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Lake Nacimiento is an 18-mile-long reservoir in San Luis Obispo County, California, known as The Dragon for its shape, celebrated for water sports, wakeboarding, and white bass fishing.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 10:13 AM PDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (88/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (99/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 94/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the south-southwest. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 84° | 91° | 93° | 93° | 92° | 89° | 86° | 81° | 72° | 63° | 62° | 59° | 59° | 58° | 57° | 56° | 54° | 53° | 53° | 53° | 52° | 52° | 56° | 61° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Direction | — | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | — | — | — | SW | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 3 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 10 AM PDT | 84°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM PDT | 91°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM PDT | 93°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM PDT | 93°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM PDT | 92°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM PDT | 89°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM PDT | 86°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM PDT | 81°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM PDT | 72°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM PDT | 63°F | 10 mph SSW (203°) | 13 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM PDT | 62°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM PDT | 59°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM PDT | 59°F | 10 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM PDT | 58°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM PDT | 57°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM PDT | 56°F | 5 mph SSW (203°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM PDT | 54°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM PDT | 53°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 4 AM PDT | 53°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 17% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 5 AM PDT | 53°F | Calm | 4 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 6 AM PDT | 52°F | Calm | 4 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 7 AM PDT | 52°F | Calm | 4 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 8 AM PDT | 56°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 9 AM PDT | 61°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 10 AM PDT | 65°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 5 mph | 1% | 90% | Patchy Fog |
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 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) | 93° | 52° | 77° | 46° | 71° | 43° | 73° | 41° | 75° | 43° | 80° | 48° | 87° | 52° |
| Wind | SSW 0 to 10 mph | SSW 0 to 10 mph | SSW 0 to 5 mph | WNW 5 mph | W 5 to 15 mph | SSW 0 to 15 mph | S 0 to 10 mph | NW 0 to 5 mph | NNW 0 to 5 mph | NNW 0 to 5 mph | N 0 to 5 mph | N 0 to 5 mph | NNE 0 to 5 mph | 0 mph |
| Gusts | 13 mph | 13 mph | 9 mph | 9 mph | 25 mph | 21 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph | 10 mph | 10 mph | 7 mph | 7 mph | 6 mph | 4 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 1% | 1% | 4% | 4% | 58% | 58% | 16% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Forecast |
Good for fishing (85/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east. 0% chance of precipitation. 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.
Excellent for boating (99/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east. Gusts to 4 mph. 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.
Fair for sailing (62/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Working against it: Wind 0 mph is light; expect limited sailing. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (99/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the east. Gusts to 4 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of Monterey County Water Resources Agency. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
In CA, Lake Nacimiento stands out as a versatile freshwater reservoir valued for its fishing waters, boating access, and scenic shoreline. Whether embarking on early morning fishing runs or enjoying midday water recreation, visitors find varied opportunities across the basin. Public facilities are administered by Monterey County Water Resources Agency.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by Monterey County Water Resources Agency. 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 Rainbow Trout, Bluegill, White Bass, Black Crappie. 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.
Mild year-round outdoor climate. Uncrowded waters, active winter bass and crappie fishing, and open year-round boat launch access.
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 Nacimiento 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 9, 10:19 AM PDT