Lake Conditions Portal

Plan Your Day

Welcome to Lake Tahoe. This tool can help you pick a destination or see current water conditions for where you're headed.

Water Quality

Review multi-day charts for all six water-quality parameters, overlaid across the stations of your selection.

Disclaimer: Every effort is made to ensure that all data provided within this website is accurate and timely, however, this should not be considered official and should be confirmed with other sources. This information is provided without warranty for quality or accuracy.

Hazardous conditions arising from sudden drops of water temperature in parts of the lake can occur in any season and can persist for several days. They are caused by cold-water upwellings, that are driven by strong and persistent winds. These are often at their peak after the wind has subsided. The cold water upwellings are frequently accompanied by strong rip currents and can occur even on a calm day. The 3D model provides estimates of the locations and the magnitudes of such events. Please exercise caution and be respectful of the hazards posed by a large lake in a mountainous environment.

For additional information about general water safety, visit https://laketahoewatertrail.org/safety/.

Current Measured Lake Conditions

Explore Lake Tahoe real-time conditions for water temperature and wave height from the UC Davis TERC lake data stations. Data are updated every hour.

See real-time conditions

Forecasted Conditions

Lake Tahoe's surface temperature, water currents, and wave height is modeled using weather forecasts and a complex 3D mathematical model. Estimates are provided every 2 hours, as conditions can change quickly.

See forecasts

Air Quality & UV Conditions

Air Quality (AQI)
Ultra-violet (UV)

Atmospheric conditions such as Ultraviolet (UV) radiation, Air Quality, and Particulate Matter (PM) can impact recreation. Knowing the current atmospheric conditions in the Tahoe Basin can help individuals better plan for a visit or for alternative indoor activities to minimize exposure. Check the current UV Index (updated hourly) and the Air Quality Index (updated approximately every two minutes) to know before you go.

Tahoe Facts and Trivia

Your one-stop for all things Tahoe! Basic information with new and fun information added regularly. Learn fun information when you make the Tahoe Science Center one of your top to-do items during your visit to Tahoe. Be sure to check back for all the latest updates.

Acknowledements:

Project Acknowledegment: This website was a senior design project developed by four UC Davis Computer Science students in 2022. The project was a culmination of efforts between the developers, TERC staff, and the UC Davis College of Engineering IT staff. Modeled maps created by Sergio Valbuena.

Data Acknowledgement: The TERC Nearshore Network was initially developed by former TERC graduate student Dr. Derek Roberts. Ph.D. candidate Sergio Valbuena currently manages and controls the Nearshore Network instruments and the shore-based meteorological stations that provide the data for the real-time conditions section. Data from the midlake buoys (TB1, TB2, TB3 and TB4) are provided courtesy of Simon Hook of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Funding Acknowledgement: Special thanks to TERC donors who have supported the establishment and maintenance of the Nearshore Network and the meteorological stations. Without them there would be no data. Thank you to the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board who have supported two of the Nearshore Network stations. Funding for the development of this webpage came from the Tahoe Fund.