Lake Wind Advisory
Reviewed • Standard Hydrology Definition • WaterLakeLevel
# Lake Wind Advisory
A Lake Wind Advisory is issued by local National Weather Service forecast offices for inland lakes and reservoirs when sustained winds are expected to reach between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph.
Unlike open ocean swells with long wavelengths, lake wind waves have short wavelengths (steep chop). These tight, breaking waves can:
- Swamp flat-bottomed jon boats and small runabouts.
- Catch the high sidewalls of pontoon boats, making docking virtually impossible without collision damage.
- Cause rapid fatigue and hypothermia risk for paddleboarders and kayakers.
An inland weather warning issued by the NWS when sustained winds over lakes make boating and navigation hazardous.
Understanding Lake Wind Advisories
A Lake Wind Advisory is issued by local National Weather Service forecast offices for inland lakes and reservoirs when sustained winds are expected to reach between 15 and 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph.
Why Lake Winds Are Hazardous
Unlike open ocean swells with long wavelengths, lake wind waves have short wavelengths (steep chop). These tight, breaking waves can:
- Swamp flat-bottomed jon boats and small runabouts.
- Catch the high sidewalls of pontoon boats, making docking virtually impossible without collision damage.
- Cause rapid fatigue and hypothermia risk for paddleboarders and kayakers.
Explore Other Hydrology & Boating Terms
Acre-Foot
A volumetric water unit representing the amount of water required to cover one acre of land to a depth of one foot.
Conservation Pool
The volume of water stored in a reservoir dedicated to beneficial uses such as drinking water, power, and recreation.
Datum
A reference surface or mathematical baseline from which vertical elevations or geographic coordinates are reckoned.
Dead Pool
The critical low-water elevation below which water cannot flow downstream through gravity outlets.
Drawdown
The deliberate or natural reduction of a lake or reservoir water surface elevation.
Evaporation Loss
The invisible volumetric loss of water from a lake surface into the atmosphere caused by heat, sun, and dry winds.