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Lake Mendota is one of the lakes LakeRadar tracks in Wisconsin. At around 9,781 acres (about 15 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. Fish documented in the area include Rock Bass, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, and Bluegill. It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 82 feet at an elevation of about 849 feet. 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. Other waters in the region include Lake Monona, Lake Kegonsa, and Devil's Lake. LakeRadar pulls readings from a mapped water gauge, so current water data is shown when the station reports. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Lake Mendota.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 10, 10:56 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (80/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Sailing (93/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Wind 10 mph from the southwest. Dawn hours (07:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 68° | 72° | 76° | 79° | 80° | 82° | 82° | 81° | 78° | 74° | 71° | 69° | 67° | 66° | 65° | 64° | 62° | 60° | 58° | 57° | 56° | 57° | 59° | 61° |
| Wind (kts) | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 19 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 19 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 20 | 19 | 18 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, 10 AM CDT | 68°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 11 AM CDT | 72°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Sat, 12 PM CDT | 76°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Sat, 1 PM CDT | 79°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 27 mph | 0% | 4% | Sunny |
| Sat, 2 PM CDT | 80°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 5% | Sunny |
| Sat, 3 PM CDT | 82°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 7% | Sunny |
| Sat, 4 PM CDT | 82°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 15% | Sunny |
| Sat, 5 PM CDT | 81°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 28 mph | 0% | 23% | Sunny |
| Sat, 6 PM CDT | 78°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 29 mph | 0% | 27% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 7 PM CDT | 74°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 8 PM CDT | 71°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 16% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 9 PM CDT | 69°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 23% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 10 PM CDT | 67°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 23% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 11 PM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 0% | 15% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 12 AM CDT | 65°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 0% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 1 AM CDT | 64°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 0% | 6% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 2 AM CDT | 62°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sun, 3 AM CDT | 60°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sun, 4 AM CDT | 58°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sun, 5 AM CDT | 57°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sun, 6 AM CDT | 56°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Sun, 7 AM CDT | 57°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 6% | Sunny |
| Sun, 8 AM CDT | 59°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 0% | 5% | Sunny |
| Sun, 9 AM CDT | 61°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Sun, 10 AM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 3% | 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 10, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 82° | 56° | 80° | 63° | 81° | 58° | 67° | 48° | 65° | 48° | 66° | 46° | 59° | 39° |
| Wind | S 15 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | SW 10 mph | N 5 to 10 mph | N 10 mph | NE 5 mph | NE 5 to 10 mph | E 10 to 15 mph | SE 10 to 15 mph | W 15 mph | W 20 mph | NW 15 to 20 mph |
| Gusts | 30 mph | 30 mph | 15 mph | 18 mph | 17 mph | 16 mph | 16 mph | 13 mph | 15 mph | 18 mph | 22 mph | 21 mph | 28 mph | 23 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 11% | 32% | 30% | 15% | 24% | 48% | 52% | 37% | 28% | 14% |
| Forecast |
Last observed: 62.2°F at LAKE MONONA AT MADISON, WI on Oct 9, 2:00 PM UTC
Good for fishing (79/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 0% chance of precipitation. Morning hours (10:00 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.
Good for boating (76/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. 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.
Excellent for sailing (93/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 15 mph from the S is in the preferred sailing range. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Good for kayaking (76/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 62°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of WI Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Lake Mendota is a premier freshwater lake in WI, 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 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) 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 Rock Bass, Common Carp, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Bluegill. 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 Mendota 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 10, 10:56 AM CDT