Woods Creek Lake Water Temperature
Woods Creek Lake in McHenry County, Illinois typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October — warmest in Jul (~71°F) and coldest in May (~57°F). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 93 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Woods Creek Lake warm enough to swim?
Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Want more than temperature? Woods Creek Lake scored C on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
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Where to stay near Woods Creek Lake
Planning a swim or lake trip? Compare cabins, lodges, and vacation rentals near Woods Creek Lake — live availability and prices. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Woods Creek Lake?
Woods Creek Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in October, from 93 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
When is Woods Creek Lake warmest?
Surface water at Woods Creek Lake is typically warmest in July, reaching about 71°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 Woods Creek Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 69°F, Woods Creek Lake rates as "cool" for swimming. Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Where does this Woods Creek 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 — 93 readings from 3 monitoring stations between 2022 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.