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Swan Lake is a natural lake located in Montana.
Updated
Alerts are published by official agencies and shown verbatim. View the official alert source.
Winter Weather Advisory issued October 9 at 11:35AM MDT until October 12 at 6:00AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Overall Fair (58/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Fishing (76/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 84/100 across these hours. Wind 8 mph from the north-northeast. Dawn hours (07:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 53° | 51° | 49° | 48° | 48° | 47° | 46° | 45° | 44° | 43° | 43° | 41° | 40° | 39° | 38° | 38° | 37° | 37° | 38° | 38° | 39° | 38° | 37° | 36° |
| Wind (kts) | 15 | 16 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
| Direction | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | SW | SW | S | NE | NE | NE | S | SW | W | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE | NE |
| Gusts (kts) | 32 | 32 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 22 | 18 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 24 |
| Precip % | 30% | 68% | 81% | 72% | 65% | 50% | 43% | 36% | 26% | 22% | 20% | 28% | 24% | 25% | 26% | 30% | 40% | 42% | 35% | 28% | 33% | 27% | 14% | 20% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 7 PM MDT | 53°F | 17 mph WSW (248°) | 37 mph | 30% | 79% | Chance Light Rain |
| Fri, 8 PM MDT | 51°F | 18 mph WSW (248°) | 37 mph | 68% | 79% | Light Rain Likely |
| Fri, 9 PM MDT | 49°F | 14 mph WSW (248°) | 31 mph | 81% | 90% | Light Rain |
| Fri, 10 PM MDT | 48°F | 14 mph WSW (248°) | 31 mph | 72% | 88% | Light Rain Likely |
| Fri, 11 PM MDT | 48°F | 14 mph WSW (248°) | 30 mph | 65% | 94% | Light Rain Likely |
| Sat, 12 AM MDT | 47°F | 10 mph WSW (248°) | 25 mph | 50% | 90% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 1 AM MDT | 46°F | 10 mph WSW (248°) | 21 mph | 43% | 93% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 2 AM MDT | 45°F | 10 mph WSW (248°) | 16 mph | 36% | 91% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 3 AM MDT | 44°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 13 mph | 26% | 87% | Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 4 AM MDT | 43°F | 3 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 22% | 86% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 5 AM MDT | 43°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 8 mph | 20% | 77% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| Sat, 6 AM MDT | 41°F | 8 mph NNE (23°) | 9 mph | 28% | 77% | Chance Rain And Snow |
| Sat, 7 AM MDT | 40°F | 8 mph NNE (23°) | 9 mph | 24% | 74% | Slight Chance Rain And Snow |
| Sat, 8 AM MDT | 39°F | 7 mph NNE (23°) | 8 mph | 25% | 73% | Chance Rain And Snow |
| Sat, 9 AM MDT | 38°F | 3 mph S (180°) | 21 mph | 26% | 80% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 10 AM MDT | 38°F | 3 mph SSW (203°) | 21 mph | 30% | 85% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 11 AM MDT | 37°F | 5 mph W (270°) | 21 mph | 40% | 79% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 12 PM MDT | 37°F | 13 mph NE (45°) | 21 mph | 42% | 78% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 1 PM MDT | 38°F | 13 mph NE (45°) | 21 mph | 35% | 74% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 2 PM MDT | 38°F | 13 mph NE (45°) | 21 mph | 28% | 62% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 3 PM MDT | 39°F | 21 mph NE (45°) | 25 mph | 33% | 69% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 4 PM MDT | 38°F | 21 mph NE (45°) | 25 mph | 27% | 77% | Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 5 PM MDT | 37°F | 21 mph NE (45°) | 25 mph | 14% | 49% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sat, 6 PM MDT | 36°F | 21 mph NE (45°) | 28 mph | 20% | 71% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
| Sat, 7 PM MDT | 35°F | 21 mph NE (45°) | 28 mph | 18% | 71% | Slight Chance Light Snow |
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 | 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 | Friday October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 37° | 41° | 28° | 32° | 28° | 39° | 30° | 43° | 34° | 45° | 35° | 47° | 35° | 51° |
| Wind | SW 3 to 18 mph | S 3 to 21 mph | NE 16 to 25 mph | ENE 10 to 15 mph | ENE 7 to 16 mph | N 3 mph | SSE 2 mph | SSW 3 mph | SSW 3 mph | SW 5 mph | SW 2 mph | ENE 2 mph | E 1 to 5 mph | SSW 3 mph |
| Gusts | 37 mph | 25 mph | 36 mph | 25 mph | 30 mph | 8 mph | 7 mph | 8 mph | 9 mph | 10 mph | 8 mph | 7 mph | 9 mph | 7 mph |
| Precip % | 81% | 42% | 43% | 31% | 26% | 11% | 3% | 1% | 7% | 22% | 20% | 5% | 4% | 2% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Swan Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (76/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Dusk hours (19:00 local). Sky is cloudy (79% cloud cover). 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.
Poor for boating (43/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: 30% chance of precipitation is possible. Working against it: Gusts to 37 mph. Active moderate alert: Winter Weather Advisory. 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 (60/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 17 mph from the WSW is in the preferred sailing range. 30% chance of precipitation is possible. Working against it: Gusts exceed sustained wind by 20 mph, making the breeze puffy. Active moderate alert: Winter Weather Advisory. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Poor for kayaking (43/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: 30% chance of precipitation is possible. Working against it: Gusts to 37 mph. Active moderate alert: Winter Weather Advisory. 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 MT Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Swan Lake is a scenic freshwater lake situated in MT, offering expansive waters for recreational boating and dedicated sport anglers. The surrounding topography influences local wind and wave dynamics, creating ideal windows for morning paddling and afternoon cruising. Consult local ramp status and safety rules prior to arrival.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) is required for anglers age 12+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Mandatory Clean, Drain & Dry inspection. Out-of-area craft require on-site Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS Quagga/Zebra) inspection or decontamination before launch. USCG life jackets required for all.
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 Largemouth Bass, Brook Trout, Mackinaw (Lake Trout), Smallmouth 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.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
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 Swan 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, 7:10 PM MDT