What is the average water temperature in Montana?

The current average water temperature across Montana's monitored water bodies is 64.9°F.

🌡️

Montana Water Temperatures

Q: What is the warmest lake in Montana today?

Powder River Near Locate Mt at 85.5°F.

Current lake & river temperatures in Montana — updated daily from USGS sensors.

100

With Data

64.9°F

State Avg

85.5°F

Warmest

85.5°F

Warmest

Powder River Near Locate Mt

64.9°F

State Average

100 water bodies

43.7°F

Coldest

Rock Creek Near Red Lodge Mt

🏊

Swimming Conditions

🚫 Too cold for most swimmers

Based on avg 64.9°F

🎣

Fishing Conditions

🎣 Good — trout, walleye, bass

Based on avg 64.9°F

Montana — Ranked by Temperature

100 with data

#	Water Body	°F	°C	Condition	🏊	Date
1	Powder River Near Locate Mt River	85.5°	29.7°	🔥 Hot	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
2	Tongue R Bl Brandenberg Bridge Nr Ashland Mt Lake	82.8°	28.2°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
3	Tongue River At Miles City, Mt River	82°	27.8°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
4	Tongue River At State Line Nr Decker Mt River	81.9°	27.7°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
5	Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt River	80.8°	27.1°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
6	Milk River At Nashua Mt River	80.6°	27°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
7	Yellowstone River Fish Bypass Channel Nr Intake Mt River	80.6°	27°	☀️ Warm	🏊 Excellent	Jul 26
8	Missouri River Near Landusky Mt River	79°	26.1°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jul 26
9	Musselshell River At Mosby Mt River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jun 30
10	Missouri River At Toston Mt River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jul 26
11	Yellowstone River At Billings Mt River	75.2°	24°	☀️ Warm	✅ Good	Jul 26
12	Flathead River At Perma Mt River	74.7°	23.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
13	Flathead River Near Polson Mt River	74.7°	23.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
14	Jefferson River Near Three Forks Mt River	74.1°	23.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
15	Madison River Near West Yellowstone, Mt River	73.8°	23.2°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
16	Madison River Near Norris Mt River	73°	22.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
17	Madison River Bl Ennis Lake Nr Mcallister Mt River	73°	22.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
18	Marias River Near Loma Mt River	72.9°	22.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
19	Sun River At Simms Mt River	72.9°	22.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
20	Jefferson River At Parsons Bdg Nr Silver Star, Mt River	72.5°	22.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	✅ Good	Jul 26
21	Big Hole R Bl Hamilton Ditch Nr Twin Bridges, Mt Lake	71.4°	21.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
22	Yellowstone River At Big Timber, Mt River	71.4°	21.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
23	Jefferson River Near Twin Bridges, Mt River	71.2°	21.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
24	Clark Fork Ab Little Blackfoot R Nr Garrison Mt Lake	71.1°	21.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
25	Clark Fork Near Paradise, Mt Lake	70.7°	21.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
26	Silver Bow Creek At Opportunity Mt River	70.5°	21.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
27	Clark Fork At Deer Lodge Mt Lake	70.5°	21.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 22
28	Yellowstone River At Corwin Springs Mt River	70.3°	21.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 24
29	Yellowstone River At Springdale, Mt River	70.3°	21.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
30	Smith River Bl Eagle Cr Nr Fort Logan Mt River	70.2°	21.2°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
31	Beaverhead River At Twin Bridges, Mt River	70.2°	21.2°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
32	Dearborn River Near Craig Mt River	70°	21.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
33	Big Hole River Near Glen Mt River	69.8°	21°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
34	Clark Fork At Superior, Mt Lake	69.8°	21°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
35	Ruby River Near Twin Bridges Mt River	69.6°	20.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
36	Yellowstone River Near Livingston, Mt River	69.6°	20.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
37	Clark Fork Above Missoula Mt Lake	69.3°	20.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 27
38	Silver Bow Creek At Warm Springs Mt River	68.9°	20.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
39	Gallatin River At Logan Mt River	68.9°	20.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
40	Bitterroot River Near Missoula Mt River	68.5°	20.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 21
41	Big Hole River Near Melrose Mt River	68.5°	20.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
42	Blackfoot River Near Bonner Mt River	68.2°	20.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
43	Big Hole River Near Wise River Mt River	68.2°	20.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
44	Missouri River Near Wolf Point Mt River	67.6°	19.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
45	Clark Fork Near Galen Mt Lake	67.5°	19.7°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
46	Marias River At Highway 223 Bridge Near Chester,Mt River	67.3°	19.6°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
47	Lost Creek Near Galen, Mt River	66.9°	19.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
