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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Whiskeytown Lake (California). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Today: High 71°F · Low 53°F
Peak gusts: 16 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 30% · Barometer: 29.59 inHg
Live hydrological sensor reading for Whiskeytown Lake.
Good for boating (88/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the northwest. No active official alerts for this lake. 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 (84/100), from 6 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the northwest. 0% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend. Confidence is moderate (72%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Fair for kayaking (62/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 7 mph from the northwest. No active official alerts for this lake. Water temperature is 51°F (combined air+water: 113°F). Cold shock hazard: sudden immersion below 55°F poses serious risk. Confidence is high (90%).
Very Poor / Avoid for swimming (25/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Measured water temperature 51°F from a representative gauge 20.3 mi away. Provisional data. Immersion shock hazard: water below 55°F poses severe cold shock and rapid hypothermia risk. Water temperature is 51°F (below 55°F). Severe cold shock and hypothermia hazard upon immersion. Confidence is moderate (75%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 AM | 54°F | 10 mph | NW | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 8 AM | 53°F | 10 mph | N | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 9 AM | 55°F | 13 mph | N | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 10 AM | 59°F | 13 mph | N | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 11 AM | 62°F | 13 mph | NE | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 12 PM | 65°F | 13 mph | NE | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 1 PM | 68°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 2 PM | 69°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 3 PM | 70°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 4 PM | 71°F | 9 mph | NE | ⚡ 25 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 5 PM | 70°F | 9 mph | NE | ⚡ 23 mph | 0% | Sunny |
| 6 PM | 70°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 7 PM | 66°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 27 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 8 PM | 62°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 22 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 9 PM | 61°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 10 PM | 59°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 24 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 11 PM | 58°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 21 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 12 AM | 58°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 22 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 1 AM | 57°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 22 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 2 AM | 56°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 20 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 3 AM | 56°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 20 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 4 AM | 54°F | 9 mph | N | ⚡ 20 mph | 0% | Clear |
| 5 AM | 52°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 21 mph | 1% | Mostly Clear |
| 6 AM | 52°F | 8 mph | N | ⚡ 21 mph | 1% | 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, with a high near 71. North wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Clear, with a low around 51. North wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 69. Northeast wind 2 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Clear, with a low around 50. North wind 2 to 6 mph.
Sunny, with a high near 75. North wind 1 to 6 mph.
Clear, with a low around 53.
Sunny, with a high near 81.
Clear, with a low around 59.
Sunny, with a high near 87.
Clear, with a low around 62.
Sunny, with a high near 87.
Clear, with a low around 60.
Sunny, with a high near 83.
Mostly clear, with a low around 58.
Whiskeytown Lake currently reports 54°F with wind velocity near 8 mph from the NW. 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 Whiskeytown 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 STO) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Whiskeytown 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 Whiskeytown Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Whiskeytown Lake Water Level & Temperature →