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Official National Weather Service (NWS) point forecast and real-time wind conditions for Whitefish Lake (Montana). 24-hour hour-by-hour wind timelines, peak gusts, watercraft recreation safety thresholds, and 7-day marine outlook.
Wind Advisory issued October 9 at 11:38AM MDT until October 11 at 6:00AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Today: High 68°F · Low 35°F
Peak gusts: 9 mph · Lake surface chop expected
Humidity: 38% · Barometer: 29.98 inHg
USGS water monitoring available for Whitefish Lake.
Wind Advisory issued October 9 at 11:38AM MDT until October 11 at 6:00AM MDT by NWS Missoula MT
Very Poor / Avoid for boating (30/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 13 mph from the southwest. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. Gusts to 28 mph. Wind Advisory, Lake Wind Advisory are in effect for this lake. Boating scores are capped at 30. 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 (81/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 13 mph from the southwest. 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.
Very Poor / Avoid for kayaking (30/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 13 mph from the southwest. 0% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Gusts to 28 mph. Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. Wind Advisory, Lake Wind Advisory are in effect for this lake. Kayaking scores are capped at 30. 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: 0% chance of precipitation. Wind 13 mph from the southwest. Working against it: Active moderate alert: Wind Advisory. Not available from a verified source for this lake: water temperature.
| Time | Air Temp | Wind (mph) | Direction | Peak Gusts | Rain Chance | Sky & Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 PM | 66°F | 13 mph | SW | ⚡ 28 mph | 0% | Mostly Sunny |
| 3 PM | 68°F | 15 mph | W | ⚡ 27 mph | 1% | Partly Sunny |
| 4 PM | 67°F | 13 mph | W | ⚡ 27 mph | 2% | Partly Sunny |
| 5 PM | 65°F | 13 mph | W | ⚡ 27 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 PM | 63°F | 10 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 35% | Chance Light Rain |
| 7 PM | 57°F | 10 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 26% | Chance Light Rain |
| 8 PM | 52°F | 10 mph | W | ⚡ 24 mph | 11% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 9 PM | 50°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 24 mph | 7% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 10 PM | 47°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 23 mph | 8% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 11 PM | 45°F | 9 mph | SW | ⚡ 20 mph | 6% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 12 AM | 43°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 15 mph | 9% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 1 AM | 41°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 13 mph | 8% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 2 AM | 40°F | 5 mph | S | ⚡ 10 mph | 3% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 3 AM | 39°F | 3 mph | SE | ⚡ 7 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 4 AM | 38°F | 2 mph | SE | ⚡ 6 mph | 4% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 5 AM | 36°F | 1 mph | E | ⚡ 5 mph | 7% | Mostly Cloudy |
| 6 AM | 36°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 12 mph | 16% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 7 AM | 35°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 12 mph | 18% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 8 AM | 34°F | 10 mph | NE | ⚡ 12 mph | 25% | Chance Light Rain |
| 9 AM | 36°F | 2 mph | NE | ⚡ 27 mph | 22% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 10 AM | 40°F | 3 mph | E | ⚡ 27 mph | 23% | Slight Chance Light Rain |
| 11 AM | 43°F | 7 mph | E | ⚡ 27 mph | 30% | Chance Light Rain |
| 12 PM | 45°F | 15 mph | NE | ⚡ 24 mph | 12% | Partly Sunny |
| 1 PM | 47°F | 15 mph | NE | ⚡ 24 mph | 14% | Partly 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.
Partly sunny, with a high near 69. West southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
A chance of rain before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. South southwest wind 1 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
A chance of rain before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 50. East northeast wind 2 to 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
A slight chance of snow after 4am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Northeast wind 12 to 26 mph, with gusts as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New snow accumulation of less than half an inch possible.
A slight chance of snow before noon. Cloudy, with a high near 43. Northeast wind 7 to 12 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
A slight chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunny, with a high near 49.
Mostly clear, with a low around 26.
Sunny, with a high near 54.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
A slight chance of rain before noon. Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
Partly cloudy, with a low around 29.
Whitefish Lake currently reports 55°F with wind velocity near 7 mph from the E. 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 Whitefish 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 MSO) high-resolution numerical point-forecast API. LakeRadar uses the official gridpoint for Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake Water Level & Temperature page.
View Whitefish Lake Water Level & Temperature →