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Houghton Lake is a lake in Michigan. Its recorded surface area is approximately 20,044 acres. It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 22 feet at an elevation of about 1,138 feet. Fish documented in the area include Rock Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, and Largemouth Bass. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. If you are planning a trip, Higgins Lake, Lake Margrethe, and Lake Missaukee are also nearby. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for Houghton Lake are updated throughout the day.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 6:31 PM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (94/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (97/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 91/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the south. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 59° | 57° | 55° | 53° | 51° | 51° | 51° | 51° | 52° | 52° | 53° | 54° | 54° | 54° | 54° | 56° | 58° | 61° | 64° | 66° | 70° | 71° | 71° | 72° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Direction | N | NE | E | E | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 7 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 55°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 4% | Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 53°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 2% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 51°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 2% | 9% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 51°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 14 mph | 2% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 51°F | 10 mph E (90°) | 15 mph | 2% | 21% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 51°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 15 mph | 2% | 39% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 52°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 15 mph | 4% | 53% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 52°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 4% | 56% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 53°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 4% | 74% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM EDT | 54°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 4% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 6 AM EDT | 54°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 18 mph | 4% | 71% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 AM EDT | 54°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 20 mph | 4% | 61% | Partly Sunny |
| Sat, 8 AM EDT | 54°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 20 mph | 3% | 46% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 9 AM EDT | 56°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 22 mph | 3% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 10 AM EDT | 58°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 22 mph | 3% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 11 AM EDT | 61°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 2% | 18% | Sunny |
| Sat, 12 PM EDT | 64°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 2% | 23% | Sunny |
| Sat, 1 PM EDT | 66°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 2% | 36% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 2 PM EDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 45% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 3 PM EDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 38% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 4 PM EDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 44% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 5 PM EDT | 72°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 45% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 6 PM EDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 25 mph | 0% | 48% | Partly 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 | Tonight 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 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 50° | 73° | 57° | 69° | 53° | 72° | 53° | 60° | 43° | 59° | 43° | 59° | 45° | 56° |
| Wind | E 5 to 15 mph | S 15 mph | S 10 to 20 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | SW 10 mph | W 10 mph | N 10 mph | N 5 to 10 mph | N 5 mph | E 5 mph | SE 5 to 10 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | SW 15 mph |
| Gusts | 17 mph | 24 mph | 30 mph | 15 mph | 12 mph | 20 mph | 20 mph | 20 mph | 18 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph | 22 mph | 22 mph | — |
| Precip % | 4% | 4% | 0% | 1% | 0% | 10% | 52% | 52% | 15% | 5% | 21% | 39% | 41% | 44% |
| Forecast |
Excellent for fishing (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north. Dusk hours (18:00 local). 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 (97/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north. Gusts to 8 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 (85/100), 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. 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 8 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 MI Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Houghton Lake is an important freshwater lake in MI, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies to balance public recreation with natural resource stewardship. The waterbody offers excellent conditions for sport fishing, cruising, and paddling during favorable weather windows. Checking real-time water levels and ramp clearances ensures safe navigation along the shoreline.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is required for anglers age 17+. 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 Rock Bass, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass. 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 Houghton 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, 6:31 PM EDT