48	Big Hole River Bl Big Lake Cr At Wisdom Mt River	66.9°	19.4°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
49	Missouri River Bl Holter Dam Nr Wolf Cr Mt River	66.7°	19.3°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
50	Big Hole River At Maiden Rock Nr Divide Mt River	66.4°	19.1°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
51	Willow Creek Near Harrison Mt River	66.2°	19°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
52	Stillwater River Near Absarokee, Mt River	66°	18.9°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
53	Smith River Near Eden Mt River	65.8°	18.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jun 30
54	Madison River At Ennis, Mt River	65.8°	18.8°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
55	Silver Bow Cr Bl Blacktail Cr, At Butte, Mt Lake	65.3°	18.5°	🌤️ Comfortable	⚠️ Brisk	Jul 26
56	Rock Creek Near Clinton Mt River	64.9°	18.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
57	Madison River Near Cameron Mt River	64.9°	18.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
58	Bitterroot River Near Darby Mt River	64.6°	18.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
59	Little Blackfoot River Near Garrison Mt River	64.2°	17.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
60	Mill Creek At Opportunity, Mt River	63.5°	17.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
61	Birch Creek At Bullhead Bridge, Nr Valier, Mt River	63.5°	17.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jun 24
62	Madison River At Kirby Ranch Nr Cameron Mt River	62.8°	17.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
63	N F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt River	62.4°	16.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
64	S F Flathead R Ab Twin C Nr Hungry Horse Mt Lake	62.4°	16.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
65	Warm Springs Creek At Warm Springs Mt River	62.1°	16.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
66	Bighorn R Bl Yellowtail Afterbay Dam Nr St. Xavier Reservoir	61.7°	16.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 8
67	Missouri R At E Frazer Pump Plant Nr Frazer Mt Lake	61.5°	16.4°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
68	Red Rock Cr Ab Lakes, Nr Lakeview, Mt Lake	61.5°	16.4°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
69	Willow Creek At Opportunity, Mt River	61.3°	16.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
70	Silver Bow Creek At Montana Street, At Butte, Mt River	61.3°	16.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
71	Gallatin River Above Deer Creek, Near Big Sky, Mt River	61.2°	16.2°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
72	Flathead River At Columbia Falls Mt River	61°	16.1°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
73	Madison River Bl Hebgen Lake Nr Grayling Mt River	60.3°	15.7°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
74	Blacktail Creek Above Grove Gulch, At Butte, Mt River	58.8°	14.9°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
75	W Rosebud Cr At Emerald Lk Campground Nr Roscoe Lake	58.3°	14.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 27
76	M F Flathead River Near West Glacier Mt River	58.3°	14.6°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
77	Missouri River Near Culbertson Mt River	58.1°	14.5°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
78	S F Flathead River Nr Columbia Falls Mt River	57.7°	14.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
79	Bighorn River At Bridge, At St. Xavier, Mt River	55.9°	13.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
80	Shields River Bl Sf Shields River Nr Wilsall, Mt River	55.9°	13.3°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Jul 26
81	Teton River At Loma Mt River	55.4°	13°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
82	Clark Fork At St. Regis Mt Lake	55.4°	13°	🌊 Cool	🚫 Cold	Sep 29
83	Nf Blackfoot R Ab Dry Gulch Nr Ovando Mt Lake	54.9°	12.7°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Jul 27
84	Bighorn River Ab Tullock Cr Nr Bighorn Mt River	54.5°	12.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 30
85	Clarks Fork Yellowstone River At Edgar Mt River	54.5°	12.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
86	Clark Fork At Goldcreek Mt River	54.5°	12.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 30
87	St. Regis River Near St. Regis, Mt River	53.6°	12°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
88	Beaverhead River Near Twin Bridges Mt River	52.7°	11.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
89	Shields River Nr Livingston Mt River	51.8°	11°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
90	Musselshell River At Harlowton Mt River	51.8°	11°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
91	Boulder River At Big Timber Mt River	51.8°	11°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
92	Blackfoot R Ab Nevada Cr Nr Helmville Mt Lake	50°	10°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
93	Clark Fork At Turah Bridge Nr Bonner Mt Lake	49.3°	9.6°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 30
94	Poplar River Near Poplar Mt River	49.1°	9.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
95	Gallatin River Near Gallatin Gateway, Mt River	47.3°	8.5°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
96	Gardner River Near Mammoth, Ynp River	47.1°	8.4°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
97	Clark Fork Below Missoula Mt Lake	46.4°	8°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Oct 6
98	Fisher River Near Libby Mt River	45.3°	7.4°	❄️ Cold	⛔ Very cold	Oct 3
99	Soda Butte Cr At Park Bndry At Silver Gate Lake	44.6°	7°	🧊 Very Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29
100	Rock Creek Near Red Lodge Mt River	43.7°	6.5°	🧊 Very Cold	⛔ Very cold	Sep 29

