Vermont
Lake Champlain Water Temperature
Lake Champlain is 76.5°F at the surface — a sensor reading from August 12, 2026.
What this number is
One reading from one sensor: USGS gauge 04294500 — Lake Champlain at Burlington, VT. It's a real measurement, not an estimate — but it is a snapshot. Surface temperature can swing several degrees over a day with sun and wind, and the top few feet run warmer than the water below.
Check the date above before you trust the number. This page shows the newest reading each time the site is refreshed; if that date looks old, the sensor may be quiet or offline for the season, and the reading tells you about that day, not today.
The season
Lake Champlain's surface usually peaks in high summer — late July into August — and cools quickly once September winds start turning the water over. Spring runs the same curve in reverse: the water stays cold long after the air feels warm.
This page covers water temperature only. For ice-out records in Vermont, start at the Vermont lakes page.
Cold water is dangerous long after the air turns warm — no reading on this page says the water is safe.
Reading: USGS gauge 04294500 — Lake Champlain at Burlington, VT, pulled August 12, 2026.