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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Lake Koocanusa (Montana). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 35°F · Low 31°F
Peak gusts: 16 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 62% · Barometer: 29.83 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Lake Koocanusa.
Good for boating (77/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the north-northeast. 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 fishing (84/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the north-northeast. Dawn hours (07:00 local). Working against it: Air temperature 32°F. 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.
Fair for kayaking (74/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the north-northeast. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Air temperature 32°F. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the north-northeast. Working against it: Air temperature 32°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 AM | 32°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 24 mph | 17% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
| 8 AM | 31°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 24 mph | 28% | Chance Light Snow |
| 9 AM | 31°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 22 mph | 25% | Chance Light Snow |
| 10 AM | 32°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 22 mph | 26% | Chance Light Snow |
| 11 AM | 32°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 22 mph | 28% | Chance Light Snow |
| 12 PM | 32°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 20 mph | 16% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
| 1 PM | 33°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 20 mph | 17% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
| 2 PM | 34°F | 12 mph | NE | ⚡ 20 mph | 15% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
| 3 PM | 34°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 18 mph | 13% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 4 PM | 35°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 18 mph | 6% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 5 PM | 35°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 18 mph | 4% | Partly Sunny |
| 6 PM | 34°F | 10 mph | E | ⚡ 20 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 7 PM | 34°F | 10 mph | E | ⚡ 20 mph | 3% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 8 PM | 33°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 9 PM | 33°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 22 mph | 2% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 10 PM | 33°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 21 mph | 2% | Partly Cloudy |
| 11 PM | 32°F | 9 mph | NE | ⚡ 18 mph | 4% | Partly Cloudy |
| 12 AM | 32°F | 8 mph | NE | ⚡ 17 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 1 AM | 31°F | 8 mph | NE | ⚡ 16 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 2 AM | 31°F | 7 mph | N | ⚡ 15 mph | 3% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 30°F | 6 mph | NE | ⚡ 13 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 29°F | 5 mph | N | ⚡ 12 mph | 3% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 5 AM | 28°F | 5 mph | N | ⚡ 10 mph | 3% | Partly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 28°F | 3 mph | N | ⚡ 8 mph | 2% | Mostly Sunny |
Mirror-like to gentle rippled water. Optimal conditions for paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, and beginner water skiing or wakeboarding.
Pleasant breeze with small wavelets. Great for sailing, pleasure cruising, pontoon boats, and trolling for trout and bass.
Moderate waves with whitecaps likely. Requires skilled boat handling; kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards should stay close to sheltered bays.
Steep waves, cold spray, and hazardous open water. Avoid small craft voyages. Always check official National Weather Service lake wind advisories.
A chance of snow before 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 35. Northeast wind around 12 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 26. North northeast wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 44. East northeast wind around 3 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Southwest wind 2 to 6 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 48. West southwest wind around 3 mph.
Mostly clear, with a low around 33.
Sunny, with a high near 50.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Sunny, with a high near 52.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Sunny, with a high near 55.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.
Lake Koocanusa currently reports 27°F with wind velocity near 5 mph from the E. Atmospheric forecasts and 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines are updated hourly from the National Weather Service gridpoint matching the lake's coordinates.
At Lake Koocanusa and surrounding mountain valleys, diurnal heating of the surrounding terrain causes strong thermal pressure differentials known locally as afternoon breezes (such as the Washoe Zephyr at Lake Tahoe). Wind speeds typically peak between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM before calming near sunset.
For stand-up paddleboarding (SUP), canoeing, and light kayaks, winds under 7 mph (light breeze) offer the safest, glassiest surface conditions. Between 8–14 mph, small wavelets develop, suitable for sailboats and powerboats. Winds exceeding 15 mph create steep whitecaps and rapid drift; winds over 21 mph warrant small craft warnings.
All weather and wind telemetry is fetched directly from the National Weather Service (NOAA - WFO MSO) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Lake Koocanusa without artificial smoothing or third-party estimates.
Yes. Live hydrological sensor readings, 30-day elevation histories, full-pool benchmarks, and USGS station provenance are available on our dedicated Lake Koocanusa Water Level & Temperature page.
View Lake Koocanusa Water Level & Temperature →