Powder River Near Locate Mt River

85.5°F

🔥 Hot

Tongue R Bl Brandenberg Bridge Nr Ashland Mt Lake

82.8°F

☀️ Warm

Tongue River At Miles City, Mt River

82°F

☀️ Warm

Tongue River At State Line Nr Decker Mt River

81.9°F

☀️ Warm

Yellowstone River Near Sidney Mt River

80.8°F

☀️ Warm

Milk River At Nashua Mt River

80.6°F

☀️ Warm

Yellowstone River Fish Bypass Channel Nr Intake Mt River

80.6°F

☀️ Warm

Missouri River Near Landusky Mt River

79°F

☀️ Warm

Musselshell River At Mosby Mt River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Missouri River At Toston Mt River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Yellowstone River At Billings Mt River

75.2°F

☀️ Warm

Flathead River At Perma Mt River

74.7°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Flathead River Near Polson Mt River

74.7°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Jefferson River Near Three Forks Mt River

74.1°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Madison River Near West Yellowstone, Mt River

73.8°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Madison River Near Norris Mt River

73°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Madison River Bl Ennis Lake Nr Mcallister Mt River

73°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Marias River Near Loma Mt River

72.9°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Sun River At Simms Mt River

72.9°F

🌤️ Comfortable

Jefferson River At Parsons Bdg Nr Silver Star, Mt River

72.5°F

🌤️ Comfortable

More Montana Resources

🗺️ Montana Water Levels 🎣 Weekly Fishing Report ⛵ Boat Ramp Status 🌵 Drought Conditions 🌡️ All States

❓ Montana Water Temperature FAQ

What is the warmest lake in Montana today?

Based on our latest USGS data, Powder River Near Locate Mt is currently the warmest water body in Montana at 85.5°F.

Which Montana lakes are good for swimming right now?

Lakes with water temperatures above 72°F are generally comfortable for swimming. Currently, Montana's average water temperature is 64.9°F — check individual lakes above for specific conditions.

What is the best water temperature for fishing in Montana?

The optimal temperature range depends on your target species. For bass fishing, look for water bodies between 65–75°F. For trout, target the coldest water bodies in Montana — typically 50–65°F. Use the table above to identify which lakes are in the ideal range for your target species.

🔬 Data Methodology & Sources

Water temperature readings on this site are collected from USGS (United States Geological Survey) monitoring stations installed at lakes, rivers, and reservoirs across the country. Sensors measure water surface temperature in Celsius, which is converted to Fahrenheit for display. Data is retrieved and stored daily. Temperatures shown reflect the most recent available sensor reading for each water body, typically from the past 1–30 days depending on station reporting frequency.

⚠️ Water temperatures can vary significantly across a water body due to depth, currents, and time of day. Sensor readings represent conditions at the monitoring station location. Always exercise caution when swimming and consult local authorities for official safety advisories.