San Diego & SoCal Fishing Forums

I’m looking for the most reliable way to track wind specifically for Barrett Lake.

I usually fish out of a float tube, and as most of you know, an unexpected 15mph headwind at Barrett can turn a fun day into a brutal leg workout just to get back to the ramp. Since the lake is tucked into that canyon, the "Alpine" or "Dulzura" general forecasts seem to miss the mark on how the wind actually funnels through there.

What are you guys using for the most accurate wind/gust data?

Thinking out loud here since the wind data for Barrett is such a guessing game, has anyone ever looked into placing a Personal Weather Station (PWS) out there? A basic trail cam pointing at a wind sock or kestral 2500.

You are not kidding about winds turning a fun tube day into a cardiac event! I have been using the Dulzura information and other than the gust extremes, it seems to be the closest I’ve found. One of the regulars who is a pilot checks either Windy or Windfinder.

I use the weather app on my iphone Barrett junction. I know going in the wind will blow. You can go the way the wind will most likely come from (The dam). Then go with it back or pick up some kind of motorized help. TM, drill motor prop or oars.

The wind always seems to die down as soon as I get back to Pigs Point, just before closing. Direction and magnitude of the wind varies a lot depending on where in the lake you are. The wind in the main channel on the lake from the south is mostly driven by diurnal temperature changes. The diurnal wind is going to be strongest on clear days that are otherwise not that windy. The best would be a wind from the north that cancels out the afternoon diurnal wind from the south (dam area). Barrett Junction is the closest spot I have found for weather forecasts.

The closest weather station is an SDGE one at Barrett Junction, see https://wx.sdgeweather.com/station/BRJ . You can see the pronounced diurnal wind pattern.

Willy Weather shows a wind forecast for Barrett Lake. In my experience, the wind does down at 7 pm more than this forecast shows. https://wind.willyweather.com/ca/san-di ... -lake.html

I'll look at an app for pilots like John mentioned to get an overview, the issue is winds aloft starts at 3000 ft, not ground level.Aviation weather . Beyond that for more detail at ground level, I'd say Windy.com or the app, is the most helpful. Windy online. I'd also say most days the wind is against you heading north in the early morning, if only slightly and then definitely against you heading back to pigs anytime it starts blowing again.

Winds pick up at Barrett after around 11am - 1pm. Then it calms down again. I wouldn’t float tube across the lake around the time. Good luck with the winds . I’ve been there on the tube and it’s not cracking

Dfishin wrote: Sun May 03, 2026 2:05 pm I use the weather app on my iphone Barrett junction. I know going in the wind will blow. You can go the way the wind will most likely come from (The dam). Then go with it back or pick up some kind of motorized help. TM, drill motor prop or oars.

The drill motor for me is a must for Barrett. Becky’s to Pigs in white caps had me use all four of my 4ah batteries haha