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Smith Mountain Lake is a reservoir in Virginia. It covers roughly 20,600 surface acres (about 32 square miles). It reaches a maximum depth of roughly 250 feet at an elevation of about 795 feet. Fish documented in the area include Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, and Channel Catfish. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. If you are planning a trip, Smith Mountain Lake, Leesville Lake, and Philpott Lake are also nearby. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. This page combines the live forecast, wind, and conditions for Smith Mountain Lake so you can plan a visit.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 5:27 AM EDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (90/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (98/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 92/100 across these hours. Wind 2 mph from the east. Dusk hours (19:00 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) | 58° | 57° | 56° | 56° | 59° | 63° | 67° | 70° | 72° | 74° | 74° | 75° | 74° | 72° | 70° | 67° | 66° | 64° | 64° | 62° | 61° | 61° | 61° | 60° |
| Wind (kts) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Direction | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | NW | N | N | N | N | N | NE | NE | E | E | E | E | E | E | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE |
| Gusts (kts) | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 5 AM EDT | 58°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 7 mph | 0% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 AM EDT | 57°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 6 mph | 0% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 AM EDT | 56°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 6 mph | 0% | 84% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 AM EDT | 56°F | 5 mph NW (315°) | 7 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 AM EDT | 59°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 7 mph | 0% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 AM EDT | 63°F | 3 mph NW (315°) | 6 mph | 0% | 87% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 AM EDT | 67°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 12 PM EDT | 70°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 1 PM EDT | 72°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 2 PM EDT | 74°F | 3 mph N (0°) | 6 mph | 0% | 80% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 3 PM EDT | 74°F | 2 mph N (0°) | 5 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 PM EDT | 75°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 6 mph | 0% | 85% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 PM EDT | 74°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 6 mph | 0% | 78% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 PM EDT | 72°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 0% | 79% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 7 PM EDT | 70°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 6 mph | 0% | 81% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 8 PM EDT | 67°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 6 mph | 0% | 82% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 9 PM EDT | 66°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 0% | 73% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Fri, 10 PM EDT | 64°F | 1 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 0% | 89% | Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM EDT | 64°F | 2 mph E (90°) | 5 mph | 0% | 83% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM EDT | 62°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 5 mph | 0% | 72% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM EDT | 61°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 5 mph | 0% | 86% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 2 AM EDT | 61°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 6 mph | 0% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 3 AM EDT | 61°F | 2 mph NE (45°) | 6 mph | 1% | 91% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 4 AM EDT | 60°F | 3 mph NE (45°) | 7 mph | 1% | 88% | Cloudy |
| Sat, 5 AM EDT | 60°F | 5 mph NE (45°) | 7 mph | 1% | 91% | 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 | 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) | 56° | 76° | 59° | 68° | 60° | 70° | 63° | 78° | 60° | 81° | 61° | 77° | 58° | 72° |
| Wind | NW 3 mph | N 5 mph | NE 1 to 5 mph | NE 5 to 12 mph | NE 13 to 16 mph | E 9 to 16 mph | SW 9 mph | NW 9 to 17 mph | NW 5 to 12 mph | W 5 to 8 mph | W 7 mph | N 7 mph | NE 6 mph | E 6 mph |
| Gusts | 7 mph | 7 mph | 7 mph | 23 mph | 25 mph | 25 mph | 16 mph | 29 mph | 20 mph | 12 mph | 13 mph | 12 mph | 12 mph | 9 mph |
| Precip % | 0% | 0% | 1% | 59% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 9% | 5% | 1% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Smith Mountain Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (89/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. 0% 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.
Excellent for boating (98/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 7 mph. 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 (73/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 4 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (97/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 3 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 7 mph. 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 VA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Situated in VA, Smith Mountain Lake is a scenic freshwater reservoir, spanning approximately 32 square miles, popular with outdoor enthusiasts for year-round recreation. Boaters, anglers, and paddlers utilize public access points across its shoreline to explore its waters. Always practice clean boating protocols and monitor local weather forecasts prior to departure.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) 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 Common Carp, Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, 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 Smith Mountain 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, 5:27 AM EDT