Kayak Love

Washington · river

Cowlitz River below Mayfield Dam

USGS monitoring location. Launch access and paddling suitability have not been verified.

Weather comparison · not a safety rating

80

Mostly favorable

Weather score out of 100

Weather only. This is a monitoring station, not a verified launch. Access, hazards and suitable flow are unknown.

Weather observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:45:00 GMT.

River observation: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT.

Page checked: Sun, 08 Nov 2026 15:52:48 GMT. Readings older than one hour are not used for the current score.

Photograph taken near Cowlitz River below Mayfield Dam
Nearby on Wikimedia Commons — Fall Color at Mayfield Lake- Gifford Pinchot (23823081962).jpg by U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain. Taken within 10km of this location — it may not show the launch itself.

Wind

6 mph

gusting to 20 mph

Air temp

52°F

22% chance of rain

River flow

3,620 cfs

normal for this date

Weather outlook

Wednesday · 100

  • Sun

    57

  • Mon

    58

  • Tue

    79

  • Wed

    100

    Best

  • Thu

    100

  • Fri

    69

  • Sat

    72

Compares forecast wind, air temperature and rain. Does not assess river flow, swell, currents, water temperature or launch access. All times are local to this location.

Wind, next 12 hours

mph
Hourly wind forecast
HourWind (mph)Gusts (mph)
7a822
8a521
9a825
10a1021
11a818
12p1019
1p815
2p712
3p49
4p25
5p13
6p44

Is this flow normal for November 8?

Today's 3,620 cfs is 23% below the median for this date — which counts as normal water here.

The median flow on this date is 4,700 cfs, across 91 years of USGS record at this gauge. Whether that is runnable depends on the stretch — this is context, not a recommendation.

Why this score

  • Wind — 6 mph — light wind at the forecast location±0
  • Gusts — Gusting to 20 mph — 14 mph over sustained-8
  • Cold — 52°F air temperature — cool weather; water temperature is not measured-12

We don't have launch notes for this one

This page is built from the USGS gauge at this location, and uses available public readings. We haven't verified where to put in, what the hazards are, or whether this stretch is legal or sensible to paddle. We'd rather say that than invent it. The links below are where to find out.

We also don't have a verified safe-flow range here, so the Paddle Score reflects weather only. Judge the flow number against local knowledge, not against our score.

Do your own homework

We show you live conditions. For local knowledge — where to put in, what the hazards are, whether it's worth the drive — here's where paddlers actually talk about this water. We don't vet these sources; check the dates and judge for yourself.

Nearby water

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