Lake Lanier Conditions: Weather, Water & Fishing | LakeRadar

Live ConditionsLast updated: Oct 9, 2026 • 3:16 PM

Lake Lanier Conditions

Georgia

Lake Lanier is a reservoir located in Georgia. It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 160 feet at an elevation of about 1,071 feet. At around 38,000 acres (about 59 square miles), it is a large waterbody. Research-grade observations nearby include Striped Bass, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, and Rainbow Trout. If you are planning a trip, Lake Allatoona, Blue Ridge Lake, and Lake Blue Ridge are also nearby. Water data on this page comes from a mapped monitoring station near the lake. Coverage here includes an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Forecasts for Lake Lanier come from the National Weather Service and refresh several times a day.

Surface Area59 sq miles

Max Depth160 ft

Elevation1,071 ft

CountiesHall, Forsyth, Dawson, Gwinnett

76°FOvercastFeels like 74°

Wind12 mph E

Humidity40%

UV2 (Low) • Peak 3

Photo: Wikimedia Commons contributor • CC BY-SA 4.0

24-Hour Hourly Weather & Wind Timeline

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Hour-by-hour forecast for Lake Lanier, next 24 hours
Metric	7p	8p	9p	10p	11p	12a	1a	2a	3a	4a	5a	6a	7a	8a	9a	10a	11a	12p	1p	2p	3p	4p	5p	6p
Temp (°F)	72°	72°	72°	71°	70°	69°	69°	66°	65°	64°	62°	62°	61°	61°	61°	61°	61°	61°	61°	62°	62°	63°	64°	65°
Wind (kts)	13	13	9	13	13	13	13	13	17	17	17	17	17	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22	22
Direction	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	NE	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	E
Gusts (kts)	20	19	18	21	21	23	24	25	26	28	30	31	34	36	36	37	36	36	37	37	38	38	39	38
Precip %	3%	3%	3%	4%	6%	19%	25%	34%	50%	58%	59%	65%	71%	78%	89%	91%	93%	96%	98%	98%	95%	90%	92%	96%

ForecastView official hourly forecast

Hour-by-hour forecast for Lake Lanier, next 24 hours
Time	Temp	Wind	Gusts	Precip	Cloud	Condition
Fri, 3 PM EDT	72°F	15 mph E (90°)	23 mph	3%	91%	Cloudy
Fri, 4 PM EDT	72°F	15 mph E (90°)	22 mph	3%	90%	Cloudy
Fri, 5 PM EDT	72°F	10 mph E (90°)	21 mph	3%	92%	Cloudy
Fri, 6 PM EDT	71°F	15 mph E (90°)	24 mph	4%	92%	Cloudy
Fri, 7 PM EDT	70°F	15 mph E (90°)	24 mph	6%	92%	Cloudy
Fri, 8 PM EDT	69°F	15 mph E (90°)	27 mph	19%	91%	Slight Chance Light Rain
Fri, 9 PM EDT	69°F	15 mph E (90°)	28 mph	25%	91%	Chance Light Rain
Fri, 10 PM EDT	66°F	15 mph E (90°)	29 mph	34%	91%	Chance Light Rain
Fri, 11 PM EDT	65°F	20 mph E (90°)	30 mph	50%	92%	Chance Light Rain
Sat, 12 AM EDT	64°F	20 mph E (90°)	32 mph	58%	92%	Light Rain Likely
Sat, 1 AM EDT	62°F	20 mph E (90°)	35 mph	59%	94%	Light Rain Likely
Sat, 2 AM EDT	62°F	20 mph E (90°)	36 mph	65%	94%	Rain Likely
Sat, 3 AM EDT	61°F	20 mph NE (45°)	39 mph	71%	93%	Rain Likely
Sat, 4 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	41 mph	78%	92%	Rain
Sat, 5 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	41 mph	89%	95%	Rain
Sat, 6 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	43 mph	91%	89%	Rain
Sat, 7 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	41 mph	93%	88%	Rain
Sat, 8 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	41 mph	96%	89%	Rain
Sat, 9 AM EDT	61°F	25 mph E (90°)	43 mph	98%	89%	Rain
Sat, 10 AM EDT	62°F	25 mph E (90°)	43 mph	98%	91%	Rain
Sat, 11 AM EDT	62°F	25 mph E (90°)	44 mph	95%	90%	Rain
Sat, 12 PM EDT	63°F	25 mph E (90°)	44 mph	90%	94%	Rain
Sat, 1 PM EDT	64°F	25 mph E (90°)	45 mph	92%	93%	Rain
Sat, 2 PM EDT	65°F	25 mph E (90°)	44 mph	96%	91%	Rain
Sat, 3 PM EDT	65°F	25 mph E (90°)	43 mph	99%	91%	Rain

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.

