Today
Wednesday, Aug 19
6.9/10
Partial
Sunny
90°72°
Wind3 mph NWRain3%Clouds12%Moon40%
Maryland · River fishing forecast
Potomac River near Washington fishing forecast today
Current conditions plus a 7-day fishing outlook for Potomac River near Washington, including Fishing Score, wind, pressure, clouds, rain chance and moon phase, with live USGS water observations, recent trends and long-term seasonal context where available.
8.0/10
Good
Current Fishing Score
Weather-based index with a long-term USGS river-flow check. Current water adjustment: 0.0.
100% weather data coverageFull inputsUSGS flow adjustment 0.0
Air temperature
80°F
Wind
3 mph NW
Pressure
29.94 inHg
Nearby NWS observation
Cloud cover
5%
Rain chance
1%
Moon
Waxing Crescent
Water temp
82.2°F
USGS observation
Gusts
6 mph
Humidity
58%
Weather data updated: Aug 19, 2026, 7:53 AM EDT
Live water data
Potomac River near Washington water temperature and USGS river conditions
Current observations with 24-hour, 7-day, recent 30-day and long-term seasonal context from the verified reference station.
Potomac River Near Wash, DC Little Falls Pump StaUSGS-01646500 · about 0.0 mi from forecast point
Water temperature82.2°FUSGS 00010
24hSteady+0.4°F7 daysSteady-0.7°F30-day contextNear 30-day median83.7°F medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median82.8°F median · 30 years
Streamflow2,900 cfsUSGS 00060
24hStable+4%7 daysStable+4%30-day contextAbove 30-day median2,425 cfs medianSeasonal baselineNear seasonal median2,825 cfs median · 96 years
Gage height3.01 ftUSGS 00065
24hStable+0.02 ft7 daysStable+0.02 ft
Fishing Score water checkCurrent streamflow is about 3% from the long-term seasonal median based on 96 approved same-day observations. No score penalty applied.
Latest supported observation: Aug 19, 9:50 AM EDTSeasonal baseline uses approved USGS day-of-year statistics; 30-day context remains a separate recent median. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to the same-calendar-day streamflow baseline, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow can only reduce the current score; it never adds bonus points.
Plan the week
Potomac River near Washington 7-day fishing forecast
Compare day-level Fishing Scores with wind, rain risk, pressure and temperatures for the next seven days.
Forecast data coverageDaily weather-score coverage is 72%. NWS forecast pressure is unavailable for these periods, so the daily scores are partial.
Best available weather score · partialSunday, Aug 23 · 8.1/10
Thu
Thursday, Aug 20
6.5/10
Partial
Chance Rain Showers then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
86°68°
Wind3 mph ENERain73%Clouds58%Moon50%
Fri
Friday, Aug 21
7.3/10
Partial
Chance Rain Showers
85°68°
Wind4 mph ENERain49%Clouds56%Moon61%
Sat
Saturday, Aug 22
7.0/10
Partial
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
85°69°
Wind3 mph ESERain54%Clouds75%Moon71%
Sun
Sunday, Aug 23
8.1/10
Partial
Mostly Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
87°67°
Wind5 mph WRain23%Clouds46%Moon80%
Mon
Monday, Aug 24
7.9/10
Partial
Sunny
86°66°
Wind5 mph NWRain3%Clouds23%Moon88%
Tue
Tuesday, Aug 25
8.0/10
Partial
Sunny
86°67°
Wind5 mph NNERain23%Clouds30%Moon94%
The large Current Fishing Score above uses current conditions and, on eligible river pages, can include a conservative USGS streamflow penalty. The seven daily cards remain weather-only because this site does not predict future river flow. Cards marked “Partial” use less than 90% of the weighted weather inputs.
Potomac River near Washington fishing conditions overview
The current weather inputs produce a good weather-based Fishing Score. Local fish activity can still vary by species, depth, water temperature and recent weather.
Estimated activity windows: 5:41 AM–7:56 AM and 6:30 PM–8:45 PM local time. These are dawn/dusk windows, not guaranteed bite times.
