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In Arkansas, Lake Norfork is a reservoir used for time on and around the water. Its recorded surface area is approximately 22,000 acres. Other waters in the region include Bull Shoals Lake and Greers Ferry Lake. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Lake Norfork.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 4:25 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best good fishing window, averaging 87/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the northeast. Measured water temperature 53°F from a representative gauge 0.1 mi away. Provisional data. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 63° | 62° | 61° | 60° | 64° | 68° | 72° | 77° | 82° | 85° | 86° | 87° | 88° | 86° | 83° | 79° | 73° | 70° | 68° | 66° | 65° | 64° | 63° | 62° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Direction | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Gusts (kts) | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 4 AM CDT | 63°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 5 AM CDT | 62°F | Calm | 2 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM CDT | 61°F | Calm | 1 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM CDT | 60°F | Calm | 0 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM CDT | 64°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM CDT | 68°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM CDT | 72°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM CDT | 77°F | Calm | 7 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 82°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 8 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 85°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 9 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 86°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 87°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 0% | 2% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 88°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 0% | 3% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 86°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 83°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 79°F | Calm | 9 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 73°F | Calm | 7 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 70°F | Calm | 7 mph | 0% | 0% | Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 68°F | Calm | 6 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 66°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 65°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 64°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 63°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 12% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 62°F | Calm | 5 mph | 0% | 33% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 61°F | Calm | 4 mph | 0% | 48% | Partly Cloudy |
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 | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 60° | 89° | 59° | 79° | 56° | 88° | 61° | 91° | 65° | 91° | 67° | 88° | 66° | 85° |
| Wind | 0 mph | ESE 0 to 5 mph | ESE 0 to 5 mph | ENE 0 to 5 mph | N 0 to 5 mph | W 0 to 5 mph | 0 mph | SW 0 to 10 mph | SSW 0 to 5 mph | SW 0 to 5 mph | SSW 0 to 5 mph | S 0 to 10 mph | S 5 mph | SSW 5 to 10 mph |
| Gusts | 4 mph | 10 mph | 9 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 8 mph | 20 mph | 14 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph | 17 mph | 16 mph | 17 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 6% | 12% | 37% | 37% | 44% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Lake Norfork. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
North Fork Riv US of Dry Ck bl Norfork Dam, AR · Oct 9, 8:15 AM UTC
Good for fishing (81/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the north. Measured water temperature 53°F from a representative gauge 0.1 mi away. Provisional data. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (80%) 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 north. 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%).
Fair for kayaking (74/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the north. Gusts to 4 mph. Water temperature is 53°F (combined air+water: 116°F). Cold shock hazard: sudden immersion below 55°F poses serious risk. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 53°F. Cold shock reflex presents an immediate drowning risk.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of AR Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Surrounded by AR's distinct outdoor landscape, Lake Norfork is an active freshwater reservoir catering to fishermen, pleasure boaters, and nature observers. Its diverse depths and shoreline contours create productive fishing structure across all seasons. Review current launch fees and facility operating schedules before traveling.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC) 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 Bluegill, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Largemouth Bass. 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 Norfork 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, 4:25 AM CDT