Loading page content…
Loading page content…
Loading lake conditions…
Mountain Island Lake is a reservoir located in North Carolina. It covers roughly 3,281 surface acres (about 5 square miles). If you are planning a trip, Lake Norman, Lake Wylie, and High Rock 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. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Mountain Island Lake.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 9, 2:07 AM EDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Excellent (91/100) across 5 activities. Best right now: Boating (96/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 77°F from a representative gauge 6.8 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 6 mph from the north-northeast. Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 65° | 64° | 63° | 62° | 61° | 60° | 60° | 62° | 66° | 69° | 72° | 74° | 76° | 76° | 77° | 75° | 74° | 72° | 68° | 66° | 65° | 65° | 64° | 64° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Direction | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | E | NE | E |
| Gusts (kts) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 2 AM EDT | 65°F | 5 mph NNE (23°) | 9 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 AM EDT | 64°F | 5 mph NNE (23°) | 9 mph | 0% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 AM EDT | 63°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 10 mph | 0% | 69% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM EDT | 62°F | 6 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 AM EDT | 61°F | 6 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 AM EDT | 60°F | 6 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 AM EDT | 60°F | 6 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 75% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 AM EDT | 62°F | 6 mph NNE (23°) | 10 mph | 0% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 AM EDT | 66°F | 6 mph NE (45°) | 12 mph | 0% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 AM EDT | 69°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 13 mph | 0% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 12 PM EDT | 72°F | 7 mph NE (45°) | 14 mph | 0% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 1 PM EDT | 74°F | 7 mph ENE (68°) | 14 mph | 0% | 92% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 2 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph ENE (68°) | 15 mph | 0% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 76°F | 7 mph ENE (68°) | 14 mph | 0% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 77°F | 6 mph ENE (68°) | 14 mph | 0% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 75°F | 6 mph ENE (68°) | 12 mph | 0% | 96% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 74°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 10 mph | 0% | 94% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 72°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 90% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 68°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 66°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 65°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 65°F | 5 mph ENE (68°) | 9 mph | 0% | 93% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 64°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 9 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 64°F | 3 mph ENE (68°) | 8 mph | 0% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 63°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 8 mph | 0% | 90% | 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 8, 2026 | Tonight October 8, 2026 | Tonight October 8, 2026 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 84° | 59° | 60° | 60° | 77° | 59° | 69° | 60° | 76° | 62° | 80° | 58° | 83° | 60° |
| Wind | NNW 2 mph | NNE 1 to 6 mph | NNE 2 to 6 mph | NNE 6 mph | NE 7 mph | ENE 6 mph | ENE 7 to 17 mph | ENE 13 to 17 mph | SE 14 mph | SW 7 to 13 mph | WNW 6 to 12 mph | NW 1 to 8 mph | W 1 to 7 mph | W 2 to 6 mph |
| Gusts | 6 mph | 10 mph | 10 mph | 10 mph | 15 mph | 10 mph | 32 mph | 32 mph | 24 mph | 23 mph | 21 mph | 16 mph | 13 mph | 13 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 14% | 72% | 95% | 94% | 67% | 6% | 5% | 0% | 1% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Mountain Island Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
CATAWBA R AT RR BRIDGE AB NC 73 AT COWANS FORD, NC · Oct 9, 6:15 AM UTC
Nearby river temperature: 75.7°F at CATAWBA RIVER DNSTRM DECK MTN IS DAM NR MTN IS, NC (1.2 mi away) · Oct 9, 6:15 AM UTC
Good for fishing (88/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 78°F from a representative gauge 6.8 mi away. Provisional data. Wind 5 mph from the north-northeast. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (72%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (96/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north-northeast. Gusts to 9 mph. Not available from a verified source for this lake: verified water access. Confidence is high (88%).
Good for sailing (84/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Confidence is high (90%).
Excellent for kayaking (96/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the north-northeast. Gusts to 9 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 77°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
Loading interactive map…
Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of NC Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Nestled within NC, Mountain Island Lake offers extensive shoreline access and dependable waters for public recreation. The lake accommodates a wide variety of activities including waterskiing, pontoon cruising, and bank angling. Facility management and regional habitat protection are overseen by state and local natural resource agencies.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) 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 Bluegill, Flathead Catfish, Green 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.
NWS API Web Service · License: U.S. Government work · Attribution: Data provided by the National Weather Service (api.weather.gov)
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 Mountain Island 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 9, 2:43 AM EDT