Best fishing time today: estimated windows
The first estimated window runs from 5:41 AM–7:56 AM, around sunrise at 6:26 AM. The second runs from 6:30 PM–8:45 PM, around sunset at 8:00 PM. Lower light can change visibility and fish positioning, but actual feeding periods vary by species, season and water conditions.
Potomac River near Washington fishing: structure, seasons and local conditions
Potomac reach around Little Falls with rocky ledges, current breaks and a transition toward tidal water downstream. The forecast becomes more useful when it is read through ledges and sharp depth changes, together with rocky banks, ledges and hard breaks, where depth, current or wind exposure can differ within the same location. This reach has tidal influence, so river flow is only part of the water movement. Current direction and strength can shift with the tide, especially around channel edges and constricted structure.
Seasonal change at Potomac River near Washington is best treated as a sequence of warming, peak-summer and cooling periods. Each transition can change depth use, current preference and the value of shoreline cover. The seven-day forecast helps identify short weather shifts inside that cycle, but water temperature, flow or level should be checked whenever a reliable local observation is available. For a river trip, compare the forecast with ledges and sharp depth changes; rocky banks, ledges and hard breaks; and current seams and slower-water edges. A rising or falling river can move the best-looking water even when the air weather remains favorable.
Common targets at Potomac River near Washington include Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, and Striped bass. They do not use depth, current and cover in exactly the same way, so the Fishing Score remains a conditions index rather than a species-specific bite prediction. This page also has a manually mapped USGS reference station, so fresh water temperature, flow or level can be shown when that station reports a supported sensor.
What to watch in today's conditions
Wind
Current wind is about 3 mph from NW, with gusts near 6 mph. Crosswind and gusts can change boat control and presentation, while bends and protected banks may remain much calmer.
Barometric pressure
Barometric pressure is about 29.94 inHg. Pressure is one part of the Fishing Score and is read together with wind, cloud cover and precipitation.
Moon phase and light
The moon is currently in the Waxing Crescent phase with approximately 38% illumination. Lunar illumination has a smaller weight than the main weather factors.
Target species
Smallmouth bassChannel catfishStriped bass
Always verify current state fishing regulations, seasons, bag limits, licensing requirements and location-specific closures before fishing.
How this forecast is calculated
The Fishing Score starts with National Weather Service weather data: pressure 28%, wind 24%, cloud cover 18%, precipitation probability 18% and lunar illumination 12%. Missing weather factors are never treated as zero; partial weather results are pulled toward a neutral 5/10 according to the missing weight. On eligible river pages, a separate conservative USGS flow check can only reduce the current score when streamflow is unusually far from the long-term seasonal median or changing rapidly. It never increases the score.
Quick answers
Potomac River near Washington fishing forecast FAQ
What is the Fishing Score for Potomac River near Washington today?
The current Fishing Score is 8.0 out of 10 with 100% weighted data coverage. The weather inputs used by the score are currently complete.
What is the best fishing time at Potomac River near Washington today?
The page highlights estimated low-light windows of 5:41 AM–7:56 AM and 6:30 PM–8:45 PM local time, centered around sunrise and sunset. They are planning windows, not guaranteed bite times.
What fish are commonly targeted at Potomac River near Washington?
Common target species listed for Potomac River near Washington include Smallmouth bass, Channel catfish, Striped bass. Seasons, legal limits and local closures can change, so always verify current regulations before fishing.
What weather factors are used for Potomac River near Washington?
The Fishing Score uses barometric pressure and trend, wind, cloud cover, precipitation probability and moon illumination. Missing inputs are excluded rather than treated as zero.
Does this page include USGS water conditions for Potomac River near Washington?
Yes. This page uses the manually mapped Potomac River Near Wash, DC Little Falls Pump Sta reference station when fresh supported observations are available. Water temperature, streamflow or water level can appear depending on the station sensors. When approved long-term statistics are available, the page can compare the current reading with the seasonal median for the same calendar day. On river pages with at least 20 approved observations contributing to that calendar day, unusually extreme or rapidly changing flow may conservatively reduce the Fishing Score; water data never adds bonus points.
What is the water temperature at Potomac River near Washington?
The latest supported USGS water-temperature observation shown on this page is 82.2°F from Potomac River Near Wash, DC Little Falls Pump Sta. Readings older than 48 hours are not presented as current.