7-Day Weather & Wind Forecast

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Seven-day forecast periods for Lake Lanier from the official forecast source
Period	This Afternoon 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)	74°	61°	69°	63°	70°	62°	80°	62°	83°	65°	84°	64°	79°	62°
Wind	E 10 to 15 mph	E 15 to 25 mph	E 20 to 25 mph	SE 15 to 25 mph	SW 10 to 15 mph	W 10 mph	W 10 mph	NW 5 to 10 mph	W 5 to 10 mph	W 5 to 10 mph	NW 5 mph	N 5 mph	E 5 mph	E 5 mph
Gusts	25 mph	45 mph	45 mph	40 mph	25 mph	20 mph	20 mph	16 mph	16 mph	16 mph	12 mph	12 mph	12 mph	9 mph
Precip %	3%	89%	99%	96%	30%	21%	0%	0%	0%	0%	0%	1%	4%	4%
Forecast	Cloudy	Rain	Rain	Rain then Showers And Thunderstorms	Chance Rain Showers	Slight Chance Rain Showers then Partly Cloudy	Sunny	Clear	Sunny	Clear	Sunny	Mostly Clear	Sunny	Mostly Clear

Forecast periods from official National Weather Service grid. Detailed 7-Day & Hourly Forecast →

Fishing Conditions & Outlook

Solunar windows, water thermocline & species tactics

Score 75 · Good

Good for fishing (75/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 3% chance of precipitation. Sky is overcast (91% cloud cover). 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.

Prime Solunar Window

4:00 PM EDT – 10:00 PM EDT

Water Layer Temp

Sensor Pending

Surface Chop

12 mph

Barometer Trend

30.06 inHg

Verified Game Fish Species (6):

🐟Striped Bass🐟Common Carp🐟Channel Catfish🐟Rainbow Trout

View Full Fishing Forecast & Solunar Times →Fishing methodology →

Boating & Sailing Outlook

Surface chop, sustained knots, gusts & launch facilities

Boating 30Sailing 30

Motorized Boating

Launch Access

Very Poor / Avoid for boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 3% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active severe alert: High Wind Warning. High Wind Warning 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.

Surface state: Moderate Chop (1–2 ft)

Boating Outlook & Ramps Directory →

Sailing & Wind Trim

10 kts (12 mph)

Very Poor / Avoid for sailing (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 15 mph from the E is in the preferred sailing range. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 8 mph, making the breeze puffy. Working against it: Active severe alert: High Wind Warning. High Wind Warning 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%).

Kayaking, Paddling & Swimming

Paddle drag, thermal comfort & cold water immersion safety

Paddling 30Swimming --

Paddlecraft Readiness

Headwind Drag

Very Poor / Avoid for kayaking (30/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 3% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 72°F. Working against it: Active severe alert: High Wind Warning. High Wind Warning is in effect for this lake. Kayaking scores are capped at 30. Confidence is high (90%).

Immersion: Wear USCG Approved Life Jacket

Paddlecraft Guidelines & Launch Points →

Swimming & Immersion

Not monitored

Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.

Water Temperature & 30-Day History →

Lake Guide & Verified Facts

Visitor Essentials, Seasonal Guide & Hydrographic Profile

Lake Lanier is an important freshwater reservoir in GA, known for its dependable sport fishery, open cruising lanes, and scenic shoreline. Recreational boaters and anglers share its waters alongside migrating waterfowl and native wildlife. Public facilities and natural resource management are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.

Surface Area

38,000 acres (59 sq mi)

Max Depth

160 ft

Surface Elevation

1,071 ft MSL

Managing Authority

State & Local Authorities

Classification

Reservoir

State Jurisdiction

Visitor Essentials · Know Before You Go

Fishing Licensing (GADNR)

Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.

Boating Biosecurity & Registration

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 Recreation & Access Pass

Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.

Primary Water Recreation Profile

High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Striped Bass, Common Carp, Channel Catfish, Rainbow Trout. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.

Seasonal Recreation & Climate Windows

Summer Peak (Jun–Aug)Peak Season

Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.

Spring & Fall ShoulderPrime Angling

Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.

Winter Season (Nov–Mar)Off-Season

Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.

Get Directions (GPS) ↗Managing Authority Portal ↗

All geographical facts sourced from official agency recordsView sources →

Lake Lanier Conditions

Flood Watch

Quick Conditions

LakeRadar Score

24-Hour Hourly Weather & Wind Timeline

7-Day Weather & Wind Forecast

Water Level (USGS)

Water Temperature (Surface)

Fishing Conditions & Outlook

Boating & Sailing Outlook

Kayaking, Paddling & Swimming

Interactive Map & Navigation Radar

Coordinates and access points

Public Access & Facilities

Boating & Water Regulations

Lake Guide & Verified Facts

Official alerts

Flood Watch

Quick Conditions

LakeRadar Score

24-Hour Hourly Weather & Wind Timeline

7-Day Weather & Wind Forecast

Water Level (USGS)

Water Temperature (Surface)

Fishing Conditions & Outlook

Boating & Sailing Outlook

Kayaking, Paddling & Swimming

Interactive Map & Navigation Radar

Coordinates and access points

Public Access & Facilities

Boating & Water Regulations

Lake Guide & Verified Facts

Related Lakes

Sources and methodology