Big Arbor Vitae Lake Water Temperature
Big Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September — warmest in Jul (~74°F) and coldest in May (~60°F). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 14 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Big Arbor Vitae Lake warm enough to swim?
Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Want more than temperature? Big Arbor Vitae Lake scored B on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby Wisconsin lakes
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Where to stay near Big Arbor Vitae Lake
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Big Arbor Vitae Lake?
Big Arbor Vitae Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in September, from 14 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
When is Big Arbor Vitae Lake warmest?
Surface water at Big Arbor Vitae Lake is typically warmest in July, reaching about 74°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 Big Arbor Vitae Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 71°F, Big Arbor Vitae Lake rates as "comfortable" for swimming. Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Where does this Big Arbor Vitae Lake 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 — 14 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2024 and 2025. 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.