Cox Lake Water Temperature
Cox Lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota averages about 69°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Aug (~73°F) and coldest in Jun (~65°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 40 field readings (2016–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Cox Lake warm enough to swim?
Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Want more than temperature? Cox Lake scored B 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 ~69°F
Summer average ~72°F
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~56°F
Summer average ~62°F
Summer average ~70°F
Explore water temperatures
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Cox Lake?
Cox Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 69°F. It is usually warmest in August (around 73°F) and coldest in June (around 65°F). These are typical values by month from 40 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2024), not a live reading.
When is Cox Lake warmest?
Surface water at Cox Lake is typically warmest in August, reaching about 73°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 Cox Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 69°F, Cox Lake rates as "cool" for swimming. Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Where does this Cox 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 — 40 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2016 and 2024. 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.