Lake Barkley
Current Conditions
Report Generated:Sep 18, 2026, 4:19 PM
Weather Location: Prizer Point
Lake Barkley location map
Click Map to Open Google Maps — Prizer Point
LCAS
🎣Bite: Fair🌊Lake: Falling
🚤Boating: Heat Caution⛈️Storm: Guarded
 
🚨 Current Weather Alerts
Heat Advisory
NWS Paducah KY
WHAT: Heat index values up to around 105 degrees can be expected.
WHERE: all of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri.
WHEN: Until 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ Sunday.
Conditions can change quickly on open water. Review this alert before launching or staying out on the lake.
🎣 Fishing Intelligence
AI-Powered Lake and Species Analysis
 
AI Read:5.5 Fair Fishing conditions are fair with good current and solid generation supporting activity. Water clarity is normal and water temperature is warm at 89°F. The pool is fast-falling which may influence fish behavior.
Bite Drivers: falling pressure, moving water, flow increasing
Bite Score Watch: Bite score improving with increasing flow
Catfish Catfish 6.2 current edges
Catfish fishing is fair and currently the best option. Strong generator influence and discharge rates support active feeding, with solunar and moon phases adding to the potential.
Bass Bass 5.7 target shade
Bass fishing is fair with positive influences from generators and wind. Expect consistent activity near major solunar periods despite some stage-related challenges.
Crappie Crappie 5.3 stable cover
Crappie fishing is fair with favorable clarity and discharge conditions. Some stage decline may affect bite timing, but solunar factors support decent action.
Top Opportunity:Catfish/Bass
Bite Hint:Catfishset up well with moving water—target current edges, channel seams, and downstream holding lanes.
Best Window: The best fishing window aligns with major solunar periods, enhancing bite opportunities across species.
🎯 Today’s Plan:Catfishkey on current seams, channel edges, and moving-water holding lanes where fish can sit just out of the strongest flow.
Backup Plan:Basspivot to wind-blown banks, shade, and feeding lanes if the primary pattern stalls.
Caution:Heat advisory in effect. Stay hydrated, limit prolonged sun exposure, and review the alert details before heading out.
🎣 Fishing Fact: A swimbait presentation around docks is a reliable way to learn where sauger are setting up in all.
 
🚤 Boating
Lake Insight: Light-to-moderate breeze should keep the lake from feeling too flat while still allowing generally comfortable travel. The lake setup looks fairly normal overall, with sensible route choice and awareness of exposed water likely being the biggest factors.
Conditions: 🟨 Heat Caution ( Wind 4 mph, Gusts 10 mph )
Caution:Official heat alert active. Plan for heat exposure, stay hydrated, and review the alert details before spending extended time on the lake.
Water Level: Seasonal drawdown is underway as Winter Pool approaches. Use extra awareness around shallow flats, points, creek mouths, and unfamiliar water;monitor sonar or depth readings when available.
Safety: Carry spare dock lines because frayed rope is a weak point you usually discover at the worst time.
 
🌊 Water
Upper Stage:355.59 ftFalling (▼ -0.11 ft vs ~24h ago)
Normal Stage: 355.50 ft (0.20 ft above normal)
Summer Pool 359.0 ft — May 1 to July 4 DRAWDOWN UNDERWAY
Winter Pool 354.0 ft — Dec 1 to Mar 31 APPROACHING
Discharge:9,100 cfsRising (▲ +100 cfs vs ~24h ago)
Forecast:
Today: 355.5–355.6 ft  • Flow 9,100–20,830 cfs
Sat 9/19: 355.4–355.7 ft  • Flow 9,100–20,830 cfs
TVA River Forecast Center forecast
Latest Reading: 9/18/2026, 3:30:00 PM — 0h 49m old USACE CWMS — Lake Barkley
Generators:
Generators Running: 2 (4 Available Generators)
09/18/2026: Midnight - 2 PM CDT — 1 generator
09/18/2026: 2 PM - 7 PM CDT — 2 or more generators
09/18/2026: 7 PM - Midnight CDT — 1 generator
09/19/2026: Midnight - 2 PM CDT — 1 generator
09/19/2026: 2 PM - 7 PM CDT — 2 or more generators
09/19/2026: 7 PM - Midnight CDT — 1 generator
(TVA supplied)
Water Temp:Regional Water Temp: 89°F (Normal:78°F) (TVA supplied, Kentucky Lake Temperature)
Clarity: Normal (Lake Barkley — TVA supplied)
<
10 Day Stage Preview
Full 30 Day Chart below
 
