Nelson Lake Water Temperature
Nelson Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota averages about 73°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Jul (~76°F) and coldest in Jun (~67°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 23 field readings (2011–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Nelson Lake warm enough to swim?
Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Want more than temperature? Nelson Lake scored B on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Nelson Lake?
Nelson Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 73°F. It is usually warmest in July (around 76°F) and coldest in June (around 67°F). These are typical values by month from 23 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2022), not a live reading.
When is Nelson Lake warmest?
Surface water at Nelson Lake is typically warmest in July, reaching about 76°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 Nelson Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 73°F, Nelson Lake rates as "comfortable" for swimming. Pleasant for swimming — the range most people find enjoyable without a wetsuit.
Where does this Nelson 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 — 23 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2011 and 2022. 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.