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Imperial Reservoir sits in Arizona and is classified as a reservoir. It covers roughly 5,756 surface acres (about 9 square miles). Fish documented in the area include Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, and Common Carp. 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. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Imperial Reservoir so you can plan a visit.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Wind Advisory issued October 8 at 11:18PM MST until October 11 at 5:00PM MST by NWS Phoenix AZ
Overall Poor (48/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (82/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 89/100 across these hours. Wind 0 mph from the northwest. Dawn hours (07:00 local). 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) | 85° | 83° | 82° | 80° | 79° | 79° | 78° | 82° | 89° | 93° | 97° | 99° | 101° | 102° | 103° | 104° | 102° | 101° | 98° | 94° | 91° | 89° | 87° | 85° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Direction | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | E | SE | S | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | — | — |
| Gusts (kts) | 4 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 5 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 1 AM MST | 85°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 2 AM MST | 83°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 4% | Clear |
| Fri, 3 AM MST | 82°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 4 AM MST | 80°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM MST | 79°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM MST | 79°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 9% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM MST | 78°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM MST | 82°F | Calm | 7 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM MST | 89°F | Calm | 7 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM MST | 93°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 9 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM MST | 97°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 12 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM MST | 99°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM MST | 101°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM MST | 102°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 16 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM MST | 103°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 16 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM MST | 104°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 16 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM MST | 102°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 15 mph | 1% | 5% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM MST | 101°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 13 mph | 2% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM MST | 98°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 10 mph | 2% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM MST | 94°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 10 mph | 2% | 9% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM MST | 91°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 2% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM MST | 89°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 9 mph | 2% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM MST | 87°F | Calm | 7 mph | 2% | 5% | Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM MST | 85°F | Calm | 6 mph | 2% | 11% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM MST | 84°F | Calm | 6 mph | 2% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
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) | 78° | 104° | 78° | 93° | 73° | 84° | 65° | 79° | 59° | 77° | 57° | 81° | 60° | 85° |
| Wind | 0 mph | ESE 0 to 5 mph | S 0 to 5 mph | SE 0 to 10 mph | SSE 5 to 25 mph | S 15 to 25 mph | WNW 5 to 10 mph | WSW 5 to 10 mph | W 5 to 15 mph | WNW 5 to 10 mph | NW 0 to 5 mph | NNW 5 to 10 mph | NNW 0 to 5 mph | N 5 to 10 mph |
| Gusts | 6 mph | 16 mph | 13 mph | 25 mph | 45 mph | 40 mph | 25 mph | 25 mph | 35 mph | 25 mph | 15 mph | 25 mph | 17 mph | 25 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 1% | 2% | 23% | 78% | 78% | 29% | 4% | 7% | 3% | 3% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Forecast |
Good for fishing (82/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the northwest. 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 boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 5 mph. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. 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.
Very Poor / Avoid for sailing (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 5 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Wind 0 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Sailing scores are capped at 30. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Very Poor / Avoid for kayaking (30/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 5 mph. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. 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.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of AZ Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Nestled in AZ, Imperial Reservoir is an attractive freshwater reservoir celebrated for its open water, scenic shoreline, and productive sport fishery. From spring pre-spawn fishing to peak summer watersports, the lake remains a popular regional destination. Keep watercraft clean, drained, and dry to safeguard this aquatic resource.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is required for anglers age 10+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
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 Channel Catfish, Flathead Catfish, Smallmouth Bass, Common Carp. 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.
NWS API Web Service · License: U.S. Government work · Attribution: Data provided by the National Weather Service (api.weather.gov)
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 Imperial Reservoir 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, 1:12 AM MST