Loading page content…
Loading lake conditions…
Monticello Reservoir is a reservoir in South Carolina. The water surface spans about 6,700 acres, making it a mid-sized body of water. The page brings together an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. If you are planning a trip, Lake Murray, Lake Wateree, and Lake Greenwood are also nearby. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Monticello Reservoir.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Lake Wind Advisory issued October 9 at 11:18AM EDT until October 10 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Columbia SC
Overall Poor (49/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (84/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Wind 6 mph from the northeast. 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) | 76° | 76° | 76° | 75° | 74° | 73° | 69° | 68° | 68° | 68° | 67° | 66° | 65° | 64° | 64° | 63° | 63° | 63° | 63° | 64° | 65° | 66° | 66° | 67° |
| Wind (kts) | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 12 |
| Direction | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | NE | E | E | NE |
| Gusts (kts) | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 | 24 | 24 | 25 | 25 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 7% | 8% | 9% | 18% | 27% | 36% | 45% | 54% | 66% | 79% | 95% | 96% | 96% | 96% | 94% | 95% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 76°F | 8 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 1% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 14 mph | 1% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 76°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 2% | 90% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 75°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 2% | 90% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 74°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 2% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 73°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 4% | 90% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 69°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 6% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 68°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 7% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 68°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 14 mph | 7% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 68°F | 7 mph E (90°) | 15 mph | 8% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 67°F | 8 mph NE (45°) | 15 mph | 9% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 66°F | 9 mph NE (45°) | 16 mph | 18% | 96% | Slight Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 65°F | 10 mph NE (45°) | 18 mph | 27% | 92% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 64°F | 12 mph NE (45°) | 20 mph | 36% | 95% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 5 AM EDT | 64°F | 13 mph NE (45°) | 23 mph | 45% | 92% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 6 AM EDT | 63°F | 13 mph NE (45°) | 24 mph | 54% | 89% | Chance Rain Showers |
| Sat, 7 AM EDT | 63°F | 14 mph NE (45°) | 23 mph | 66% | 94% | Rain Showers Likely |
| Sat, 8 AM EDT | 63°F | 14 mph NE (45°) | 24 mph | 79% | 93% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 9 AM EDT | 63°F | 14 mph NE (45°) | 24 mph | 95% | 97% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 10 AM EDT | 64°F | 14 mph E (90°) | 27 mph | 96% | 98% | Rain Showers |
| Sat, 11 AM EDT | 65°F | 14 mph NE (45°) | 28 mph | 96% | 98% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 12 PM EDT | 66°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 28 mph | 96% | 98% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 1 PM EDT | 66°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 29 mph | 94% | 96% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 2 PM EDT | 67°F | 14 mph NE (45°) | 29 mph | 95% | 97% | Patchy Fog |
| Sat, 3 PM EDT | 68°F | 15 mph E (90°) | 30 mph | 93% | 96% | Showers And Thunderstorms |
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 9, 2026 | Tonight 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 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 76° | 62° | 70° | 66° | 77° | 62° | 81° | 59° | 84° | 61° | 84° | 60° | 80° | 59° |
| Wind | NE 8 mph | NE 6 to 13 mph | NE 13 to 16 mph | E 8 to 16 mph | S 8 to 13 mph | W 7 to 12 mph | W 8 mph | NW 2 to 6 mph | W 2 mph | W 2 mph | N 2 mph | SE 2 mph | E 2 mph | SE 2 mph |
| Gusts | 15 mph | 23 mph | 30 mph | 29 mph | 21 mph | 20 mph | 15 mph | 12 mph | 6 mph | 5 mph | 6 mph | 6 mph | 7 mph | 6 mph |
| Precip % | 2% | 45% | 96% | 98% | 92% | 16% | 3% | 3% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 3% |
| Forecast |
Good for fishing (84/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 8 mph from the northeast. 1% 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.
Very Poor / Avoid for boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 8 mph from the northeast. Gusts to 15 mph. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Boating scores are capped at 30. 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 (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 8 mph from the NE is in the preferred sailing range. Gusts exceed sustained wind by 7 mph, making the breeze puffy. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Sailing scores are capped at 30. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Very Poor / Avoid for kayaking (30/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 8 mph from the northeast. Gusts to 15 mph. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Lake Wind Advisory. Lake Wind Advisory is in effect for this lake. Kayaking scores are capped at 30. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
Loading interactive map…
Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of SC Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Monticello Reservoir is an important freshwater reservoir in SC, known for its dependable sport fishery, open cruising lanes, and scenic shoreline. Recreational boaters and anglers share its waters alongside migrating waterfowl and native wildlife. Public facilities and natural resource management are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) 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 Striped Bass, Redear Sunfish, Yellow Perch, 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 Monticello Reservoir 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, 3:32 PM EDT