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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Smith Mountain Lake (Virginia). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 75°F · Low 55°F
Peak gusts: 6 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 61% · Barometer: 29.91 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Smith Mountain Lake.
Excellent for boating (98/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 2 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 6 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.
Good for fishing (88/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 2 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 kayaking (97/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 2 mph from the northwest. Gusts to 6 mph. 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: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Air temperature 57°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 AM | 57°F | 2 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 56°F | 2 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 7 AM | 56°F | 2 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 8 AM | 55°F | 3 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Cloudy |
| 9 AM | 59°F | 3 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 10 AM | 63°F | 2 mph | NW | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 11 AM | 67°F | 2 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 12 PM | 70°F | 2 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 1 PM | 72°F | 2 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 2 PM | 74°F | 2 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 3 PM | 74°F | 2 mph | N | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 4 PM | 75°F | 2 mph | NE | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 5 PM | 74°F | 3 mph | NE | ⚡ 6 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 PM | 73°F | 2 mph | E | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 7 PM | 70°F | 2 mph | E | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 8 PM | 67°F | 2 mph | E | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 9 PM | 66°F | 1 mph | E | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 10 PM | 64°F | 1 mph | E | ⚡ 4 mph | 0% | Cloudy |
| 11 PM | 63°F | 1 mph | NE | ⚡ 4 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 12 AM | 62°F | 1 mph | NE | ⚡ 4 mph | 0% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 1 AM | 61°F | 1 mph | NE | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Cloudy |
| 2 AM | 61°F | 2 mph | NE | ⚡ 5 mph | 0% | Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 61°F | 2 mph | NE | ⚡ 5 mph | 1% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 60°F | 2 mph | NE | ⚡ 6 mph | 1% | Cloudy |
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.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Northwest wind around 2 mph.
Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. North wind around 3 mph.
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. East wind around 3 mph.
Rain showers likely after 10am. Cloudy, with a high near 68. Northeast wind 3 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
A chance of rain showers before 8pm, then rain. Cloudy, with a low around 59. Northeast wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
Rain before 5pm, then showers and thunderstorms. Cloudy, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
Showers and thunderstorms before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. Chance of precipitation is 80%.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 78.
Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
Sunny, with a high near 82.
Mostly clear, with a low around 60.
Sunny, with a high near 78.
Mostly clear, with a low around 57.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Smith Mountain Lake currently reports 54°F with wind velocity near 2 mph from the SE. 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 Smith Mountain 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 RNK) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Smith Mountain 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 Smith Mountain Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Smith Mountain Lake Water Level & Temperature →