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Lake Pontchartrain is one of the lakes LakeRadar tracks in Louisiana. It covers roughly 403,200 surface acres (about 630 square miles). Fish documented in the area include Warmouth, Redear Sunfish, and Channel Catfish. Water data on this page comes from a mapped monitoring station near the lake. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Lake Pontchartrain so you can plan a visit.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Small Craft Advisory issued October 9 at 10:05AM CDT until October 10 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS New Orleans LA
Overall Poor (53/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Sailing (63/100).
How the score is calculated →Best fair fishing window, averaging 72/100 across these hours. Dawn hours (07:00 local). 1% chance of precipitation. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 80° | 81° | 82° | 81° | 81° | 80° | 79° | 77° | 76° | 75° | 74° | 73° | 72° | 71° | 71° | 70° | 70° | 70° | 70° | 70° | 70° | 70° | 72° | 72° |
| Wind (kts) | 22 | 20 | 24 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 28 | 33 | 30 | 25 | 23 | 23 | 21 | 17 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 18 | 18 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| Direction | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | N | N | N | N | N | N | N | NW | NW | NW |
| Gusts (kts) | 30 | 32 | 36 | 35 | 39 | 40 | 42 | 42 | 47 | 43 | 34 | 30 | 28 | 24 | 20 | 31 | 30 | 29 | 26 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 |
| Precip % | 4% | 5% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 10% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 2% | 8% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 13% | 8% | 1% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 80°F | 25 mph NE (53°) | 35 mph | 4% | 92% | Overcast |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 81°F | 23 mph NE (52°) | 37 mph | 5% | 74% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 82°F | 28 mph NE (37°) | 42 mph | 5% | 88% | Overcast |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 81°F | 30 mph NNE (31°) | 40 mph | 4% | 100% | Overcast |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 81°F | 31 mph NNE (29°) | 45 mph | 5% | 65% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 80°F | 30 mph NE (34°) | 46 mph | 5% | 5% | Clear Sky |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 79°F | 30 mph NNE (32°) | 48 mph | 7% | 100% | Overcast |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 77°F | 32 mph NNE (30°) | 48 mph | 7% | 100% | Overcast |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 76°F | 38 mph NNE (30°) | 54 mph | 8% | 100% | Overcast |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 75°F | 35 mph NNE (33°) | 50 mph | 10% | 100% | Overcast |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 74°F | 29 mph NE (37°) | 39 mph | 5% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 73°F | 26 mph NNE (26°) | 35 mph | 4% | 65% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 72°F | 26 mph NNE (26°) | 32 mph | 5% | 19% | Clear Sky |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 71°F | 24 mph NNE (29°) | 28 mph | 7% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 71°F | 20 mph NNE (19°) | 23 mph | 2% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 70°F | 27 mph N (11°) | 36 mph | 8% | 82% | Overcast |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 70°F | 25 mph N (2°) | 34 mph | 2% | 83% | Overcast |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 70°F | 24 mph N (354°) | 33 mph | 1% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 7 AM CDT | 70°F | 24 mph N (354°) | 30 mph | 1% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 8 AM CDT | 70°F | 21 mph N (350°) | 24 mph | 13% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 9 AM CDT | 70°F | 21 mph NNW (339°) | 26 mph | 8% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 10 AM CDT | 70°F | 19 mph NNW (336°) | 25 mph | 1% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 11 AM CDT | 72°F | 21 mph NNW (337°) | 24 mph | 0% | 100% | Overcast |
| Sat, 12 PM CDT | 72°F | 22 mph NNW (333°) | 24 mph | 0% | 68% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 PM CDT | 73°F | 19 mph NNW (329°) | 21 mph | 0% | 34% | Mainly Clear |
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 | Monday 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) | 82° | 74° | 76° | 70° | 83° | 68° | 87° | 69° | 89° | 69° | 87° | 71° | 90° | 71° |
| Wind | 38 mph | 31 mph | 27 mph | 22 mph | 14 mph | 11 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph | 8 mph | 6 mph | 8 mph | 6 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph |
| Gusts | 54 mph | 54 mph | 36 mph | 36 mph | 21 mph | 21 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 11 mph | 11 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph |
| Precip % | 10% | 8% | 13% | 10% | 0% | 0% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 5% | 4% |
| Forecast |
Fair for fishing (60/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 4% chance of precipitation. Sky is overcast (92% cloud cover). Working against it: Wind 25 mph from the northeast. 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.
Poor for boating (43/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 4% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 35 mph. Wind 25 mph from the northeast. 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 (63/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 4% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Poor for kayaking (44/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 4% chance of precipitation. Air temperature 80°F. Working against it: Gusts to 35 mph. Wind 25 mph from the northeast. 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 LA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Lake Pontchartrain is an important freshwater lake in LA, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies to balance public recreation with natural resource stewardship. The waterbody offers excellent conditions for sport fishing, cruising, and paddling during favorable weather windows. Checking real-time water levels and ramp clearances ensures safe navigation along the shoreline.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is required for anglers age 18+. 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 Warmouth, Redear Sunfish, 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 Pontchartrain 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, 1:28 PM CDT