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Lake Monona sits in Wisconsin and is classified as a lake. At around 3,359 acres (about 5 square miles), it is a mid-sized waterbody. It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 74 feet at an elevation of about 845 feet. Fish documented in the area include Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. If you are planning a trip, Lake Mendota, Lake Kegonsa, and Lake Koshkonong are also nearby. For this location, LakeRadar tracks an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Lake Monona.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 11, 11:58 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 63°F. Provisional data. Wind 10 mph from the south. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 69° | 73° | 77° | 79° | 80° | 80° | 78° | 75° | 72° | 68° | 67° | 65° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 64° | 64° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 64° | 66° | 71° | 74° |
| Wind (kts) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 9 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 17 | 16 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 11% | 9% | 8% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11 AM CDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sun, 12 PM CDT | 73°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sun, 1 PM CDT | 77°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Sun, 2 PM CDT | 79°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sun, 3 PM CDT | 80°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sun, 4 PM CDT | 80°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 4% | Sunny |
| Sun, 5 PM CDT | 78°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 24% | Sunny |
| Sun, 6 PM CDT | 75°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 7 PM CDT | 72°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sun, 8 PM CDT | 68°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 0% | 4% | Clear |
| Sun, 9 PM CDT | 67°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 10 PM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 13% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 11 PM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 15% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 12 AM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 1 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 28% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 37% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 3 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 43% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 4 AM CDT | 65°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 51% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 5 AM CDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 49% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 6 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 0% | 48% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 7 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 17 mph | 5% | 45% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 8 AM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph SW (225°) | 18 mph | 11% | 41% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 9 AM CDT | 71°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 18 mph | 9% | 36% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 10 AM CDT | 74°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 18 mph | 8% | 34% | Mostly Sunny |
| Mon, 11 AM CDT | 78°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 18 mph | 9% | 31% | Mostly 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 11, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Saturday October 17, 2026 | Saturday Night October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 80° | 63° | 86° | 66° | 75° | 54° | 68° | 49° | 65° | 46° | 58° | 37° | 54° | 35° |
| Wind | S 10 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | SW 10 to 15 mph | SW 10 to 15 mph | W 5 to 15 mph | N 5 mph | NE 5 mph | NE 5 to 10 mph | E 10 mph | SW 10 to 15 mph | NW 15 to 20 mph | NW 10 to 20 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph | W 5 mph |
| Gusts | 20 mph | 17 mph | 20 mph | 18 mph | 18 mph | 10 mph | 13 mph | 16 mph | 20 mph | 22 mph | 28 mph | 25 mph | 17 mph | 14 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 11% | 16% | 13% | 21% | 15% | 21% | 52% | 52% | 41% | 10% | 7% | 5% |
| Forecast |
LAKE MONONA AT MADISON, WI · Oct 11, 12:00 PM UTC
Good for fishing (86/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 63°F. Provisional data. Wind 10 mph from the south. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (73%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for boating (83/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the south. 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 (90/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 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 (83/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 63°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.
Renowned among outdoor enthusiasts in WI, Lake Monona provides reliable access for boating, angling, and peaceful paddling. The surrounding natural areas feature public launches and seasonal campgrounds that enhance the visitor experience. Observe safe navigation speeds and always wear a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
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 Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed Sunfish. 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 Monona 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 11, 11:58 AM CDT