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Lake Whatcom is a lake in Washington. It covers roughly 5,000 surface acres (about 8 square miles). If you are planning a trip, Baker Lake are also nearby. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Lake Whatcom so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 2:24 AM PDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Good (82/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (84/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 91/100 across these hours. Wind 7 mph from the north. Dusk hours (18:00 local). 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) | 55° | 55° | 54° | 54° | 54° | 52° | 53° | 52° | 52° | 53° | 53° | 53° | 55° | 54° | 54° | 53° | 51° | 50° | 49° | 49° | 48° | 48° | 47° | 47° |
| Wind (kts) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | SW | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 19 | 16 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 4 |
| Precip % | 19% | 35% | 72% | 99% | 79% | 47% | 20% | 13% | 8% | 19% | 17% | 14% | 9% | 7% | 9% | 14% | 12% | 11% | 19% | 28% | 29% | 34% | 36% | 41% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 2 AM PDT | 55°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 19% | 84% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 3 AM PDT | 55°F | 7 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 35% | 86% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 4 AM PDT | 54°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 22 mph | 72% | 93% | Light Rain Likely |
| Fri, 5 AM PDT | 54°F | 8 mph S (180°) | 23 mph | 99% | 100% | Rain |
| Fri, 6 AM PDT | 54°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 29 mph | 79% | 93% | Rain |
| Fri, 7 AM PDT | 52°F | 12 mph SSW (203°) | 31 mph | 47% | 89% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 8 AM PDT | 53°F | 12 mph SW (225°) | 31 mph | 20% | 76% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 9 AM PDT | 52°F | 10 mph WSW (248°) | 30 mph | 13% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 AM PDT | 52°F | 8 mph W (270°) | 22 mph | 8% | 64% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM PDT | 53°F | 7 mph W (270°) | 18 mph | 19% | 62% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 12 PM PDT | 53°F | 6 mph W (270°) | 17 mph | 17% | 72% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 1 PM PDT | 53°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 14 mph | 14% | 60% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM PDT | 55°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 12 mph | 9% | 46% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM PDT | 54°F | 3 mph W (270°) | 9 mph | 7% | 43% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM PDT | 54°F | 3 mph W (270°) | 8 mph | 9% | 47% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM PDT | 53°F | 2 mph W (270°) | 7 mph | 14% | 60% | Partly Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM PDT | 51°F | 2 mph SW (225°) | 7 mph | 12% | 59% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM PDT | 50°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 11% | 58% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM PDT | 49°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 19% | 69% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 9 PM PDT | 49°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 28% | 52% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 10 PM PDT | 48°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 29% | 64% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 11 PM PDT | 48°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 34% | 56% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 12 AM PDT | 47°F | 2 mph S (180°) | 7 mph | 36% | 58% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 1 AM PDT | 47°F | 1 mph S (180°) | 5 mph | 41% | 73% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 2 AM PDT | 47°F | 1 mph S (180°) | 4 mph | 50% | 73% | Chance Light Rain |
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) | 51° | 56° | 45° | 56° | 42° | 58° | 40° | 58° | 44° | 56° | 48° | 57° | 46° | 60° |
| Wind | S 8 mph | WSW 2 to 12 mph | S 0 to 3 mph | N 0 to 7 mph | NNE 3 to 7 mph | NNE 1 to 5 mph | N 0 to 3 mph | NNW 1 mph | 0 mph | ESE 1 mph | SSE 2 mph | SW 2 mph | NNE 1 mph | NNE 1 mph |
| Gusts | 23 mph | 31 mph | 8 mph | 16 mph | 16 mph | 10 mph | 8 mph | 2 mph | 2 mph | 4 mph | 7 mph | 8 mph | 2 mph | 2 mph |
| Precip % | 99% | 79% | 50% | 26% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 8% | 33% | 57% | 44% | 13% | 5% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Lake Whatcom. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Nearby river temperature: 56.7°F at SKAGIT RIVER NEAR MOUNT VERNON, WA (19.2 mi away) · Oct 9, 9:00 AM UTC
Good for fishing (81/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. 19% 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.
Good for boating (84/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. 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.
Good for sailing (79/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the S is workable but not ideal. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Good for kayaking (83/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. 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 WA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Surrounded by the natural landscapes of WA, Lake Whatcom is an appealing freshwater lake welcoming outdoor recreation across all seasons. The lake provides critical habitat for native fish species and serves as a focal point for regional boating. Visitors should review current access fees, ramp operational status, and state licensing rules.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is required for anglers age 15+. 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 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 Rainbow Trout, Chinook Salmon, Smallmouth Bass, Kokanee Salmon. 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 Whatcom 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, 2:24 AM PDT