Lake Norman is a lake in Lincoln County, North Carolina. The nearest town is Westport, about 4.6 km (2.9 mi) away (Lake Norman lies ESE of town).
Lake Norman (LKN) is an artificial freshwater lake located in southwestern North Carolina, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Charlotte. Created between 1959 and 1964 during the construction of Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, it is the largest man-made body of freshwater located entirely within North Carolina. The lake is named after former Duke Power president Norman Atwater Cocke. Spanning over 50 square miles (130 km2) with 520 miles (840 km) of shoreline, Lake Norman borders four North Carolina counties: Catawba, Iredell, Lincoln, and Mecklenburg. Fed by the Catawba River, the reservoir serves as a critical infrastructure hub for the Piedmont region, providing cooling water for the McGuire Nuclear Station and Marshall Steam Station. The water from the lake drives the generators at the hydroelectric station in Cowards Ford Dam, and supplies drinking water to surrounding...From the Wikipedia article “Lake Norman”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lake Norman the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:28 AM | 90° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 60° ENE | 8:43 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 33m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:12 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:30 AM | 119° ESE | 5:15 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:32 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:10 AM | 7:35 AM | 8:09 AM | 6:58 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:57 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:26 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 7:23 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:50 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:39 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:47 AM | 8:04 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 32m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 8:03 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:17 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:41 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:59 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:58 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:05 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:15 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:15 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:41 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 19m |
| December | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:41 PM | 9h 47m |
Local time (America/New York), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Lake Norman, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (suburban sky), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:12 AM – 5:42 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:17 AM – 6:07 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:32 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 4:20 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:25 PM – 2:55 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:48 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 10:49 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 8:45 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.68 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 45% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (58%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 73 | 76 | 81 | 90 | 95 | 105 | 104 | 106 | 99 | 100 | 82 | 77 |
| Low °F | 9 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 36 | 47 | 58 | 54 | 41 | 29 | 21 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this lake
- Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
- Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
- Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.
- After sunset, long exposures smooth wind ripples into glass.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.
Suggested gear: Tripod, Circular polarizer, Wide-angle lens, Waterproof boots. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Lake Norman, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic Viewpoint
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lake Norman?
What time is golden hour at Lake Norman?
Where does the sun rise and set at Lake Norman?
Can you see the Milky Way from Lake Norman?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Lake Norman?
How far is Lake Norman from Westport?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.