Southern Section Lake Water Temperature
Southern Section Lake in Essex County, New York averages about 67°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Aug (~70°F) and coldest in Nov (~47°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 3,172 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Southern Section Lake warm enough to swim?
Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Want more than temperature? Southern Section Lake scored C on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
Water temperatures at nearby New York lakes
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~50°F
Summer average ~67°F
Summer average ~53°F
Summer average ~74°F
Summer average ~73°F
Explore water temperatures
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Southern Section Lake?
Southern Section Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 67°F. It is usually warmest in August (around 70°F) and coldest in November (around 47°F). These are typical values by month from 3,172 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023), not a live reading.
When is Southern Section Lake warmest?
Surface water at Southern Section Lake is typically warmest in August, reaching about 70°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 Southern Section Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 67°F, Southern Section Lake rates as "cool" for swimming. Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Where does this Southern Section 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 — 3,172 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2010 and 2023. 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.