 70% | 6% | 6% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% |
| Forecast |
FALLS LAKE ABOVE DAM NR FALLS, NC · Oct 8, 9:45 PM UTC
Excellent for fishing (90/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 78°F. Provisional data. Wind 5 mph from the north. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (73%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (96/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north. Gusts to 9 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.
Good for sailing (84/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (96/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north. Gusts to 9 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 78°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of NC Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Harris Lake is a scenic freshwater reservoir situated in NC, offering expansive waters for recreational boating and dedicated sport anglers. The surrounding topography influences local wind and wave dynamics, creating ideal windows for morning paddling and afternoon cruising. Consult local ramp status and safety rules prior to arrival.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) 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 Rainbow Trout, Green Sunfish, Bluegill, Yellow Perch. 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.
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 Harris 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 9, 4:45 AM EDT