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In South Dakota, Lake Francis Case is a reservoir used for time on and around the water. The water surface spans about 102,000 acres, making it a very large body of water. If you are planning a trip, Lake Sharpe are also nearby. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Lake Francis Case so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 6:48 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (93/100) 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 5 mph from the east. Dawn hours (07:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 49° | 51° | 51° | 54° | 58° | 63° | 70° | 75° | 80° | 82° | 84° | 84° | 83° | 80° | 77° | 74° | 73° | 73° | 73° | 73° | 73° | 72° | 70° | 70° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Direction | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 8 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 6 AM CDT | 49°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 15% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM CDT | 51°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 0% | 8% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM CDT | 51°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 12 mph | 0% | 9% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM CDT | 54°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 13 mph | 0% | 11% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM CDT | 58°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 14 mph | 0% | 12% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM CDT | 63°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 15 mph | 0% | 9% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 70°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 75°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 20 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 80°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 22 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 82°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 24 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 84°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 84°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 83°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 25 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 80°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 22 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 77°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 21 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 74°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 22 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 73°F | 15 mph SSE (158°) | 23 mph | 0% | 4% | Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 4% | Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 27 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 73°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 29 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 72°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 29 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 70°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 68°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 27 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
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 | Today October 9, 2026 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 84° | 68° | 92° | 65° | 80° | 51° | 65° | 46° | 64° | 49° | 65° | 49° | 62° | 44° |
| Wind | ESE 5 to 15 mph | SSE 10 to 15 mph | S 15 to 20 mph | S 15 mph | WSW 10 to 15 mph | NNW 15 mph | N 10 to 15 mph | N 10 mph | NNE 10 mph | E 10 to 15 mph | ESE 15 mph | SSW 15 to 20 mph | WNW 20 to 25 mph | NW 20 mph |
| Gusts | 30 mph | 30 mph | 35 mph | 30 mph | 25 mph | 30 mph | 23 mph | 18 mph | 17 mph | 23 mph | 29 mph | 28 mph | 40 mph | — |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 11% | 5% | 12% | 57% | 65% | 56% | 33% | 22% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Lake Francis Case. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Excellent for fishing (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. Dawn hours (06:00 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 (96/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. 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 (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-northeast. Gusts to 9 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 SD Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Lake Francis Case in SD is a popular freshwater reservoir known for its welcoming public recreation, scenic beauty, and dependable sport fishing. Multiple public access sites allow easy launching for trailered boats and personal watercraft. Park facilities and regional fisheries management are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks (SDGFP) 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 Common Carp, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Smallmouth 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 Lake Francis Case 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, 6:48 AM CDT