Cottonwood Lake Water Temperature
Cottonwood Lake in Cottonwood County, Minnesota averages about 77°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Jul (~82°F) and coldest in Jun (~73°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Cottonwood Lake warm enough to swim?
Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Want more than temperature? Cottonwood Lake scored D on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby Minnesota lakes
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~76°F
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~75°F
Summer average ~76°F
Explore water temperatures
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Cottonwood Lake?
Cottonwood Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 77°F. It is usually warmest in July (around 82°F) and coldest in June (around 73°F). These are typical values by month from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025), not a live reading.
When is Cottonwood Lake warmest?
Surface water at Cottonwood Lake is typically warmest in July, reaching about 82°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 Cottonwood Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 77°F, Cottonwood Lake rates as "comfortable" for swimming. Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Where does this Cottonwood 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 — 20 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2022 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.