☀️ Sun & Moon
Light windows, moon phase, and solunar timing
Sun
Sunrise: 6:36 AM Sunrise and sunset arc
Sunset: 6:55 PM
UV Index: 2.8 Moderate  
Moon
Phase:First Quarter46% 🌓
Moon Age: 7 days
Solunar:Major:
11:53 AM–1:53 PM
10:56 PM–12:56 AM

Minor:
6:08 PM–7:38 PM
5:11 AM–6:41 AM
 
🌦️ Weather
Today, Tomorrow, Wind, Rain, Pressure, and Alerts
☀️
Today
Current + Next 24 Hours
Current: Clear Sky
Storm Risk: Guarded — Falling Pressure
Forecast:
Afternoon: Clear
Evening: Clear
Temp: 99.0 °F feels like 111.6 °F
High: 98.4 °F
Low: 72.7 °F
 
 Next 8 Hours Temperature
 
5 PM
98°
Feels
111°
6 PM
97°
Feels
109°
7 PM
92°
Feels
104°
8 PM
84°
Feels
91°
9 PM
78°
Feels
79°
10 PM
76°
Feels
77°
11 PM
75°
Feels
76°
12 AM
74°
Feels
75°
Wind
Current Wind
Speed:4.3 mph
Direction:W (268°) →
Gusts:10.3 mph
 
24-Hour Wind Forecast
Average Speed: 2.9 mph
Average Direction: SW (219°) ↗
Peak Gust: 14.0 mph
  Next 8 Hours Wind  
4 PM
→
W
4 mph
Gusts
10 mph
5 PM
→
W
4 mph
Gusts
9 mph
6 PM
→
W
2 mph
Gusts
4 mph
7 PM
→
WNW
3 mph
Gusts
4 mph
8 PM
↘
WNW
3 mph
Gusts
4 mph
9 PM
↙
NE
2 mph
Gusts
3 mph
10 PM
←
ENE
3 mph
Gusts
5 mph
11 PM
↖
SE
2 mph
Gusts
4 mph
Precipitation 
Chance:0%
Total Next 24h: 0.00 in (0.0 mm)
  Next 8 Hours Precipitation  
4 PM
☀️
0%
5 PM
☀️
0%
6 PM
☀️
0%
7 PM
🌙
0%
8 PM
☁️
0%
9 PM
🌙
0%
10 PM
🌙
0%
11 PM
🌙
0%
Humidity: 100%
Barometric Pressure: 1017 hPa (30.03 inHg)
Trend:▼ Falling
Change:▼ -8.0 hPa vs 24h
Today's Current Conditions:
Weather conditions:clear temp:99.0 °f (feels like:111.6 °f) min/max:72.5 °f / 99.0 °f pressure:1017 hpa humidity:100% wind:4.3 mph (gust:10.3 mph)
☀️
Tomorrow
24 Hour Window
Conditions: Clear
Forecast:
Morning: Clear
Afternoon: Clear
Evening: Clear
Night: Clear
High: 97.0 °F
Low: 72.7 °F
Wind
Daytime Wind
Average Speed: 4.1 mph
Average Direction: W (268°) →
Peak Gust: 14.0 mph
 
Full-Day Wind Forecast
Average Speed: 2.8 mph
Average Direction: SSW (204°) ↗
Peak Gust: 14.0 mph
Precipitation
Chance: 0%
Total Tomorrow: 0.00 in (0.0 mm)
Humidity: 65%
Tomorrow's Forecast:
Clear conditions dominate much of the day, with clear during the evening and clear at night.
  5-Day Forecast  
Sat
☀️
97° /73°
0%
Sun
☁️
94° /71°
0%
Mon
🌦️
91° /76°
33%
0.03"
Tue
🌦️
74° /69°
100%
0.26"
Wed
🌦️
71° /66°
37%
0.02"
 
🏞️ Lake Barkley Facts
Local insight and fishing knowledge
During peak lake days, traffic, parking, and shoreline noise tend to rise significantly around the state park areas of Lake Barkley, particularly due to the influx of visitors enjoying recreational activities and events, which can affect the overall tranquility of the natural environment.
 
