Lake
Barton Springs
Barton Springs water temperature is currently Warm. Conditions are welcoming. Stay hydrated and watch your sun exposure. Located in the Subtropical climate zone, it is currently spring. Recent stable temperatures have pushed the smoothed air average to 22°C. The lake has had time to absorb the warmth. Comfortable conditions for extended swimming with no wetsuit required.
Last updated:
Warm
Conditions are welcoming. Stay hydrated and watch your sun exposure.
Recent stable temperatures have pushed the smoothed air average to 22°C. The lake has had time to absorb the warmth. Comfortable conditions for extended swimming with no wetsuit required.
Minimal seasonal variation. Temperature primarily driven by solar radiation.
Lake size
Larger lakes warm and cool slowly. Ponds respond quickly to air temperature.
Swum here recently?
Community temperature reports are the most reliable local data.
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7-Day Forecast
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26°C
High 29.8° / Low 21.5°
Warm air, water should be pleasant
20.9°C
54cm depth
Warm ground, water will hold temperature well
Weak
50 W/m²
Overcast skies, limited surface warming
13 km/h
SE, gusts 27
Light SE breeze, minimal surface cooling
26.8°C
Feels like wet
Warm enough to dry off comfortably. No rush to dress.
25.9 mm
7-day total
26mm of rain in the last 7 days. Lake inflows may have cooled and clouded the water.
Model estimates. Always assess the water yourself before entering.
Frequently asked questions
How is the lake water temperature estimated?
Lake temperature is estimated using exponential smoothing of 60 days of air temperature data, based on Kettle et al. (2004). The algorithm accounts for lake thermal mass. Larger lakes respond more slowly to air temperature changes. This is not a direct measurement; accuracy is approximately plus or minus 2 to 3 degrees C.
What do the temperature categories mean?
Each category covers a 4 degree C band: Warm (20 degrees C or above, no wetsuit needed), Comfortable (16 to 20 degrees C, most swimmers fine), Cool (12 to 16 degrees C, wetsuit optional), Cold (8 to 12 degrees C, wetsuit recommended), Very Cold (4 to 8 degrees C, wetsuit essential), Ice Risk (below 4 degrees C, experienced swimmers only).
What is the geographic zone?
The zone is derived from the lake's latitude and altitude. It reflects the climate regime: temperate zones have the highest model accuracy; alpine and equatorial highland zones have reduced accuracy due to solar heating effects not fully captured by air temperature data alone.
What is the swimmer exit temperature?
The exit temperature uses the Steadman (1984) apparent temperature formula, which accounts for wind speed and humidity on wet skin. Exiting water in wind with wet skin causes significantly faster heat loss than the air temperature alone suggests, especially at speeds above 20 km/h.