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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Lake San Cristobal (Colorado). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Hydrologic Outlook issued October 9 at 10:53AM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Today: High 63°F · Low 41°F
Peak gusts: 32 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 66% · Barometer: 29.81 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Lake San Cristobal.
Hydrologic Outlook issued October 9 at 10:53AM MDT by NWS Grand Junction CO
Poor for boating (41/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south-southeast. 23% chance of precipitation. 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.
Poor for fishing (54/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south-southeast. Sky is cloudy (75% 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.
Poor for kayaking (41/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south-southeast. 23% chance of precipitation. 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. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south-southeast. 23% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Air temperature 45°F. The forecast mentions thunderstorms, which carries a risk penalty. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 AM | 45°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 23% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 5 AM | 44°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 45% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 6 AM | 44°F | 10 mph | S | ⚡ 23 mph | 49% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 7 AM | 42°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 27 mph | 41% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 8 AM | 41°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 27% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 9 AM | 45°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 30 mph | 10% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| 10 AM | 53°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 36 mph | 9% | Partly Sunny |
| 11 AM | 56°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 37 mph | 22% | Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 12 PM | 59°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 36 mph | 31% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 1 PM | 61°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 35 mph | 38% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 2 PM | 63°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 36 mph | 36% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 3 PM | 63°F | 25 mph | S | ⚡ 35 mph | 49% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 4 PM | 60°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 33 mph | 52% | Chance Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 5 PM | 58°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 29 mph | 86% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 6 PM | 55°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 28 mph | 79% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 7 PM | 53°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 30 mph | 87% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 8 PM | 51°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 33 mph | 93% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 9 PM | 50°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 35 mph | 77% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
| 10 PM | 48°F | 20 mph | S | ⚡ 36 mph | 64% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| 11 PM | 46°F | 20 mph | SW | ⚡ 35 mph | 58% | Showers And Thunderstorms Likely |
| 12 AM | 44°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 32 mph | 28% | Chance Rain Showers |
| 1 AM | 43°F | 15 mph | SW | ⚡ 31 mph | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| 2 AM | 43°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 30 mph | 9% | Partly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 41°F | 15 mph | S | ⚡ 29 mph | 9% | Mostly Clear |
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.
A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. South southeast wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain showers before 10am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11am and noon, then showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 63. South wind 10 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Showers and thunderstorms before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. South wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. South wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Rain showers likely before 3am, then showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
Showers and thunderstorms likely. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
A slight chance of thunderstorms and a chance of rain and snow showers before midnight, then rain and snow showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
A slight chance of thunderstorms and a chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.
A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.
Sunny, with a high near 57.
A slight chance of snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.
A slight chance of rain and snow showers after noon. Sunny, with a high near 58.
A slight chance of rain and snow showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 28.
Sunny, with a high near 60.
Lake San Cristobal currently reports 47°F with wind velocity near 13 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 San Cristobal 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 GJT) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Lake San Cristobal 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 San Cristobal Water Level & Temperature page.
View Lake San Cristobal Water Level & Temperature →