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Lake Okeechobee, known locally as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in Florida and the tenth largest natural freshwater lake in the United States, spanning 448,000 acres across five south-central Florida counties. Renowned worldwide for its legendary trophy largemouth bass and black crappie fisheries, it features extensive freshwater marsh ecosystems and premier boating access.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 9, 12:22 AM EDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Fair (61/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (73/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 81/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the east. Dawn hours (05:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 74° | 74° | 73° | 74° | 74° | 74° | 75° | 79° | 83° | 85° | 86° | 88° | 88° | 88° | 88° | 85° | 85° | 83° | 79° | 79° | 79° | 79° | 78° | 78° |
| Wind (kts) | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Direction | — | E | E | E | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE |
| Gusts (kts) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 14 |
| Precip % | 11% | 8% | 5% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 2% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 11% | 29% | 42% | 48% | 36% | 32% | 28% | 17% | 17% | 15% | 11% | 7% | 10% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 2 AM EDT | 74°F | Calm | 7 mph | 11% | 35% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 AM EDT | 74°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 7 mph | 8% | 32% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 AM EDT | 73°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 7 mph | 5% | 26% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM EDT | 74°F | 5 mph E (90°) | 8 mph | 2% | 20% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 6 AM EDT | 74°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 2% | 23% | Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM EDT | 74°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 2% | 14% | Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM EDT | 75°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 3% | 19% | Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM EDT | 79°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 12 mph | 2% | 16% | Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM EDT | 83°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 13 mph | 5% | 16% | Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM EDT | 85°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 15 mph | 5% | 25% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM EDT | 86°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 16 mph | 7% | 21% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM EDT | 88°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 17 mph | 11% | 25% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM EDT | 88°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 18 mph | 29% | 30% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 88°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 18 mph | 42% | 34% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 88°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 18 mph | 48% | 50% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 85°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 20 mph | 36% | 63% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 85°F | 10 mph SSE (158°) | 20 mph | 32% | 60% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 83°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 18 mph | 28% | 58% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 79°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 17% | 62% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 79°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 17% | 56% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 79°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 15% | 43% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 79°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 11% | 29% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 78°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 17 mph | 7% | 24% | Mostly Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 78°F | 10 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 10% | 35% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 78°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 16 mph | 8% | 26% | 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 | Today October 8, 2026 | This Afternoon October 8, 2026 | This Afternoon October 8, 2026 | This Afternoon October 8, 2026 | Tonight October 8, 2026 | Tonight October 8, 2026 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 86° | 86° | 86° | 86° | 72° | 72° | 72° | 90° | 75° | 90° | 75° | 90° | 73° | 88° |
| Wind | SSE 5 mph | SSW 5 mph | SSE 5 mph | S 5 mph | SE 0 to 5 mph | SE 0 to 5 mph | E 0 to 5 mph | SE 5 to 10 mph | SE 5 to 10 mph | SSE 10 mph | SSE 5 to 10 mph | S 5 mph | ENE 0 to 5 mph | NNW 0 to 5 mph |
| Gusts | 12 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 10 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph | 8 mph | 20 mph | 20 mph | 25 mph | 20 mph | 13 mph | 10 mph | 15 mph |
| Precip % | 82% | 82% | 88% | 88% | 81% | 56% | 14% | 48% | 32% | 67% | 52% | 61% | 61% | 18% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Lake Okeechobee. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Fair for fishing (59/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the north-northwest. Sky is partly cloudy (35% cloud cover). The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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.
Fair for boating (73/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the north-northwest. Gusts to 7 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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.
Very Poor / Avoid for sailing (33/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 7 mph, making the breeze puffy. Working against it: Wind 0 mph is light; expect limited sailing. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Fair for kayaking (73/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 0 mph from the north-northwest. Gusts to 7 mph. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. 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 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / SFWMD. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Lake Okeechobee is a well-known freshwater lake in FL, providing refreshing open water and abundant outdoor recreation. Anglers value its seasonal bite while recreational boaters enjoy expansive open water corridors. Checking active weather advisories and water temperatures ensures a rewarding visit.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) 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.
Managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Standard day-use boat launch fee ($5 or USACE Annual Day Use Pass) applies at federal recreation ramps.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, Channel Catfish. 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 Okeechobee 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, 2:00 AM EDT