Bear Lake Southeast Basin Water Temperature
Bear Lake Southeast Basin in Kalkaska County, Michigan averages about 62°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Aug (~66°F) and coldest in May (~53°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 760 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Bear Lake Southeast Basin warm enough to swim?
Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Want more than temperature? Bear Lake Southeast Basin scored A on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby Michigan lakes
Summer average ~73°F
Summer average ~60°F
Summer average ~67°F
Summer average ~61°F
Summer average ~61°F
Summer average ~49°F
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Bear Lake Southeast Basin?
Bear Lake Southeast Basin has a typical summer surface temperature of about 62°F. It is usually warmest in August (around 66°F) and coldest in May (around 53°F). These are typical values by month from 760 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023), not a live reading.
When is Bear Lake Southeast Basin warmest?
Surface water at Bear Lake Southeast Basin is typically warmest in August, reaching about 66°F. Lake surface temperature lags air temperature by several weeks, so the warmest water usually arrives in mid-to-late summer even though the hottest air can come earlier.
Is Bear Lake Southeast Basin warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 62°F, Bear Lake Southeast Basin rates as "cool" for swimming. Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Where does this Bear Lake Southeast Basin water temperature data come from?
Every temperature on this page is a typical (climatological) value computed from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal — 760 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2010 and 2023. They describe what is typical for each month, not the temperature right now.
About this data
Water temperatures are a climatology — the typical value for each month, averaged from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. They tell you what to expect, not the temperature at this moment. Actual conditions vary with recent weather, depth, and time of day.