Salem Lake Water Temperature
Salem Lake in Marion County, Illinois averages about 81°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Jul (~82°F) and coldest in Oct (~58°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 234 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Salem Lake warm enough to swim?
Very comfortable for swimming. Warm surface water can also favor blue-green algae in nutrient-rich lakes, so check for advisories before you go in.
Want more than temperature? Salem Lake scored F on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby Illinois lakes
Summer average ~79°F
Summer average ~77°F
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~81°F
Summer average ~80°F
Summer average ~85°F
Explore water temperatures
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Salem Lake?
Salem Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 81°F. It is usually warmest in July (around 82°F) and coldest in October (around 58°F). These are typical values by month from 234 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022), not a live reading.
When is Salem Lake warmest?
Surface water at Salem 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 Salem Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 81°F, Salem Lake rates as "warm" for swimming. Very comfortable for swimming. Warm surface water can also favor blue-green algae in nutrient-rich lakes, so check for advisories before you go in.
Where does this Salem 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 — 234 readings from 3 monitoring stations between 2010 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.