🐟 Lake Barkley Species &Regulations
Daily species spotlight plus quick-reference fishing regulations.
Species Spotlight:Lake Barkley Fishing Spotlight
Lake Barkley Fishing Spotlight
2026 Official Fishing Regulations
Lake Barkley 2026 Official Fishing Regulations
Always verify current rules with official Kentucky and Tennessee wildlife resources before fishing.
 
📍 Current Events
Local happenings around Lake Barkley within 35 miles of Prizer Point.
Today
  • Steven Green Live at Tiki Turtle
    September 18, 2026 – 6:30 – 9:30 pm
    Tiki Turtle at Green Turtle Bay Resort, Grand Rivers, KY
    Live music performance by Steven Green at the Tiki Turtle bar at Green Turtle Bay Resort on Kentucky Lake. No...
  • Friday Planetarium Events at Golden Pond Planetarium
    Friday, September 18, 2026 – Various Times (10:00 am through close)
    Golden Pond Planetarium, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Golde…
    Daily planetarium showings at Golden Pond Planetarium in Land Between the Lakes, with multiple astronomy...
  • Femme Fridays at Boyd's Tavern
    September 18, 2026 @ 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
    Boyd's Tavern, Cadiz, KY
    Femme Fridays is Boyd’s Tavern’s weekly celebration of female singer-songwriters.
  • + 1 more event found.
Tomorrow
  • Third Time Around Live at Echo Charlie's
    Saturday, September 19, 2026 – 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm
    Echo Charlie's at Eddy Creek Resort, Eddyville, KY
    Live music by Third Time Around at Echo Charlie's at Eddy Creek Resort on Lake Barkley.
  • Steven Green Live at Tiki Turtle
    September 19, 2026 – 6:30 – 9:30 pm
    Tiki Turtle at Green Turtle Bay Resort, Grand Rivers, KY
    Live music at Green Turtle Bay's Tiki Turtle bar on Kentucky Lake. No cover charge.
  • Lasers &Music at Golden Pond Planetarium – Taylor Swift &Laser X
    September 19, 2026 – Taylor Swift at 5:30 pm;Laser X:90’s Alternative Rock at…
    Golden Pond Planetarium, Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Golde…
    Special Lasers &Music shows at Golden Pond Planetarium featuring a Taylor Swift laser show at 5:30 pm and...
  • + 1 more event found.
🚨 Emergency Phone Numbers
Important emergency, towing, and local marina contacts for Lake Barkley.
Emergency: 911 — Life-threatening danger, injury, fire, or medical emergency.
KY Fish &Wildlife Law Enforcement: 1-800-252-5378 — On-water law enforcement or violations.
Marine VHF Distress: Channel 16 — Marine distress channel when VHF is available.
TowBoatUS Dispatch: 1-800-391-4869 — 24/7 towing and on-water assistance.
BoatUS Towing: 1-800-888-4869 — Alternate towing assistance.
Green Turtle Bay Marina: 270-362-8364 — Grand Rivers area.
Kuttawa Harbor Marina: 270-388-9563 — Kuttawa area.
Lake Barkley State Resort Park Marina: 270-924-1900 — Cadiz area.
For immediate danger, always call 911 first. Marina and towing numbers are for non-emergency assistance only.
🏆 Lake Barkley Water Records
Historic lake level and discharge records.
Record High Pool: 372.49' — 5/04/2011
Record Low Pool: 352.3' — 4/19/1982
Record Discharge: 303,000 cfs — 5/04/2011
Lower Gauge Record High: 350.8' — 5/04/2011
Lake Conditions Authority Service™
 
Professional lake intelligence delivering real-time water levels, weather analysis, trend tracking, and fishing-impact insights for Lake Barkley &Kentucky Lake.
Information is aggregated automatically from trusted public data providers including USGS, TVA, and regional weather services. Data may occasionally be delayed, incomplete, or temporarily unavailable.
This report is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for official navigation, safety, or weather advisories.
© 2026 Lake Conditions Authority Service™ | Powered by Magic-Flow.ai