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Kachess Lake is a reservoir located in Washington. It covers roughly 4,540 surface acres (about 7 square miles). Other waters in the region include Cle Elum Lake and Bumping Lake. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for Kachess Lake are updated throughout the day.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 9, 1:37 AM PDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Good (87/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (96/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 88/100 across these hours. Wind 2 mph from the west. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 53° | 52° | 50° | 49° | 49° | 48° | 49° | 48° | 50° | 52° | 53° | 52° | 53° | 52° | 52° | 52° | 50° | 48° | 47° | 46° | 45° | 43° | 42° | 41° |
| Wind (kts) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Direction | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | W | W | W | W | W |
| Gusts (kts) | 10 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 13 | 12 |
| Precip % | 2% | 2% | 2% | 41% | 41% | 41% | 85% | 85% | 85% | 44% | 44% | 44% | 22% | 22% | 22% | 38% | 38% | 38% | 39% | 39% | 39% | 25% | 25% | 25% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 2 AM PDT | 53°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 12 mph | 2% | 54% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 AM PDT | 52°F | 5 mph NW (315°) | 14 mph | 2% | 55% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 AM PDT | 50°F | 5 mph NW (315°) | 15 mph | 2% | 63% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM PDT | 49°F | 5 mph NW (315°) | 16 mph | 41% | 74% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 6 AM PDT | 49°F | 6 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 41% | 82% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 7 AM PDT | 48°F | 6 mph W (270°) | 21 mph | 41% | 84% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 8 AM PDT | 49°F | 7 mph W (270°) | 21 mph | 85% | 90% | Rain Showers |
| Fri, 9 AM PDT | 48°F | 6 mph W (270°) | 21 mph | 85% | 90% | Rain Showers |
| Fri, 10 AM PDT | 50°F | 7 mph W (270°) | 22 mph | 85% | 90% | Rain Showers |
| Fri, 11 AM PDT | 52°F | 8 mph W (270°) | 23 mph | 44% | 77% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 12 PM PDT | 53°F | 8 mph W (270°) | 23 mph | 44% | 80% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 1 PM PDT | 52°F | 8 mph W (270°) | 22 mph | 44% | 74% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 2 PM PDT | 53°F | 8 mph NW (315°) | 21 mph | 22% | 65% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 3 PM PDT | 52°F | 7 mph NW (315°) | 20 mph | 22% | 73% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 4 PM PDT | 52°F | 7 mph NW (315°) | 18 mph | 22% | 65% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 5 PM PDT | 52°F | 7 mph NW (315°) | 17 mph | 38% | 71% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 6 PM PDT | 50°F | 6 mph NW (315°) | 16 mph | 38% | 77% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 7 PM PDT | 48°F | 6 mph NW (315°) | 15 mph | 38% | 84% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 8 PM PDT | 47°F | 6 mph NW (315°) | 16 mph | 39% | 73% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 9 PM PDT | 46°F | 6 mph W (270°) | 16 mph | 39% | 70% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 10 PM PDT | 45°F | 7 mph W (270°) | 16 mph | 39% | 77% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Fri, 11 PM PDT | 43°F | 7 mph W (270°) | 17 mph | 25% | 81% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 12 AM PDT | 42°F | 6 mph W (270°) | 15 mph | 25% | 75% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 1 AM PDT | 41°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 14 mph | 25% | 74% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 2 AM PDT | 41°F | 3 mph W (270°) | 12 mph | 15% | 81% | Slight Chance 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 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) | 48° | 54° | 37° | 52° | 37° | 54° | 34° | 60° | 37° | 58° | 42° | 57° | 40° | 63° |
| Wind | NW 5 mph | W 8 mph | W 2 to 7 mph | NW 2 mph | N 2 mph | NE 2 mph | E 2 mph | NW 0 to 5 mph | W 5 mph | W 7 mph | W 9 mph | W 9 mph | W 2 to 7 mph | E 5 mph |
| Gusts | 16 mph | 23 mph | 17 mph | 10 mph | 8 mph | 8 mph | 8 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph | 14 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph |
| Precip % | 41% | 85% | 39% | 27% | 27% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 19% | 46% | 42% | 14% | 2% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Kachess Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Nearby river temperature: 47.3°F at CEDAR RIVER BELOW BEAR CREEK NEAR CEDAR FALLS, WA (23.8 mi away) · Oct 9, 9:15 AM UTC
Good for fishing (85/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. 2% 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 (96/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. No active official alerts for this lake. 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 (69/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 9 mph, making the breeze puffy. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 12 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 WA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Kachess Lake is a premier freshwater reservoir in WA, offering reliable water access and productive fishing throughout the spring, summer, and fall. The lake's surface character changes with shifting winds, offering glassy morning conditions for paddlers and active afternoon breezes for sailing. Public recreation is overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is required for anglers age 15+. 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 Kokanee Salmon, Mountain Whitefish, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout. 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 Kachess 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, 2:41 AM PDT