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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Lake Monona (Wisconsin). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 80°F · Low 55°F
Peak gusts: 21 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 46% · Barometer: 29.98 inHg
Live hydrological sensor reading for Lake Monona.
Good for boating (77/100), 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.
Good for fishing (81/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 62°F. Provisional data. 0% chance of precipitation. 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 kayaking (77/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Confidence is high (90%).
Fair for swimming (73/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Confidence is moderate (77%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 AM | 65°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 1 AM | 63°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 2 AM | 62°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 20 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 3 AM | 60°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 18 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 4 AM | 58°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 5 AM | 57°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 6 AM | 56°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 7 AM | 55°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 8 AM | 58°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 9 AM | 62°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 10 AM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 71°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 12 PM | 74°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 17 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 77°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 2 PM | 79°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 3 PM | 80°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 4 PM | 79°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 5 PM | 78°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 6 PM | 75°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 14 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 7 PM | 72°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 15 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 8 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 15 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 9 PM | 67°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 10 PM | 65°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Mostly Clear |
| 11 PM | 65°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 16 mph | 0% | Partly Cloudy |
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.
Clear, with a low around 55. South wind 10 to 15 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 80. South wind 10 to 15 mph.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 10 to 15 mph.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 86. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph.
A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 7pm and 1am. Mostly clear, with a low around 66. Southwest wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 15 mph.
A slight chance of rain showers after 7pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 54. North wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
A slight chance of rain showers before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 68. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
A chance of rain showers after 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 49. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A slight chance of rain showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 60. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.
Lake Monona currently reports 69°F with wind velocity near 11 mph from the S. 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 Monona 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 MKX) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Lake Monona 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 Monona Water Level & Temperature page.
View Lake Monona Water Level & Temperature →