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Mille Lacs Lake sits in Minnesota and is classified as a lake. The water surface spans about 128,228 acres, making it a very large body of water. Fish documented in the area include Rock Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Smallmouth Bass. Sitting at around 1,251 feet of elevation, it drops to a maximum depth near 42 feet. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. If you are planning a trip, Mille Lacs Lake, Pelican Lake, and Gull Lake are also nearby. Water data on this page comes from a mapped monitoring station near the lake. Current weather, wind, and activity conditions for Mille Lacs Lake are updated throughout the day.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 11, 2:02 PM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Fair (65/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (70/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 94/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the north. Dusk hours (18:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 71° | 74° | 76° | 77° | 74° | 71° | 71° | 69° | 66° | 67° | 67° | 67° | 66° | 64° | 62° | 61° | 60° | 59° | 57° | 57° | 57° | 59° | 60° | 61° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 |
| Direction | SE | S | S | NW | N | N | NE | N | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E | E | E | E | E | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 3% | 4% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 10% | 11% | 11% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 2 PM CDT | 71°F | 5 mph SE (135°) | 12 mph | 0% | 21% | Sunny |
| Sun, 3 PM CDT | 74°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 0% | 28% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sun, 4 PM CDT | 76°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 0% | 39% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sun, 5 PM CDT | 77°F | 5 mph NW (315°) | 10 mph | 0% | 58% | Partly Sunny |
| Sun, 6 PM CDT | 74°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 69% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 7 PM CDT | 71°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 8 mph | 0% | 77% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 8 PM CDT | 71°F | 5 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 9 PM CDT | 69°F | 5 mph N (0°) | 14 mph | 1% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 10 PM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph NNE (23°) | 16 mph | 3% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 11 PM CDT | 67°F | 10 mph NNE (23°) | 16 mph | 4% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 AM CDT | 67°F | 10 mph NNE (23°) | 15 mph | 7% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 AM CDT | 67°F | 10 mph NNE (23°) | 16 mph | 5% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 AM CDT | 66°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 4% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 3 AM CDT | 64°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 2% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 4 AM CDT | 62°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 17 mph | 2% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 5 AM CDT | 61°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 18 mph | 3% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 6 AM CDT | 60°F | 15 mph NE (45°) | 18 mph | 3% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 7 AM CDT | 59°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 18 mph | 2% | 77% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 8 AM CDT | 57°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 21 mph | 2% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 9 AM CDT | 57°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 22 mph | 2% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 10 AM CDT | 57°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 22 mph | 3% | 76% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 11 AM CDT | 59°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 21 mph | 10% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 12 PM CDT | 60°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 21 mph | 11% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 1 PM CDT | 61°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 22 mph | 11% | 77% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 PM CDT | 63°F | 15 mph ENE (68°) | 21 mph | 12% | 78% | Mostly 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 | This Afternoon October 11, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 | Saturday October 17, 2026 | Saturday Night October 17, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 78° | 57° | 63° | 47° | 57° | 41° | 58° | 39° | 57° | 39° | 49° | 30° | 53° | 38° |
| Wind | S 5 mph | NNE 5 to 10 mph | ENE 15 mph | NNE 10 to 15 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph | NNW 10 mph | NNW 5 to 10 mph | ENE 0 to 5 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | WNW 5 to 40 mph | NNW 20 to 40 mph | NW 10 to 20 mph | SW 10 to 15 mph | S 15 to 30 mph |
| Gusts | 12 mph | 18 mph | 23 mph | 23 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 13 mph | 9 mph | 17 mph | 45 mph | 45 mph | 30 mph | 23 mph | 29 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 7% | 32% | 60% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 9% | 34% | 34% | 16% | 4% | 0% | 3% |
| Forecast |
Fair for fishing (62/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southeast. 0% chance of precipitation. 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 (70/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southeast. No active official alerts for this lake. 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.
Fair for sailing (57/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 7 mph, making the breeze puffy. 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 (70/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the southeast. Gusts to 12 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 MN Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Mille Lacs Lake is an accessible freshwater destination in MN, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies. It offers a welcoming environment for motorboats, personal watercraft, and paddle sports throughout the warm season. Checking local water level telemetry and wave forecasts helps ensure safe boating throughout the day.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) 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 Rock Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Smallmouth 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.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
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 Mille Lacs Lake 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 11, 2:02 PM CDT