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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Pactola Lake (South Dakota). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Red Flag Warning issued October 9 at 12:12AM MDT until October 9 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Today: High 83°F · Low 55°F
Peak gusts: 10 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 35% · Barometer: 29.73 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Pactola Lake.
Red Flag Warning issued October 9 at 12:12AM MDT until October 9 at 8:00PM MDT by NWS Rapid City SD
Fair for boating (60/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 6 mph from the west. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active severe alert: Red Flag Warning. 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.
Excellent for fishing (91/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 6 mph from the west. Morning hours (09:00 local). 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 kayaking (62/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 6 mph from the west. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active severe alert: Red Flag Warning. 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: 0% chance of precipitation. Wind 6 mph from the west. Working against it: Active severe alert: Red Flag Warning. Air temperature 55°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 AM | 55°F | 6 mph | W | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 10 AM | 66°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 73°F | 8 mph | SW | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 12 PM | 78°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 81°F | 10 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 2 PM | 82°F | 10 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 3 PM | 83°F | 10 mph | SW | ⚡ 29 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 4 PM | 82°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 5 PM | 78°F | 6 mph | SW | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 6 PM | 72°F | 6 mph | SW | ⚡ 16 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 7 PM | 68°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 18 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 8 PM | 65°F | 6 mph | SW | ⚡ 21 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 9 PM | 64°F | 6 mph | SW | ⚡ 21 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 10 PM | 63°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 22 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 11 PM | 63°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 23 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 12 AM | 62°F | 6 mph | SW | ⚡ 23 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 1 AM | 62°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 24 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 2 AM | 61°F | 7 mph | SW | ⚡ 25 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 3 AM | 62°F | 7 mph | W | ⚡ 27 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 4 AM | 61°F | 7 mph | W | ⚡ 25 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 5 AM | 59°F | 7 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 6 AM | 58°F | 7 mph | W | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 7 AM | 57°F | 8 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 8 AM | 59°F | 8 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Sunny |
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.
Sunny. High near 83, with temperatures falling to around 78 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.
Mostly clear. Low around 57, with temperatures rising to around 59 overnight. Southwest wind around 7 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Sunny. High near 83, with temperatures falling to around 76 in the afternoon. Southwest wind 3 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
A slight chance of rain before midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. West wind around 3 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Mostly cloudy. High near 60, with temperatures falling to around 53 in the afternoon. North wind around 5 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Northeast wind 1 to 5 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
A chance of rain before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 54.
A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36.
A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 58.
Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39.
Rain likely. Partly sunny, with a high near 55.
Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 52.
A chance of rain before 9pm, then a chance of rain and snow. Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
Pactola Lake currently reports 54°F with wind velocity near 8 mph from the W. 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 Pactola Lake 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 UNR) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Pactola Lake 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 Pactola Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Pactola Lake Water Level & Temperature →