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Storm Lake is one of the lakes LakeRadar tracks in Iowa. It covers roughly 3,097 surface acres (about 5 square miles). For this location, LakeRadar tracks an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Other waters in the region include Black Hawk Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and Spirit Lake. Use the conditions and forecast on this page to decide when to go boating, fishing, or paddling at Storm Lake.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 2:17 PM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Measured water temperature 64°F. Provisional data. Wind 5 mph from the south-southeast. 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° | 78° | 80° | 81° | 79° | 76° | 74° | 72° | 70° | 71° | 71° | 70° | 69° | 69° | 68° | 66° | 64° | 63° | 64° | 67° | 70° | 74° | 77° | 80° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 17 | 17 | 17 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW | SW | SW | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 5 | 6 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 21 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Precip % | 0% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 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 PM CDT | 76°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 6 mph | 0% | 7% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 78°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 7 mph | 1% | 6% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 80°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 1% | 5% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 81°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 1% | 7% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 79°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 9 mph | 1% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 76°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 9 mph | 0% | 10% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 74°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 12 mph | 0% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 72°F | 5 mph SSE (158°) | 14 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 70°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 16 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 71°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 18 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 71°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 70°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 20 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 2 AM CDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 3 AM CDT | 69°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 0% | 1% | Clear |
| Sat, 4 AM CDT | 68°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 27 mph | 0% | 2% | Clear |
| Sat, 5 AM CDT | 66°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 25 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Sat, 6 AM CDT | 64°F | 15 mph S (180°) | 24 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 7 AM CDT | 63°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 24 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 8 AM CDT | 64°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 25 mph | 0% | 0% | Sunny |
| Sat, 9 AM CDT | 67°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 28 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 10 AM CDT | 70°F | 15 mph SSW (203°) | 31 mph | 0% | 0% | Sunny |
| Sat, 11 AM CDT | 74°F | 20 mph SSW (203°) | 33 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 12 PM CDT | 77°F | 20 mph S (180°) | 35 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 1 PM CDT | 80°F | 20 mph S (180°) | 36 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
| Sat, 2 PM CDT | 82°F | 20 mph S (180°) | 35 mph | 0% | 1% | Sunny |
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) | 82° | 63° | 87° | 65° | 85° | 62° | 77° | 53° | 66° | 50° | 64° | 50° | 64° | 46° |
| Wind | SSE 5 mph | SSE 5 to 15 mph | S 15 to 20 mph | S 10 to 20 mph | S 10 to 15 mph | SSW 5 to 10 mph | WSW 5 mph | NNW 5 to 10 mph | NNE 5 to 10 mph | NE 5 mph | E 5 to 10 mph | SSE 5 to 10 mph | WSW 10 to 15 mph | WNW 10 to 15 mph |
| Gusts | 12 mph | 30 mph | 40 mph | 30 mph | 25 mph | 16 mph | 12 mph | 14 mph | 14 mph | 12 mph | 18 mph | 16 mph | 23 mph | 20 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 11% | 3% | 7% | 22% | 50% | 62% | 62% | 31% |
| Forecast |
Storm Lake at Storm Lake, IA · Oct 8, 8:00 PM UTC
Good for fishing (87/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Measured water temperature 64°F. Provisional data. Wind 10 mph from the southeast. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (73%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (90/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the southeast. 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 sailing (97/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the SE is in the preferred sailing range. Gusts are within 3 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (90/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the southeast. Gusts to 13 mph. Confidence is high (90%).
Surface water measured at 64°F. Air and water contrast evaluate recreational immersion comfort.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of IA Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Storm Lake is an important freshwater lake in IA, overseen by state and local natural resource agencies to balance public recreation with natural resource stewardship. The waterbody offers excellent conditions for sport fishing, cruising, and paddling during favorable weather windows. Checking real-time water levels and ramp clearances ensures safe navigation along the shoreline.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) 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, Largemouth Bass. 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 Storm 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, 2:17 PM CDT